The Martinsville City Council heard updates on the city’s arts and culture master plan and the Five Point Neighborhood during its Aug. 25 meeting.
The Arts and Culture Committee presented its master plan, described as a community-driven roadmap outlining a vision, priorities and actions for using arts and culture to strengthen the community’s identity and quality of life.
The plan defines arts and culture broadly to include visual, performing and literary arts; crafts; community-based art; public art; and creative industries and businesses.
The plan was developed over 11 months with input from the committee and city residents. The process included individual and small-group interviews with 35 people involved in the arts, culture, business, education and government, as well as an online sentiment survey.
Committee members said residents expressed interest in seeing the arts respond to a younger, more diverse audience reflective of the city’s growing population.
The plan outlines five goals.
The first is to strengthen leadership and coordination.
The second is to increase awareness and participation in the arts by expanding ways for residents of all ages, backgrounds and neighborhoods to engage with arts and culture, with a focus on youth, families and neighborhood-based participation.
The third goal is to elevate visibility and storytelling.
The fourth is to grow the creative economy.
The fifth goal is to creatively activate spaces by using arts and culture to enhance public spaces and create more engaging environments.
In Uptown, that could include creating more interesting and walkable streetscapes through public art or destination-worthy arts experiences.
The council also received an update on the Five Point subdivision.
Public Works Director Greg Maggard said construction work on the subdivision is complete and the city is working to close out the stormwater permit.
“The Five Points subdivision is now done. I’m working on closing out the stormwater permit for that subdivision. We’ve done the paving over there, the stormwater underground has been done, gutter’s finished. It’s all done. I think that’s a good thing. We’ll see. I know we have some other issues down there, but we’ll take care of that. But as far as the state is concerned, the project is complete, and we can close up permitting for it,” Maggard said.
Maggard also discussed a proposed position advancement plan for his department that would establish steps for employees to progress through positions.
“I do have something for my department that basically allows them to go into a position and Do not alter — quotation integrity. Verify against recording/transcript if concerned. to go to a two, what do I have to do to go to a three?’ And it’s spelled out for them step by step by step, and then one step builds on the next step. We just need to get to a spot where we’re comfortable implementing that.”
Maggard said the proposed plan does not include the water or electric departments, with the latter having already received a pay increase.
He estimated the cost at approximately $50,000 to $60,000 for his department.
The council presented a proclamation honoring September as National Hispanic Heritage Month to Eli Salgado and the Southern Virginia Latino Association (SOVALA).
A proclamation honoring September as National Recovery Month was presented to Ariel Johnson of the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition.
