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Almost a year to the date after a similar debate played out inside the council chambers last November, Arts+Culture Alliance Executive Director Amber Danielson again came before the Marshalltown city council to ask for funding, and once again, it sparked an extensive conversation before a narrow majority voted to move forward with bringing back a formal resolution that would provide the organization $130,000 annually toward the implementation of the Arts and Culture Master Plan with $5,000 specifically set aside for the Marshalltown Community Band for the next five years.

After the previous vote last year, the Alliance’s agreement was set to be paid out using Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE) revenues, but a change in state law stipulated that those dollars can only be put toward public safety and infrastructure as of July 1, 2024. As she kicked off her presentation to the council, Danielson noted that she had received letters of support from local businesses, building owners, nonprofits, education partners and community development partners, and several of them were in the audience behind her as she spoke.

“Instead of revisiting the same case for support we presented almost a year ago to the day, which remains just as strong and relevant, tonight I’m gonna focus on what we’ve accomplished in 2024 and where we’re headed as we look to the future,” she said. “While we are here again due to circumstances beyond the city and the Alliance’s control, we are excited to share the next steps for implementing the Arts and Culture Master Plan.”

Danielson added that the request could’ve been made months ago, but she felt it was more appropriate now with new City Administrator Carol Webb settling into her position. From there, she dove into the details and said the Alliance has expanded its core functions and is focusing on investing in the creative community, enhancing placemaking, fostering professional development and advocating for the importance of the arts.

Other key goals Danielson has identified include launching two primary grant programs — community artist grants and innovation grants — continuing to grow public/private partnerships, expanding the Take pART Marshalltown campaign through initiatives, events and communications, promoting existing events and programs while also holding listening sessions to ensure that “all voices are heard” along with learning sessions.

Additionally, she has activated an artist advisory cohort to explore mentorship opportunities, and she intends to generate a communitywide report on the economic impact of arts and culture and partner with the city to ensure that arts and culture are incorporated into infrastructure projects and other development initiatives.

“Furthermore, we are putting Marshalltown on the map and showcasing how the arts are an economic driver for attracting, retaining and engaging both residents and newcomers,” Danielson said.

When the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the Professional Developers of Iowa Conference back in September, arts and culture as components of community development was the primary focus, according to Danielson. She also highlighted the Marshalltown Community School District’s (MCSD’s) “Embrace the Lead” video series and the fundraising efforts for the Apgar Family Water Plaza as examples of the Alliance’s positive collaborations with public and private entities.

As she prepared to take questions from the council, Danielson said the Alliance would put 100 percent of the money being requested toward the implementation of the Arts and Culture Master Plan — 10 percent toward creative storytelling and Take pART Marshalltown, 30 percent toward the creative placemaking process and 60 percent toward creative project elements — including the aforementioned $5,000 stipend to the Marshalltown Community Band after that organization had its special levy consolidated and later rejected by the city after the passage of House File 718 in the state legislature.

In closing, she acknowledged the “difficult” budget decisions the city council is tasked with making but called the proposed agreement “a critical investment” in strengthening the city’s ability to fulfill its mission and vision and making Marshalltown a vibrant and welcoming place. She then showed a 2 ½ minute video from Soul or System Photography spotlighting the arts and culture scene around Marshalltown and concluded with the message that creating such a scene is a long-term commitment and doesn’t happen overnight.

“The impact of the creative sector in Marshalltown has been profound. Investing in the arts isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about fostering a community that values creativity as a foundation for growth and connection. Together we can create something that benefits everyone, and we invite you to take part with us,” Danielson said.

Councilor Mark Mitchell kicked off the questions by asking Danielson how much of the money would be going to salaries, and she responded that the 30 percent portion going to creative placemaking would cover operating expenses for things like grant writing and project management, highlighting her own work as a “ghost” grant writer for the city in the past. Noting the proposed contribution to the band, Mitchell then asked Danielson how many of their concerts she had attended during the last season.

When she said “several,” he pressed for a specific number, to which she responded two. ‘

“You know Mark, there are tons of arts and culture events in the community. I cannot physically go to all of them,” she said.

Mitchell said he had been to all of them except for one in Conrad and sold t-shirts to help raise money, and the average crowd was about 50 people, or less than one percent of the city’s population.

“I think this money could be spent a lot better. We need people for MPACT. I’d much rather see (us) getting a few more MPACT officers to relieve the load on them,” he said. “There’s no reason why the band can’t do their own fundraising.”

Danielson replied that the band has done some of its own fundraising, and the $5,000 figure was substantially less than the full amount previously levied. She said the levy had been a “historical support” from the city and a common practice across the state and the country.

“It’s not just about the attendees. It’s about the people that are up there performing, many of which, and some are city employees that don’t have a creative outlet. So it’s more than just the attendance,” she said.

Marshalltown Community Band Director Brett Umthun then stepped forward and said the group makes members feel like part of their community and helps with outreach as well, and he hoped the city would again support the band. Councilor Greg Nichols then asked a broader question about what the city’s guidelines would be for which nonprofits are deemed worthy of taxpayer funding and which ones aren’t.

