Really. Fantastic. I see, too, the interest to increase 163 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Latino enrollment, which I think is a noble goal, given the presence of the Latino population in our city. On the flip side of that, are efforts underway to have a fair representation of Latino faculty? Are there any bilingual brochures as a part of the tools required to attract Latino students?
Michael Shelton, Director of Camp William Penn. Yes, last year we had our brochure translated into Spanish.
This year will be the first year that it will be a professional, totally color, glossy layout of the camp, pretty much what we did with the department's brochure five years ago. We also have a brand-new brochure that's coming out for the teenagers, with all of the information on the teens, as well. So, we are getting there.
Thank you for your 164 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 help.
You are welcome. Councilwoman Blackwell, your light is on. Did you want to be recognized?
Thank you, Madam President. Certainly we want to thank the Recreation Department for all the things that they do. We have just learned that they are looking at boxing in West Philadelphia. And, you know, that was the one last thing we committed to Lu, while he was still here on earth. And certainly we are looking forward to working with them in that regard. And we only wanted to thank them, again, for all that they do.
Commissioner, it is a very rare day when a Commissioner comes before us and everybody has nothing but praise for them. So I certainly want to applaud you. You are doing something right. 165 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 (Applause.)
Any other questions from members of the committee? Seeing none, I thank you, sir. MR. McPHERSON: Atwater Kent Museum.
You are welcome. Good afternoon and welcome. We do have copies of your testimony. So if you would simply abbreviate your testimony, we will make absolutely certain that the stenographer has a copy, and it will be transcribed in full.
Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I am expecting the President of the Museum's Board of Trustees very short.
You are going to have to identify yourself, and please speak closer to the mike.
Thank you. I am Viki Sand, Executive Director of the Atwater Kent Museum. And I am expecting my colleague, the President of the Board of Trustees, David 166 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Seltzer, very shortly. I am here to present testimony on behalf of the Atwater Kent. And I do appreciate that you have the testimony before you. Obviously everyone associated with the museum appreciates the leadership of the City Council and the Administration to continue support for the Atwater Kent, along with the Museum of Art and other cultural institutions. I am here to just highlight some specific items that I think we are delighted to talk with you about. First and foremost, over the past three years, the museum has generated $2.1 million in noncity funds to renovate the Atwater Kent Museum and to really develop the kinds of programs that reach across communities in this city and really create an institution of pride. Key and central to that is the Atwater Kent Museum's highest priority, to serve school children. 167 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 And we have worked diligently with federal money over the last year and a half to develop curriculum-based programs for K through 8th grade, but also a dynamic new program, a new game simulation, called Experience Philadelphia, that will be available for high school students, to have them envision the kind of city they want to live in, to create strategies to develop that, to reach their dreams, and then to negotiate it. It meets all of the curriculum cross-cutting competencies, or cross-competencies. And we are very excited to be working with the Curriculum Office of the Philadelphia public schools in creating that program. I also want to note that the Philadelphia city history collection now includes not only the art and artifacts of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection, which we acquired two years ago, but the Philadelphia material from the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies has also come to the 168 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 museum. And, finally, I want just briefly to mention the passing of Council member David Cohen. He was for many years the Council's representative on the museum's Board of Trustees. And through his office and his aide, Bill Greenlee, I must say that we received always very good attention and very good support during the last two critical years. I am very pleased to be here today to specifically ask for the appropriation of $270,000 for the Atwater Kent Museum in Fiscal Year 2007. And I am pleased to answer your questions.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to know what your total Operating Budget is for the Atwater?
The total Operating Budget is -- separate from the city is 169 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 $800,000, about $870,000.
870,000. And out of that 870,000, you are asking the city for 270,000; correct?
And how is the additional 500-some-thousand dollars? Is that through private contributions? How is that raised?
Well the total Operating Budget for the museum -- I may have misunderstood your question -- including city funds is about $1.2 million.
We have 11 full-time employees and we have five part-time employees. We also contract with three people 170 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 to provide professional services.
And what would you say, the $270,000, how is that appropriated? In other words, is it for the maintenance of the facility?
No. We get, the museum's direct funding from the city, is in five key positions for the museum. One, the Executive Director; the curator; registrar; semi-skilled laborer; and security person, municipal guard. And that is the museum's appropriation, $264,000. And this year $6,000 is used for the purchase of collection insurance.
