Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Wednesday, May 10, 2023  
8:00 AM  
Hybrid Meeting: Attend in person at the City County  
Building in Room 421; attend virtually via Zoom.  
A. Call To Order  
Present in person: Chair Ritcherson  
Present virtually: Vice Chair Klehr, Commissioner Puleo Moyer, Commissioner  
Miquelon, Commissioner Handy, Commissioner Curet, Commissioner Yudice  
Staff: Mark Fraire, Augusta Brulla  
Call to order at 8:01 a.m.  
7 - Chair RODERICK RITCHERSON, AMNERIS CURET, Vice Chair MARY KLEHR,  
MARCIA MIQUELON, FRAN PULEO MOYER, JAY HANDY, and KELSEY  
YUDICE  
Present  
3 - KELLY PARKS-SNIDER, LAURA GALLAGHER, and JENNIFER GARRETT  
Excused  
Absent  
1 - Supervisor OLIVIA XISTRIS-SONGPANYA  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
2023  
[MINUTES FROM THE 04/19/2023 ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS  
MIN-085  
COMMISSION MEETING]  
Attachments:  
2023 MIN-085  
A motion was made by Vice Chair Klehr to approve the April 19th commission  
minutes, seconded by Commissioner Puelo Moyer.  
The motion was approved unanimously by a voice vote.  
C. Action Items  
D. Presentations  
None.  
1. Simpson Street Free Press  
- Executive Director Jim Kramer, and Editors Brandon Alvarez and Leila Fletcher gave  
an overview of Simpson Street Free Press.  
- Simpson Street Free Press was founded thirty years ago, based out of Simpson Street  
on Madison’s south side, and today works with students county-wide.  
- Leila Fletcher takes Simpson Street Free Press students on field trips to attend visual  
and performing events in the area, as well as historical attractions. These explorations  
give Leila and students content for their writing.  
- Simpson Street is a primarily a literacy program with the objective to “Explore the  
world from the Simpson Street Free Press Newsroom.” The arts and local history are a  
portal for curiosity, exploration, and foster an interest in writing.  
- Brandon Alvarez, along with other mentors, provides guidance to students with writing  
skills in both English and Spanish.  
- Jim Kramer encouraged Dane Arts to connect with Simpson Street Free Press by  
sending story ideas.  
- Director Fraire discussed connecting with Simpson Street Free Press students to  
participate in the 2024 Business of Art Conference.  
- Simpson Street Free Press received the highest score among cycle one panel  
reviewers.  
E. May Discussion Topics  
1. Resource Development (Commissioner Handy)  
- Chair Ritcherson identified two tracks for fund development: internal (from the Dane  
County budget) and external (corporate, foundation and individual support).  
- Commissioner Handy is inspired by a “United Way style” arts fundraising model in  
which large employers with a stake holding position in the community ask employees to  
give $0.25 per paycheck to a specific cause. This model has been replicated in 40  
communities around the United States. An average of two million dollars has been  
raised in each community where the model has been implemented.  
- First critical steps include creating a compelling pitch, the identification of three partner  
companies, setting a fundraising goal, and developing a paper and electronic pledge  
instrument.  
- Chair Ritcherson discussed starting the process at the county-level in which county  
employees are permitted to have a small amount auto-deducted from each paycheck.  
- Implementation logistics will be researched by Director Fraire and Chair Ritcherson  
before the idea is presented to the County Executive. Director Fraire has personally  
used a payroll deduction system for other county causes.  
- This fund development process may be initiated at the county-level before the Friends  
of Dane Arts 501 (c)(3) is formed.  
- The consensus of the commission was to move forward with the plan as outlined  
above by Chair Ritcherson. The process will be formalized with a motion during the  
June Commission meeting.  
F. Chair/executive committee report; Areas of Focus reports  
- The 2023 Cycle 1 grants process has been completed smoothly.  
- The Executive Committee is developing a process in which new commissioners can  
observe, co-chair, and chair a grant panel review session with the goal of every  
commissioner chairing a review session during their 3-year term.  
Areas of Focus:  
- Chair Ritcherson and the Executive Committee request that commissioners confirm  
and update their respective area of focus for confirmation during the June commission  
meeting.  
- Commissioners are also asked to confirm a topic of discussion they would like to  
present at a future commission meeting. Any commissioners that have not discussed  
their topic will be asked to report during the June/August Commission meeting.  
- Commissioner Yudice is interested in accessible, collaborative arts events and  
opportunities for youth and will meet with Vice Chair Klehr and Commissioner Parks  
Snider who are also focusing on this topic.  
G. Executive Director’s report  
- The Evjue Foundation expressed interest in continued support of the Dane Arts Buy  
Local activities including the Business of Art Conference.  
- Interviews will be conducted for the Cultural Affairs Specialist position with Director  
Fraire, Chair Ritcherson and one additional interviewer to be determined.  
- Dane Arts is seeking several more artists for the 2023 season of Forward Madison FC  
posters.  
- The Greater Madison Music City project recently held a productive meeting with local  
venue owners to discuss issues around the greater Madison music ecosystem.  
- Dane Arts staff continue the process of moving to a new larger office on the second  
floor of the City-County Building.  
H. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
- Meetings will continue to take place in hybrid format for the foreseeable future.  
- Commissioners are encouraged to think about in-person meeting location ideas at a  
Dane Arts supported location.  
- Per Commissioner Puleo Moyer’s suggestion, Chair Ritcherson proposed selecting  
one or more events for the commission to consider attending together in 2024.  
- The next commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 14th at 8 a.m.  
I. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
None.  
J. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
None.  
K. Adjourn  
A motion was made by Commissioner Miquelon to adjourn.  
Meeting adjourned at 9:03 a.m.  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Augusta Brulla, pending commissioner approval.