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Ames arts commissioners approve $682.50 for India Cultural Association, create summer special-projects program
Summary
The Ames Commission on the Arts approved $682.50 for the India Cultural Association from spring special-project funds and voted to create a summer special-projects program, directing any residual dollars toward city public-relations/outreach efforts; staff will return with program limits in January.
Steve Kawalar, sitting in for the chair of the Ames Commission on the Arts, told commissioners the panel had $7,262 available for spring 2026 special projects and reviewed a single applicant, the India Cultural Association. After discussion over whether to count a non-responding commissioner's blank as a zero in the averaging method, a motion was introduced to set the award at $682.50 excluding the blank response and was approved by voice vote.
The decision resolved a procedural dispute about how to handle incomplete recommendation submissions: commissioners weighed two calculations (one that treated the missing entry as a zero, producing a lower average, and one that excluded the non-response). An unidentified commissioner urged treating the error “in favor of the applicant,” and the commission agreed.
Commissioners then debated options for the remainder of the spring special-project fund (about $7,002.62 after the approved award). Staff explained city practice: leave the money in the budget code and authorize specific expenditures later. Options discussed included transferring the funds to the Public Art Commission, using them for city communications/outreach to build capacity and awareness among potential applicants, or issuing a second call for special-project applications with execution allowed beyond the fiscal year.
By motion, the commission established a summer special-projects program and directed residual funds from the spring allocation to support public-relations/outreach activities that would boost applicant capacity and community awareness. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Staff said they would prepare a recommended award limit per project and bring materials back at the January COTA meeting, noting there is no December meeting and that the city council will determine the total pot in early December.
The commission recorded no roll-call tallies in the transcript; outcomes were announced by voice. The next step is for staff to produce a spending recommendation, a timeline for award execution (staff suggested contracts could extend beyond June 30), and a second application window if commissioners choose that route.
