Executive Committee recommends appeals process for FY25 operating and Thrive grants; three appeals scheduled for April 30 review

The Metro Arts Executive Committee approved a recommendation that the full commission adopt a formal appeals process for FY25 operating and Thrive grants and voted to forward that recommendation to the full commission.

Interim Executive Director Ashley Batchelder presented a draft appeals procedure for the committee and said staff received three appeals in the current cycle — two related to Thrive grants and one related to an operating grant. Batchelder described the proposed timeline: appellants received notice of process on April 11; appellants had one week from that notice to submit additional information; Batchelder planned to provide a written response and recommendation to appellants and commissioners on April 23; and the full commission meeting to hear appeals was scheduled for April 30.

Under the proposed procedure, commissioners would enforce conflict-of-interest rules at the start of the appeals review. Each appellant would be allowed up to three minutes to address the commission, and the interim executive director would then have three minutes to present a recommendation. The commission would then deliberate and vote to approve or deny each appeal. Batchelder told the committee that appeals will be considered at the scheduled April 30 commission meeting whether or not an appellant attends; appellants could submit written material in lieu of attendance.

The committee moved and approved a recommendation that the full commission adopt this appeals process. The committee’s motion to recommend the appeals procedure to the full commission passed without recorded opposition.

Ending: The committee directed staff to include appeals materials in the commission packet so commissioners would have the appellants’ original submissions, any additional evidence submitted during the one-week window, and Batchelder’s written recommendation in advance of the April 30 meeting.