Honorable Mayor Andy Cohen and Council Members,  

I noticed the Arts Commission is still being shown on the Menlo Park webpage for City Commissions. As it has been nearly 40 months since their last meeting, should this particular Commission be de-commissioned? I'm not sure why they stopped meeting, but a lot of time has passed since a prior, previous and past City Council decided to forget about them. As such, it may be misleading to the public to continue to have it shown, month after month, year after year and now going on nearly 4 years. That is a long time. This seems very strange.  

I'd be grateful for an explanation. This is the first time I've inquired to the City (in any form) about this Commission. I have more questions than answers. For instance, did the Community Services Department oversee it, or some other liaison?  

Art is such an important part of our life. Soon a new community theatre will be built on the Menlo Atherton High School campus shared with the citizens of Menlo Park. We have art in our parks. Art is everywhere, as it should be. Yet, we have an Art Commission, but with no members, no chair and it would appear, no nothing. I'm not sure anybody is even taking up the slack. Art adds pizzazz, art adds excitement and art adds culture for our children and our community. Art Commissions exist all around us. Palo Alto is but one example.  

Your guidance, thoughts and direction on this would be much appreciated. Perhaps it's time to bury this commission permanently, or maybe it should be re-activated.  

Respectfully,
Jim Lewis

**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 Received on Mon Jan 28 21:32:31 2008