-- from 2005. You just need the same amount you received previously?
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Good afternoon. On of your testimony, you give some discussion, or mention, I should say, of a Capital Master Plan starting in March. Can you just share with us where you are with that, what some of the short-term and long-term goals are there?
We have needed for our historic 1826 building both a historic structure report, but also a master plan for the use of that building, and we have been working with the Capital Program Office to do that. The priorities of the Capital Master Plan are really three: One, to improve the environment of the building. We have about three different heating and cooling systems in the building. And it is very difficult both 172 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 for the collections, as well as our visitors and staff. And there are dramatic changes. So we want to reduce the extremes of that. The second priority is to improve our visitor services amenities and to make the building -- "amenities" meaning toilets, so that they meet standards for accessibility and make the lobby a space that we can use more successfully for visitors. And the third priority is to renovate the third floor of the building, which is where we house a part of the collection. But we want to open that so that we can use it for public research and work space for our exhibition programs.
Sure. Your Experience Philadelphia currently focuses on involving and engaging high school students. Any thoughts or inclination to partner with neighboring universities not only for funding, but for possibly interns and/or volunteers?
We do have a number of interns who come from colleges and 173 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 universities at the present time. And one of the keys to our Experience Philadelphia gallery and the activities that we're running with the public schools, but also the different kinds of -- all of the different schools in the Philadelphia area and in the region, we support that in part through -- at the moment through staff people, but have had over the last three years four interns annually who work with us to support our programs. So we are reaching out to the colleges and universities in the area and engaging their students to help us do this. Temple University has, for the last three years, provided a doctoral student to help us with historical research. And Temple University, their data project was also the source of information around the Experience Philadelphia game simulation.
We have not at this point done that. 174 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Just curious. And currently does the partnership still exist with the Department of Recreation?
You are welcome. Are there any other questions or comments from Council Members? Good afternoon. Welcome. You were a little late, so we started without you.
I would like to introduce the President of the Board of Trustees of the Atwater Kent, David Seltzer.
Welcome. Is there anything that you would like to add to the testimony that has already been given?
Fine. Thank you for coming in. Thank you. 175 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 MR. McPHERSON: The next department is the Art Museum.
Good afternoon and welcome. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. MS. ANNE d'HARNONCOURT: Good afternoon and greetings, City Council President Verna and members of City Council. I am Anne d'Harnoncourt, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And have the pleasure of being joined today by Gail Harrity, Chief Operating Officer; Robert J. Morrone, our Director of Facilities and Operations; and Cheryl McClenney-Brooker to my left, the Director of External Affairs. As you all know, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has one of the great collections of art in the United States and encompasses a great diversity of cultures and historic periods. I won't rehearse so much of my written testimony; but to say that, as you all know, we are housed in a city-owned building 176 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 and the responsibility is ours to care for city-owned collections. And we have depended on city operating support to pay security, maintenance, and utility costs since the museum opened its doors in that magnificent main building in 1928. And I should just note that, when those core expenses of security and maintenance are funded through a stable annual stream of public support, that is what really gives the museum the ability to successfully solicit additional support from individuals, foundations, and corporations to do the exhibitions, to take care of our great collections, and create the education programs that have such a deep and positive impact on the city's quality of life, its educational opportunities, and its prosperity. We are very grateful this year for the Administration's recommended appropriation of $2 million for operating costs. We do hope that the Administration, together with City Council, will consider over 177 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 time incrementally restoring the museum's appropriation to a level that will actually cover 100 percent of the security and maintenance costs. 6 million covered those costs in full. And I won't rehearse the intervening years, but the appropriation was lowered to $2 million in Fiscal 2005 and 2006. And it is proposed currently that that remain flat for the next five years, while over the same period of time our security and maintenance costs have actually risen, not surprisingly. The appropriation of $2 million for Fiscal '07 will cover, in fact, only one-third of what it costs to secure the museum and its collections, to operate the systems, and maintain the building. So we hope for consideration from the Administration and the Council for gradual restoration to previous levels to cover 100 percent of those costs. 178 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Because we really believe, and we hope you concur, that the city's investment in the museum is a sound and a fruitful one. And we think that was demonstrated in a number of ways last year. In particular, you all remember the great Dali exhibition, which opened in February 2005, and was such a resounding success that those mustaches, let alone those paintings, will not be easily forgotten. I mean, his art was really presented as never before. And visitors came from all 50 states and 33 countries to Philadelphia, our Philadelphia. And my colleague, Gail Harrity, will briefly talk about the economic impact of Dali and of the museum. But suffice it to say it was, I think, a thrilling experience for all of us. And last fall we were also thrilled to provide an array of experiences. We are always looking for a variety. A great Dutch 17th century landscape master painter, Jacob Van Ruisdael, we borrowed paintings from as 179 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 far afield as Paris and Russia. And an exhibition of the really extraordinary modern painter, Beauford Delaney, the African-American artist whose portrait of James Baldwin is a recently acquired treasure of our own museum.
