City examines color of money

On the heels of a mayoral proposal to merchandise the city logo, another member of the Laguna Beach City Council has come forward with a money-making proposition for the city.

The colorful, artist-designed “palettes” which festoon the city over the holiday season, could be put to use to help artists under a proposal from Councilwoman Toni Iseman.

Iseman wants the council to support the use of holiday palettes as a design source for greeting cards that could be sold to raise funds for needy artists in town.

The City Council voted 4-0 March 7 to survey palette painters to determine if they would support the use of their art for the project. Councilwoman Jane Egly absent. Winning palettes in the annual competition belong to the city, but city officials said using them for other than holiday display probably would require the permission of the artists.

“I had this idea long before I was on the council,” Iseman said. “It won’t be easy, but it’s too good an idea to let it die.”

The cards would be palette shaped with holes in the top to use to hang them on Christmas trees or attached to packages.

Iseman is looking for volunteers for a committee to organize the project. She has support from the Visitor’s Bureau, Festival of Arts Benevolent Fund chair and Sawdust Festival Board member John Eagle.

“I think this is a great idea,” festival exhibitor Anne England said, “The artists will support it.”

Eagle said Iseman was the first non-artist to come forward with a plan to help artists in need.

Iseman also has talked to the Chamber of Commerce, John Mansour of Athens Group and hoteliers.

“The hotels may put one card in each room and put the rest on sale in the lobbies,” Iseman said.

Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider cautioned Iseman that some objections might be raised to using city assets for non-city benefits.

Pearson-Schneider has been fielding many questions about the legality of her proposal at the Feb. 28 meeting to use the city logo to raise funds through selling merchandise.

However, City Attorney Philip Kohn argues that neither proposal, if properly structured, would violate the gift of public funds prohibition.

He said: “The California Constitution prohibits a gift of public funds for predominantly private purposes. But if the gift promotes a public purpose, then it is not a gift of public funds.

“This is in the concept stage, and we haven’t rendered an official opinion on it. But a fair argument could be made that a public benefit would result in both instances.”