Title
The Public Arts Commission Piano - Donation
History
The Public Arts Commission was established in 2001 and has offered many cultural opportunities for Orland Park residents. In recent years, the commission produced one to two large events each year, including the prestigious Dance Chicago. The Commission members are focusing on bringing new cultural opportunities beginning this fall with the “Cultural Series” encompassing two musical performances at the Village of Orland Park Cultural Center. The Public Arts Commission is also researching four cultural opportunities for the Orland Park community to propose for the 2016 budget.
The Public Arts Commission formally requested that staff investigate the purchase of a previously owned baby grand piano that can be utilized for the upcoming Cultural Series and future cultural offerings. (See attached competitive analysis worksheet.) A baby grand piano could also be used for theater musical rehearsals, Orland’s Got Talent semi-finals, cultural programming, special events, and rentals to private piano instructors in conjunction with the exhibit hall at the Cultural Center for recitals.
The upcoming Cultural Series concerts, one in October and one in November of 2015, will require the use of a baby grand piano. The Public Arts Commission members recommend investing in the purchase of a baby grand piano for these two concerts and future cultural opportunities rather than renting a piano for each event. Two members of the Public Arts commission have experience in piano purchasing and recommended PianoForte as a reputable source for advice and piano purchase. Mr. Thomas Zoells, President of PianoForte in Chicago, conducted a site visit at the Cultural Center to view the facility and speak with the Public Arts Commission members and staff. Mr. Zoells recommended a previously owned ten-to twenty-year old baby grand C3 model or equivalent which would be acoustically suitable for the events planned at the Cultural Center. Staff researched three options to obtain such a piano. The options are to purchase, lease to own, or rent.
Staff requested quotes for the three options from five (5) piano vendors; three (3) vendors provided pricing information and provided the attached Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for detailed pricing from each proposal. PianoForte provided the least expensive pricing for all three options. The cost of ownership of a previously owned baby grand piano over ten years including maintenance and insurance, is $25,660; lease to own over ten years including maintenance and insurance is $26,860; rentals over ten years would be $36,000 based on the current rental rate of $900 per event. See attached TCO for details.
On August 17, 2015, this item was reviewed and approved by the Parks and Recreation Committee, recommended for approval and referred to the Village Board of Trustees for consideration. Subsequently, Mayor McLaughlin made staff aware of a piano that might be available for donation from the Plumbers Union. The item was then tabled by the Village Board at the meeting of September 8, 2015. The motion approved tabling the item until the next meeting of the Board of Trustees, scheduled for September 21, 2015.
Following the September 8, 2015 meeting, a team of officials, Village staff, and a piano expert made a site visit to see the piano. The group, consisting of Mayor McLaughlin, Trustee Gira, Recreation Director Flores, Recreation Operations Manager Buikema, Recreation Supervisor Jean Petrow, and piano expert Christine Chott, viewed and inspected the piano. Ms. Chott concluded the piano is a concert grand piano of significant historic value and is useable as-is, however it will require refurbishing at an approximate cost of $20,000. The review team is inclined to accept the donation with the understanding that refurbishing the concert grand piano would be necessary to retain its value and sound. The piano could be used for the two upcoming concerts at the Cultural Center.
Should the Board approve the acceptance of the donation, the piano would be shipped to the Cultural Arts Center and it would be tuned in time for the concert. Staff would also return in the future to seek Board approval for piano refurbishing which would include action work, pin block, rebushing the keys, hammer work, refinish the exterior, and replacement of the keys.
Financial Impact
The Public Arts Commission's allocated budget for 2015 is $16,598; $14,000 of that total budget is for Purchased Services. The cost of the two fall concerts in 2015 is $5,900 ($3,500 and $2,400), leaving a balance of $8,100 in the Purchased Services account.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to accept the donation of a concert grand piano from the Plumber's Union with the understanding that staff will return in the future to seek approval to fund the refurbishing of the instrument.