And, on top of that, we not only helped things to happen and make things happen in our own building, but we were one of five institutions that came together in an unprecedented collaboration to organize the celebration of Ben Franklin's 300th birthday. And we lent both expertise and works of art to the fabulous show, "Ben Franklin, In Search of a Better Life," which is on show as we speak at the Constitution Center. Also as we speak, we are preparing for a March 29 opening of Andrew Wyeth, Magic and Memory, which we hope will be another cultural milestone for the city. At the age of 88 and still actively painting, he is not only among the most beloved artists living today, but he is a life-long Pennsylvania resident, fan of the 180 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 city, and his subject matter is often the landscape of rural Pennsylvania and the people that he knows so well. And it celebrates seven decades of his art. The lead corporate sponsor of the exhibition is the Ford Motor Company. And we are really proud to have created a partnership that brings the corporate leaders of Ford from Michigan to Philadelphia. This spring, I should say, is also the 50th anniversary of the wedding of Philadelphia's own Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier of Monaco. And, as I think you all know, after the wedding, she gave her wedding dress to the museum. So we are going to be celebrating that very Philadelphia occasion, as well, in the near future. And, as you know, her brother, Jack Kelly, was Councilman-at-Large. So he is part of the history of this august institution of City Council. And as we sit here, also, the Perlman Building, the great building built as 181 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 an insurance company and a private corporate headquarters across the street from the museum, is being transformed into a new part of the museum, into a new public institution, which will open in the summer of 2007. We are already enormously excited. And we plan for a whole array of programs for the public, for the, really, myriad art students and art history students in Philadelphia, and for citizens from Philadelphia and well beyond. You mentioned Moore College of Art in the previous testimony. And we hope that Philadelphia's great wealth of art students will find particularly exciting things to see in the Perlman Building when it goes public. And I would just say that education is really the business of the museum day in and day out, and an investment in the museum is also an investment in one very important aspect of education. We collaborate with schools in every councilmanic district. We serve 75,000 to 80,000 school children annually. And we have 182 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 programs for adults, families, teens, children, special needs, audiences, all together serving about 212,000 individuals in Fiscal '05. And, in fact, many of those programs are filled to capacity. And I would also just like to note that in Fiscal '05, over 3,000 teachers from throughout the city and the region worked with our museum educators to learn innovative strategies of employing the arts in a range of classroom experiences not only in the arts, but in mathematics, in history. And you can use art to do an awful lot of things, opening kids' eyes to a great deal of the rest of the curriculum. And we just in a second, we are going to show you, if you will bear with us, a very brief three-minute version of a longer video which the museum has produced in collaboration with school teachers. It is at, really, their request to -- it has the title kind of a little school group visit at the museum, Look, Learn, and Discover. It was made possible by the support 183 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 of Comcast. And it is really preparing kids for their visit.
We have discovered that if kids are -- if they are secure, if they feel good about what they are going to be doing, what they are going to be seeing, where they are going to be having lunch, that it makes them open up and enjoy their experience and actually take information in and command a lot more knowledge when they come out, than if they are going with a sense that they don't know what's going to happen. So this video is in the hands now of every teacher in advance of a school group. And take it away.
Before we see the video, may I ask what plans you have about parking? Aren't we going to have a parking problem? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: We always have a parking problem.
I think it is just going to be exaggerated. MS. d'HARNONCOURT: I might, if I 184 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 may, Council President, could I defer that question to my colleague, Gail Harrity, who will be talking a bit about the capital needs right following this? Is that appropriate?
