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Home My WebLink About3.3 Appoint Historian Poet LaureateG~~~ OF D0~~~2 /// ~ 111 1~~,~~~Z ~~ ~ ~~LIFpR~~~ STAFFREPORT CITY CLERK DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL File # ^0 /DO^-~0 DATE: May 18, 2010 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager SUBJE . Mayor's Appointment of Poet Laureate and City Historian Prepared By: John Hartnett, Heritage and Cultural Arts Manager EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will receive a report on the accomplishments of the Dublin Poet Laureate and City Historian during their finro-year terms which expire on May 19, 2010. In addition, the City Council will be asked to confirm the Mayor's appointment of Jonnie McCoy-Howell as Poet Laureate and re-appointment of Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold as City Historian. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council confirm the Mayor's appointment of Jonnie McCoy- Howell as Poet Laureate and re-appointment of Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold as City Historian. ~V~I.J~ Submitted by: Parks and Community Services Director ~ Reviewed by: Assistant City Manager Page 1 of 4 ITEM NO. ~' / DESCRIPTION: Two of the 2007-2008 high priority objectives adopted by the City Council for the Heritage & Cultural Arts Division were to: Explore the opportunity to develop a Poet Laureate for the City; and explore the opportunity to develop an Historian for the City. In November, 2007 the City Council approved both volunteer positions to serve finro-year terms and directed Staff to initiate a recruitment process. On May 20, 2008, the City Council confirmed the Mayor's appointment of Veronica (Ronnie) Holland as Poet Laureate and Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold as City Historian for a finro year period. The overall responsibility for each position has been defined as follows: The Poet Laureate will serve as a public advocate for the appreciation and advancement of the literary arts for the City and will be a resource to Staff, the Commission and the City Council. The City Historian will assist researchers, students, librarians, members of the public, the press and direct them to resources for historical information and will be a resource to Staff, the Commission and the City Council. In the past two years, Ronnie Holland and Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold have accomplished a great deal in their respective positions. Some of their accomplishments on behalf of the City include: Poet Laureate (Ronnie Holland) • Assisted with establishing a Poet Laureate web page on the City's Website with ongoing information added each quarter. • Created and presented a poem for the Park Dedications of Piazza Sorrento and Devany Square and the Facility Dedication event for the Shannon Community Center. • Created and presented a poem for the Hope Hospice "Lights of the Valley" event the past two years. • Attended and presented regularly at Poetry Readings in Livermore and Pleasanton and collaborated with Tri-Valley Poet Laureates. • Joined the literary agency - Tri-Valley Writer's Literary Association. • Submitted poems for numerous publications and contests. • Attended luncheons and conducted media interviews to promote the literary arts and the City's Poet Laureate program, including readings at the Dublin Senior Center. • Hosted three Poetry Readings at Old St. Raymond's Church in January, August and October with eight guest poets presenting their works. • Served as a judge for the Sister City Association's "Lucky Limerick" Contest and introduced winners at the Sister City Green & White Gala in 2009. Page 2 of 4 • Served as a member of "Literary Row" at the 8th Annual Pleasanton Poetry, Prose & Arts Festival in 2009 and 2010. Selected as one of six poems displayed for Pleasanton Art League's "Linked Visual Arts and Poetry" exhibit at the 2010 Festival. • Read for "An Evening of Poetry" with local Tri-Valley Poet Laureates at the San Ramon Library in 2009. • Hosted an Open Mic program in the Tea Room during the 2010 St. Patrick's Day Festival. • School Events: Read poems to third graders at John Green Elementary School; judged and read finalist poems for Wells Middle School's annual Barnes & Noble Poetry Contest & Fundraiser; and served as a guest poet for a Las Positas College "Critical Thinking/Writing Literature" class. • Had finro poems included in 2009 California Poets Laureate Anthology, Sometimes in the Open, which featured 65 poets. Awarded finalist in Common Ground Review's Tenth Annual Poetry Contest and awarded first honorable mention in the California Federation of Chaparral Poets' 2009 Annual Contest. City Historian (Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold) • Researched and presented an historical perspective on the Devany family for the Park Dedication of Devany Square and for the Facility