Arts Official, City Council at Odds Over Public Park Near Civic Plaza : Thousand Oaks: Bonnie Roth contends that in 1993 a subcommittee was given control over the property.

Differing interpretations of a meeting that took place more than two years ago resulted in an unexpected late-night skirmish between Thousand Oaks City Council members and a city arts commissioner this week.

The debate Tuesday night was over control of and income from the public park adjacent to the Civic Arts Plaza, which Arts Commissioner Bonnie Roth said was delegated to a commission subcommittee in April, 1993. Some council members aren’t so sure.

The park is available for rentals for parties, craft shows and festivals.

Roth said the public is always welcome to sit or stroll in the park, but that the commission wants to make sure that any art exhibits, shows or sales held there are up to snuff artistically.

The subcommittee isn’t trying to be snobby, Roth said, it is just trying to create a reputation for the $64-million building as an art mecca. “It’s a matter of making sure the integrity of our original charge is maintained,” Roth said.

Roth said the group is trying to raise money to sponsor museum-quality exhibits at the Civic Arts Plaza, and leasing out the park for arts events is one of the few revenue streams it has.

But Councilwoman Judy Lazar said she doesn’t remember giving the group’s subcommittee--the Civic Arts Plaza Visual Arts Committee--control over the park back in 1993.

“My memory of the action was that we gave them direction to work on installation and hanging of art at the Civic Arts Plaza,” Lazar said. “They have taken that direction to mean both inside and outside, and that includes art in the park. That was never my understanding or intention.”

The visual arts group was created to bring exhibits and shows to the performing arts center. Roth and Marta Timm, the subcommittee chairwoman, approached the council Tuesday night hoping for approval of the group’s goals.

Fireworks erupted after Councilwoman Elois Zeanah moved for approval of the goals. Lazar jumped in to question the section of the group’s outline detailing its plan to use the park as a revenue stream.

“Has this been reviewed by the arts commission?” Lazar asked. The commission is responsible for overseeing the activities of the visual arts committee.

Roth said only a draft of the visual arts committee’s plan had been approved by the arts commission in May, 1994.

“I think they approved a conceptual direction and I’d like to make sure they know what they’re reviewing,” Lazar said.

Part of the confusion stemmed from a contract provision that says the visual arts committee will receive “1) a $100 reservation fee for use of the park or the Courtyard of the Oaks 2) 20% of sales generated from any event or activity.”

Councilman Mike Markey asked Roth whether that meant the group receives both the fee and the cut of profits. She indicated it was meant to be an either/or clause.

“That’s not clear,” Markey said. “I think this needs to go back and be re-evaluated.”

He made a motion to table Zeanah’s motion, causing the frustrated councilwoman to protest vehemently.

“Why table it?” she asked.

“It’s a non-debatable motion,” Markey said.

“I’m calling for the vote” on the motion to table the issue, Mayor Jaime Zukowski said, while Zeanah shook her head. “This is a highly charged issue. Let’s move on to the next issue.”

The vote was 3 to 2, with Zeanah and Zukowski dissenting.

Meanwhile, Roth said she plans to come back to the council next week with other arts commissioners to settle the matter. She said all the arts commissioners have been informed of the visual arts committee’s plans and approve of them. And she says past memos clearly give the group responsibility for any arts events held both in the interior and exterior of the Civic Arts Plaza.

“We just have to make certain that some council members know that there is a paper trail on this,” Roth said. “They should have trusted us enough to do this.”