Okay. MS. d'HARNONCOURT: Thank you. (Video presentation.) MS. d'HARNONCOURT: So thank you very much for the opportunity to show that. We are really so excited about it getting into the schools. We have sent copies of this to each City Council member at their office. If anyone would like additional copies, we would love to provide them. And the teachers, who are the real judges of this, together with their kids, are really saying it really makes a big difference to do what we want to do. So this is -- I will conclude my portion of the testimony just saying, we really can only do what we do with the help of that steady stream of support from the City of Philadelphia. 185 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 We appreciate the current proposed allocation of $2 million in operating funds, and we look forward to working with the Administration and with every member of City Council to make the most out of this great educational cultural resource for all the citizens of this great city. And now I am handing the microphone to my colleague, Gail Harrity, Chief Operating Officer of the museum.
Hello, President Verna and members of City Council. Thank you. I am Gail Harrity, I am the Chief Operating Officer of the Art Museum. And, as Anne mentioned in her testimony, I will just add a little economic impact information to our testimony. As she said, last year the Dali exhibition was a great success, attracting visitors from 33 countries and all 50 states. Over the course of the three-month exhibition, there were 370,000 visitors going through the exhibition galleries; and, during that period, 580,000 visitors to the museum. 186 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 We generated over 20,000 hotel room 3 nights. And the museum was very pleased that the Hotel Association awarded the museum a congratulations for booking so many room 6 nights for the city's hotels. What was also encouraging is that visitors to the museum exhibition, to the Dali exhibition, 52,000 of them, visited other historic sites, art programs, and, you know, theatre programs in the city. So we had a wonderful effect of sending visitors throughout the city. 5 million, in tax revenues for the city and the state. But what our Governor is often heard quoted as saying is that the museum is a block-buster all year round. And for Fiscal '05, the museum conducted a survey with urban partners to assess the economic impact of the museum for the full year during the Fiscal '05. And it was clear that the museum 187 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 generated over $235 million in economic activity for the city and region. 4 million in tax revenues for the city and state. Last year when we testified, a number of City Council members asked for a breakdown of our economic impact numbers. I won't go through this in detail. But of that total economic impact for '05, over $122 million of it was in direct economic activity, broken down in what you see; $74 million for hotels and restaurants, retail and transportation; about $26 million in food, or almost $6 million in beverage and $42 million in other hotel and local transportation costs. It also generated over $48 million in payroll goods and services. The indirect economic impact was also significant. Over $63 million by museum visitor spending and $49 million spent by the museum on goods and services. So it creates jobs. The museum creates jobs. For every one job created, more than eight -- at the museum, more than eight 188 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 are created in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. We think we are a wonderful investment, and certainly appreciate the city's recognition of that in their support for the museum's Operating Budget annually. I thought I would just conclude our testimony with, really, responding to your question, Council President, about the parking garage. Because, indeed, the museum is working on Phase Two of the master plan, which includes four different projects. One, an external envelope renovation, which is, really, the facade and roof repairs; two is a parking garage; three is the construction of a new loading and improved loading dock; and four as central plant. Now, as you know, the museum is 78 years old and in dire need of repair, upgrade, and modernization. So we are particularly thrilled that the city has committed, through its Capital Program and through the Mayor's recent announcement, generous support for capital 189 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 improvements of the main museum. I will just conclude with a few images here showing you the need for repair, particularly on the facade of the museum. Here are some close-up shots showing the need for rejointing throughout the building. There are missing joints that all need to be repaired. All of the spectacular columns on our landmark building are cracking, which needs to be addressed in order to prevent further deterioration. In some cases, the terra cotta tile decorative elements along the roof are in very poor repair, as you see in this image. They are cracked entirely.
In other areas, segments of the tile is missing entirely. We have got stone. Here is an image of the limestone along the roof, where a portion of the stone has cracked and fallen from the building. There are smaller segments of limestone that have fallen from the building around it. And there are some segments, such 190 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 as this one, which, you know, could be repaired and, hopefully, addressed before we lose the stone. So the support from the city capital project would help to repair the facade, repair the 78-year-old roof, and also address what you see here are the -- address the window grills, these bronze grills, around each of the windows. Again, if you look at close-up images -- and I hope this is clear -- you will see that the bronze grills are breaking and splitting. And, to a large extent, this deterioration can compromise the structural integrity of the system. So I just wanted to conclude by adding to our operating statement that we are also enormously appreciative for the city and its support, for City Council's support, for the capital needs of the museum.
The reason I am 191 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 asking for a point of information, there has been a conversation piece, and you have just made me think of it. Could you go back to one of the slides of the facade.
