Title
Recommendation to Receive an Annual Report on the Alameda Museum Archival Activities on Behalf of the City. (Recreation and Parks 280)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Under the terms of a lease with the City, the Alameda Museum (Museum) provides archival services for the City of Alameda (City). The lease provides for storing and cataloguing historical photos and files; designing interpretive panels on railroad history for parks; and managing a digitized collection of neighborhood home photos from the 1960s. The lease requires the Museum to present an annual report to City Council. This agenda report satisfies that requirement.
BACKGROUND
The Museum, a local non-profit organization, conserves tangible artifacts relevant to the cultural and architectural heritage of the City and provides educational access through exhibits and programs on the unique history and heritage of the City and its early pioneers. The Museum’s dedication to preserving the cultural heritage of the City has contributed to a civic identity that is unique to our island community and confers civic benefits to the entire community. Over the years, the Museum has provided these archival and historical preservation services.
In addition to operating the physical museum, located at 2324 Alameda Avenue near Park Street, the Museum also operates the Meyers House Museum and Garden, located at 2021 Alameda Avenue. It offers monthly tours and maintains the house interior, which includes many historical artifacts, as well as the grounds surrounding the building. The house is a Colonial Revival historical home and is open to the public each month on the fourth Saturday as well as for private rentals.
On September 4, 2018, the City Council approved a five-year lease with the Museum to fund the Museum’s archival and storage services of City documents at the Museum as well as provide free public access to City historical displays. Funding for the lease is included in the Fiscal Year 2019-21 Budget from the General Fund Non-Departmental program in the amount of $42,600 annually.
DISCUSSION
The Museum stores historical records for the City and provides archival preservation. At least 25% of the Museum warehouse is dedicated to archival storage of City records with an additional 25% of the Museum dedicated to City historical exhibits. These include document and photo archives from the Library, City records, Fire and Police Department records, Alameda Recreation and Park Department records, and other records.
The lease also requires the Museum to be open to the public for no admission fee at least 15 hours per week, excluding holidays, and also be available by special arrangement for free group tours, especially for education-based groups.
ALTERNATIVES
• Receive an annual report on the Alameda Museum archival activities on behalf of the City.
• Provide direction to staff to bring an amendment to the agreement for any other services or requirements the City Council desires to see in an amended agreement with the Museum.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from receiving this report. The budget for the lease is included in the General Fund Non-Departmental account.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Receiving this report does not affect the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is not a project and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378 (b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines, because it involves governmental fiscal activities (payment for archival services), which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
CLIMATE IMPACTS
There are no climate impacts as a result of receiving this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation to receive an annual report on the Alameda Museum archival activities on behalf of the City.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends that the City Council receive the annual report.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. 2018 Operating Budget
2. Lecture Series 2017-2019
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager