Council hears proposal for city photography contest; appoints new FOIA officer

Two non‑emergency items drew council attention on May 20: a proposed city photography contest and the appointment of a FOIA officer.

Madison Park Photo & Video Club founder Scott Cunningham and Council Member Morel presented a proposal for an inaugural city photography contest tied to the city’s 50th anniversary. The concept would host submissions on a subpage of the city website, include bilingual promotional materials, and award prizes across three categories (city scenes, youth, artist’s choice). Proposed rules would require entrants to provide name and address (with parent/guardian info for minors), limit entries, and place joint copyright ownership between artist and city to allow use on the city website and in public displays. Council discussed IT burden and inclusion (minimum resolution requirements, options for people who only have cell phones), and legal staff advised the city could create a limited public forum with clear rules to avoid First Amendment issues. Council requested city‑attorney guidance on disqualification criteria and asked the city manager to assess staffing and IT burden before bringing a formal proposal back.

Appointment of FOIA officer: Council appointed Kelly Evans as the city’s FOIA officer following a staff recommendation. The previous FOIA officer, Keith Wynne, had departed; staff noted the city attorney and outside counsel are available for advice but that outsourcing routine FOIA processing to a law firm would be costly. Kelly Evans was appointed by voice vote.

Ending: Staff will return with legal guidance and a recommended workload assessment for hosting submissions online; the FOIA appointment is effective and staff will arrange training and public contact information.