“For me, personally, I’d say we have to see a clear deliverable and a clear project timeline, then I would support it,” he said.

Councilor Jeff Schneider felt the Alliance had played a key role in making Marshalltown a more interesting town to look at through its various mural projects, and he made a motion to direct city staff to come back with a formal resolution authorizing the agreement and exploring various funding options. After Barry Kell seconded it, the floor was opened up to public comments.

Karen Engesser said that even though she couldn’t participate in other physical activities, playing in the community band has been a creative outlet for her, and she hoped the council would help to promote music and contribute to the band. Linda Clark didn’t feel that the city could be expected to provide support for the hundreds of nonprofit organizations operating here amidst a tight budget, but Tom Apgar praised Danielson for her presentation and recounted his own experience getting involved in the Water Plaza project that will bear his family’s name.

Apgar spoke of several developments he regarded as positive in Marshalltown, including the recent hiring of new police and fire chiefs, the reopening of the courthouse and the passage of the Reimagine Miller Middle School bond issue.

“I support all the great organizations, and I’m just here to say the glass isn’t half empty. It’s 80 percent full. We’ve got a great community, and I love it,” he said.

Artist and ex officio Alliance board member Josh Cox showcased a few “deliverables” in the form of the two Summer Artist Series events at The Outlet downtown, and he said partnerships with organizations like the Alliance would open more doors for artists in the future. The arts, he added, bring people into Marshalltown from other communities and improve quality of life in the long run, and he reiterated his support for the motion in front of the council.

Nichols asked Cox if he could get behind a plan that would provide stipends for individual projects and events, as he felt what the council was being asked to vote on essentially amounted to “a blank check.”

Cox responded that the grant program the Alliance has in place is “an amazing idea” and would be a great way to easily track the money, and Danielson then stepped back to the podium.

“For the record, I will make sure that I send you our report that very clearly states where we spend it and where this money went. I can assure you every dollar is accounted for, and you are not handing over a blank check,” she said.

Elizabeth Harris-Medina, who grew up in Marshalltown and spent time in Lexington, Ky. before moving back, told the council the Alliance had helped to make the community feel like home again.

“It has just been so sweet to know that our culture is being shown in such a positive way. Recently, we see so many negative things about different identities, and what a cool way that a community embraces its diverse population and celebrates the culture and not just for people sharing their culture but for others, so they can have a positive view of everybody in our community,” she said. “The Arts+Culture Alliance is at the heart of all of this. It offers everybody in our community, especially our youth, opportunities to inspire and explore.”

In turn, she added, it helps to keep more kids out of trouble, and while she didn’t feel that every event would reach every audience, Harris-Medina believed the Alliance was doing a good job of offering a wide variety of arts and culture options. Councilor Mike Ladehoff referenced a YouTube creator who drives around random towns in the U.S., and he said that while the communities he explored looked nice, they also mostly looked the same. One, however, was devastated by a natural disaster but was known as an arts community, and Ladehoff hoped Marshalltown could be a similar outlier.

“Every town’s got the Main Street. Some of them have a courthouse and everything like that, but Marshalltown is interesting, and it’s creative,” he said. “If you involve the public in creating arts and sculptures and whatnot, it creates something that’s called social capital, and that connects people to the town that they live in.”

He then recalled his experience raising money for playground equipment and said that with the potential for a huge return on investment, the city would be foolish not to support the agreement. Danielson, according to Ladehoff, has gone above and beyond on every project she’s been a part of and “punches above her weight.”

“That’s my feelings about this. We can be creative, create jobs and economic development while we’re doing it, and that’s some of the things that sometimes get passed by along with being interesting and fun and alive downtown,” he said.

Councilor Barry Kell said the city couldn’t afford not to make the investment as a means of amplifying and stretching every dollar, and he felt the Community Band, with many multigenerational members, supported the kinds of values the city should be promoting. He also questioned why the council didn’t hold an equal standard to the Alliance as it did when it signed a five-year agreement with the Chamber for economic development.

“I just ask for a little consistency, or if you don’t support it, just be forthcoming with that. Don’t try to create a sleight of hand,” Kell said.

Councilor Gary Thompson said he wanted “gold plated bike trails” as much as anyone else, but he didn’t feel that such spending was feasible under the current budget. He also expressed skepticism about claims of a 37-to-1 return on investment because he didn’t feel the local artist community had considered how much the city has already spent on things like the stage for the band at West End Park, art on the bike trail to match the Water Plaza feature, which itself includes arts and culture and dredging the lagoon at Riverview Park where events take place.

“I could go on and on, and you’re downplaying that our contribution is not existent beyond this ask. And we are spending millions of dollars to add art and culture to this city. People come to us with projects, and we are approving those,” Thompson said.

Between himself, Nichols and Mitchell, $1,700 was raised through t-shirt sales to benefit the band last year, and Thompson said 77 teams of three could raise $130,000 a year if they each came up with $1,700. He ultimately proposed postponing the vote until budget season.

The motion ultimately passed 4-3 with Kell, Ladehoff, Schneider and Melisa Fonseca in favor and Mitchell, Nichols and Thompson opposed. A formal motion will be presented to the council at a future meeting.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

[email protected].