An old Balinese saying goes like this: We don't have any art. We do everything as well as possible.

So go to Palo Alto and Atherton for art. Come to Menlo Park and skateboard or hang out at Borrone.

We only have 30,000 residents and can't be everything for all people. If you don't like what we've got...move!

The comment shown is the reason we should have art in Menlo Park, to elevate the quality of people coming to our area. As a resident, we're not interested in attracting skate boarders and others that just want to hang out!

If not having an arts commission means that we are spared the horrors of dubious masterpieces like Convertibles, then I hope that the arts commission is never resurrected. Palo Altans regularly complain about the abominations that defile otherwise lovely outdoor spaces and would probably be thrilled to relinquish such gems as Digital DNA or Go Mama to their deprived neighbors to the north.

The skate park is an attractive piece of outdoor sculpture in and of itself, and I can't understand why anyone would be opposed to skaters. I am proud that Menlo Park was able to accommodate the kids who had been begging for years for a skate park, and wonder that anyone's sense of self-worth is so fragile as to be threatened by skaters.

By the way, a 15-minute walk in Burgess Park will enable even the most hardened curmudgeon to indulge in a worthwhile sensory experience. There is beauty and art all around us, even though most of it doesn't come neatly framed or carry a high price tag.

I support reestablishing the arts commission, but after the shabby treatment the last commissioners received before they quit en masse, I wonder if anyone would apply for it.

The City of Menlo Park has provided in their 2008-2009 budget ZERO ($0.00) for the Menlo Park Art Commission's use in the support, encouragement and enhancement of public art. I would think there would be at least a dollar ($1.00) for MAINTENANCE, care and repair of existing art. For instance, the playful "cat" sculpture that children so much enjoyed in the Seminary Oaks Park was removed by the Public Works Department for repair - and was never returned. The reason -- no money. One more loss of a very limited inventory of public art in the city.

Thank God the schools, churches and others have picked up the slack, somewhat. However, since virtually every other City in California provides public art in some form, it makes you wonder if Menlo Park may have overlooked something, or knows something they don't?

For some cultures, it's some form of art that lasts throughout the centuries. Ever heard of Rembrandt, Michaelangelo, Beethoven, Mozart and others? Dance, music, paintings, etc. have the ability to express a culture's values like no other way. For instance, a stroll around Stanford Univeristy is a real eye opener, including having their own Museum. San Mateo County has their own musuem, as does the City of Palo Alto.

Even the State of California has a limited art program. You may wish to check out their website sometime. It is www.cac.ca.gov.

The Menlo Park Art Commission is already on the books in Menlo Park. It is on their website. All it takes is the City Council to interview and place qualified people who volunteer their time and talent, for the benefit of the community.

It's nice to stroll around the Allied Arts Guild.

Who cares? If you are an artsy fartsy person you will go to San Francisco to see "art". Otherwise, it is a boring waste of time. It is pretentious and worthless as well.

We don't have to have an Arts Commmission to enjoy art, as many have commented. In my book, public art is a "nice to have" after the city comes to grips with what is affordable and residents and businesses are willing to pay.
Regarding the comment about why the Arts Commissioners resigned, please note that the current Council was not the culprit.