There. Go there. Could you tell us, every time I am over there, somebody stands, if we're waiting to go up into the museum, they point up to one side of the museum that's got the facade and the other doesn't. Is there a story behind that? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: I think you are on the east side of the museum. There is a one pediment that has been filled initially when the museum was built in 1928. And the remaining pediments around the museum do not have any decorative elements. The museum was fortunate enough to receive a gift by a Mrs. Greenwood. And I would have to remember the exact date.
No, this is not. This 192 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 is the pediments are a series -- let me see whether I can -- this is an empty pediment. And there is one that is filled with figures that were -- that is just absolutely exquisite. And only one was completed when the museum was completed in 1928.
Everybody, that's like a standard conversation piece. Look at that and look at that. And I never really knew how to answer the question, other than, we're getting to it.
Well, I think the hope is that -- the most important part of the master plan is to address these pediments, particularly all of the brick work. And maybe Bob Morrone can add to this. But certainly repointing the brick and repairing the roof is our first priority.
You are welcome. MS. d'HARNONCOURT: Thank you. My testimony is concluded therewith. And if there are any questions, we would be happy to 193 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 answer them.
Thank you. Have you requested additional operating funds from the Administration? If so, in what amount? And if you have not, can you tell us why not? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: The answer to that is that, we were very pleased with the Administration's proposal to maintain the $2 million, which had been last year's appropriation and the previous one, and not to propose any further cuts in it. And we were happy to receive that. However, we -- as I said in my testimony, we would look forward to the opportunity to work with the Administration and Council over succeeding years to come closer to restore that funding to previous levels.
For the record, can you tell us what the previous levels were? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: Yes. The $4.5 million was in Fiscal '92, I believe, which was the last year in which the museum received 194 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 full funding. That covered the then full costs of the security, the maintenance for the building. Since that time, the funds have decreased over time to the point of just being the $2 million that has been flat over the last three years now, two years and then the proposed next year, and is flat in the current Five-Year Plan. And our hope is to gradually increase that. That appropriation, that $2 million, would cover only one-third of what it will cost to secure the museum and its collections in Fiscal '07, which is approximately $6 million.
I have other questions, but I see that we do have Council members that would like to be recognized. Councilman Kelly.
Thank you, Madam President. Ms. D'Harnoncourt, I just wanted to know what is your present Operating Budget? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: It is roughly 195 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 $40 million.
And how much of that $40 million is the city's contribution? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: $2 million.
$2 million. How is the other remaining $38 million raised? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: Oh, Councilman, it is a combination of -- we raise annually, we have an annual fund, in which we go to foundations, individuals, and corporations for annual funding. We also have made a valiant and an ongoing effort to increase the museum's endowment, so that there is a stream of funding from the endowment. It is often for specific positions or for support of specific areas of the museum. And, also, we obviously have some earned income from admissions, from exhibition programs, from some of the education programs, not those provided to the School District of 196 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Philadelphia and so on. So there is a whole -- every large museum, almost every institution, depends on a variety of income streams. What is so important is really that the city operating support provides a kind of reliable base on which to go to our other partners.
But the city's contribution is approximately about 5 percent of your budget, then?
And if I may add to that response. That's correct, the city's contribution is approximately 5 percent. The endowment income contributes approximately 25 percent. And the contributed funds each year are 35 percent. The earned income is also 35 percent.
Of this operating cost, how many employees do you have presently for maintenance?
For maintenance. Total number of employees are approximately --
Are approximately 400. 197 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 The maintenance and security contracts are not full-time employees to the museum. And the number of maintainers --
My name is Robert Morrone, and I am Director of Facilities and Operations at the museum. We have approximately 120 full-time equivalent security guards, and approximately or maintenance mechanics, and about 11 11 or 12 custodial workers. 12
And of those 13 employees, would you say that the city's 14 contribution of $2 million covers? 15
That's my point. 17 In comparison to other facilities, 18 especially museums around the country, can you give us another museum about the same size, and could you give us an idea of how many employees they would have for security and maintenance?