Dedication event for the Shannon Community Center. • Assisted with the Launch Party for the Local History Digitalization project in 2009. • Assisted with establishing an "Interactive Historian" page on the new website for the Dublin Heritage Center. • Presented brief information about Black history in Dublin for the Black History Celebration in February 2010. • Conducted media interviews to promote heritage activities and the City Historian program. • Created a log book of events in Dublin that have historical significance. • Was interviewed for the Kolb Family video being prepared by Tri-Vatley Community Television for the Historic Park Grand Dedication. • Currently serving on the Oral History Program Steering Committee and has been trained to become an interviewer. • Responded to several inquiries submitted by community members on the "Interactive Historian" page of the Heritage Center website. • Wrote the Introduction for the Kolb Booklet which will be available at the Historic Park Dedication. • Working with the Dublin Historical Preservation Association to document and inventory collections from the Camp Parks History Center. Page 3 of 4 • Worked to procure and now preserve 15 years of the monthly bound Valley Times newspapers. Since Ronnie Holland and Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold will have completed their two-year terms on May 19th, Staff recommends that the City Council present them with a Certificate of Recognition for their dedication to the City of Dublin (Attachments 1-2). A new application process was initiated in March of 2010 this year to refill the Poet Laureate and City Historian positions. Through the recruitment process, one application has been received for the Poet Laureate position (Jonnie McCoy-Howell) and finro applications have been received for the City Historian position (Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold and Corbi Lee Wright). Mayor Sbranti has reviewed the appfications and is recommending the appointment of Jonnie McCoy-Howell as Poet Laureate and the re-appointment of Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold as City Historian. Jonnie McCoy-Howell has been writing poetry, songs and stories since childhood. In the past few years she has penned six new poems and is currently writing a book entitled "The Day I Found Myself°. Jonnie recently read one of her poems at the St. Patrick's Day Open Mic hosted by Dublin's current Poet Laureate, Ronnie Holland. She also has event planning experience which will be valuable in coordinating future poetry workshops. Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold has served the City in the past finro years as the City Historian. Being a Dublin resident since 1971, Georgean has seen the City evolve over the past 40 years and with her many years serving on the Board of the Dublin Historical Preservation Association, has been instrumental in preserving and documenting the City's heritage. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: A copy of the Staff Report was distributed to the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission, Ronnie Holland, Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold, Jonnie McCoy-Howell. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Certificate of Recognition for Ronnie Holland 2. Certificate of Recognition for Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold Page 4 of 4 Given to ~ ~. _ ~ ~ r~ ~ W ~ ~ rn r Ronnie Holland In recognition and appreciation of the many accomplishments Ronnie has achieved in serving as Dublin's first Poet Laureate. Ronnie was appointed by the City Council in May of 2008 and for the past two ~ars has made Dublin's Poet Laureate Program a significant contributor to the literay arts in the Tri-Valley area. Ronnie has writter~ published and presented original poems, hosted local Poetry Readings and accomplished numerous other tasks that have enhanced arts programs for Dublin's Heritage & Cultural Arts Division. ~ DATED: May 18, 2010 Mayor Sbranti Councilmember Hart Vice Mayor Hildenbrand Councilmember Biddle Councilmember Scholz ~ ~ '~ ...,::- , .~'r'~~~, :~,.~ , "~ yii~ .,,;~ .,,,,~Yi',.~ \ ~~'~ ~ ~~" h`~ti'~'~,`,~~~~~~ ~`iii~~~~i,,.~ ~~~~.:~re~~'1,~:`:;~ e7~~ ~W"Vlf'.1 ~"~+.a. ~ ~ ~ 'i I i ~ Given to Geor ean Vonheeder-Leo o ld 9- p In recognition and appreciation of the outstanding service Georgean has provided in serving as Dublin's fzrst City Historian Georgean was appointed by the City Council in May of 2008 and for the past two ~ears has completed numerous projects that have enhanced programs and services related to the City's heritage. Her volunteer efforts and collaboration with the Heritage Center Director and Heritage and Cultural Arts Commissionare a shining example of how volunteerism is meant towork. ,~~ DATED: May I8, 2010 Mayor Sbranti Vice Mayor Hildenbrand Councilmember Hart Councilmember Biddle Councilmember Scholz ~~ ~ ~