RICHLAND -- A city council discussion Tuesday night about Richland's public art plan turned into a discussion about the future of public art funding and its importance in the city.
Council members met in a workshop with city Arts Commission Chairman Richard Reuther for a scheduled update on the commission's progress on the strategic art plan, which it had been asked to update.
Reuther also presented the council with a proposal to use $25,000 in lodging tax money to place a stainless steel sculpture near the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at Columbia Point as part of a plan to place public art near all of Richland's riverfront hotels.
But Councilwoman Sheila Sullivan balked at the price -- not that it was too high, but that the commission's budget was too small to purchase significant artwork.
"My problem with the arts commission is they don't have a fund to spend more than $25,000," she said. "They will never get a piece of art that is commanding."
Sullivan suggested a percent-for-art fund similar to one the city once had that was intended to take a percentage of money for certain projects and put it toward public art.
But Joe Schiessl, the city's planning and community development manager, said the rules for that fund were so narrowly tailored that it never took in any significant amount of money.
Reuther said the development of some kind of percent-for-art policy is an important piece of the Art Commission's public art plan.
The consensus among the council was that public art adds to Richland's beauty, quality of life and educational opportunities, and members said they would like information from the city staff about possible ways to pay for public art at a time when money for capital projects is drying up.
Mayor John Fox said it's a matter of determining city priorities, and gave the example of the city's nearly $2 million plan for John Dam Plaza -- none of which is funded at this point.
Public art is included in the plan, but Fox said other needs are more pressing.
"If you go to Live at Five or a Smoovies movie, you'll see the first thing needed is a public restroom," Fox said.
The council likely will talk about public art funding at a strategic plan retreat in early 2011.
Sullivan said she hopes public art funding will be a council priority.
"I remember 20 or 25 years ago when the budget was tight, a councilman suggested we take money out of the library because the library was 'just a frill,' " Sullivan said. "I don't ever want to hear art is 'just a frill.' "
-- Michelle Dupler: 509-582-1543; mdupler@tricityherald.com
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