I mean, for an instance, the National Gallery, just in the area of, say, maintenance personnel, custodial 198 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 workers, they have approximately around 70 people, last count I understood, compared to our, you know, 15, 14, people. And it is 5 the same square footage. 6 And if you talk security guards, I'm 7 sure that's a number we can provide you with. 8 I don't have that number at my fingertips 9 right now. 10
You mentioned in 11 your testimony that, on the Dali exhibit, that 12 you did extend, you did extend the hours to 13 midnight on some days and an additional two 14 weeks. 15 How did you pay for the additional security for that? In other words, was that included in your budget or did you have to seek additional funding for that?
Well, the exhibition itself, we did seek additional funding, corporate support, and the like.
Security was the responsibility of the museum. And to the 199 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 extent that the city support funds a portion of that, one-third, the city did contribute partially to that cost.
You just went over something about the infrastructure problems that you are having, and they seemed to be serious. That is a city-owned facility; am I correct?
What would happen if someone was injured in that facility for something falling on them or whatever? Who would be liable? Would the city be liable for that?
So it is the city's responsibility, then, to maintain that as well as they can, I guess.
As in all city-owned buildings, I believe. 200 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
And one of the things I would just like to point out, Madam President, if I can, is that you mentioned in your notes that I am getting here that every dollar spent by the museum produces $4 in economic activity in the region. I think that's important. That's important to know, that every dollar we invest, we get $4 back in return. And I think that not only the Dali exhibit, but you're also contemplating I'm sure the Wyeth exhibit is going to be, I'm sure, maybe not as successful as the Dali, but darn close to it.
And, of course, I want to thank you for bringing cousin Grace's gown back. That's always nice to know. If I may, I just want to commend you, Anne and Gail and Bob and Cheryl, and I see Bill back there. I want to commend you for the hard work and effort that you put in, especially working with the school children in 201 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Philadelphia. Without your programs, I think they would have no idea what art is all about. I think it is very important for us to do what we can to make sure that these programs continue. And I just want to give you, I think, something, a pat on the back, I think it is long overdue, that we sometimes take you for granted that you are going to continue these programs without any support. But I think you absolutely need additional support from this city and Council, and I would just like you to know that you have a good ear here that you can get to. Thank you, Madam President.
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Let me go on the record as well, following Councilman Kelly's remarks, to commend you on the enormously good work you do across the board. And we all know that the Dali exhibit was a hit. Was that the first time 202 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 that the museum stayed open until midnight many nights? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: I think we have done it once or twice before, but it was great to have that demand.
We know the work you do in a very important way with the Philadelphia public schools. I am curious to know if you have any other partnerships of the same type; namely, the Department of Recreation? Any kind of partnership currently in place, considered, for existing city departments, like the Department of Recreation, which also is in the business of providing activities for children and adults? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: It is my belief -- and I can't answer that directly -- we have lots of kids coming in for summer programs, from summer camps, I think some of which are run by the Rec Department and others by other entities. And, so, that's been -- our education department always looks for new ways 203 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 to collaborate and cooperate with other entities in the city and outside.
All right. So there is a lot of work that's happening with persons, I would call, in the dawn of life. What about those in the twilight of their lives? For example, do you have any relationships with the Philadelphia Corporation of Aging and seniors programs to bring in seniors who, where many of the senior centers gets a budget, a program budget, that allows senior citizens to visit institutions around the city? Any ongoing partnerships of that type, as we speak? MS. d'HARNONCOURT: We do a lot of senior programming. And I know we work with senior centers both in the city and outside. I will ask, and we will let you know, about specifically dealing with city-run, city-sponsored senior centers. We do a program called Art Talk, in which people who cannot leave where they are can have telephone conversations looking at illustrations of works of art. We do as wide 204 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 a variety, as you know. We also work with prisons. We've got a good program going with many of the incarcerated people who have creative abilities and have no other way to express them. And we have teachers who work with them. And, so, there is a -- this is not chapter and verse, but there is a very broad wealth. And we have recently published, I should say, a new brochure that begins to summarize all of our -- encapsulate all of our education programs, and we will make sure that every Councilperson has one.
Please. I would be interested in reading that. That concludes my questioning. And just let me close by saying thank you for the update on the master plan. Thank you very much for your testimony. Thank you, Madam President.
You are welcome. Are there any other questions from 205 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 members of the committee? Seeing none, I thank you very much. MS. d'HARNONCOURT: Thank you, Madam President.
The committee will stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock. Thank you. 9 (Hearing adjourned at 3:25 p.m.) 10 - - - 206 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Tuesday, March 14, 2006, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE _________________________ DEBRA A. WHITEHEAD