Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission approves 2024–28 draft budget, shifts funding toward murals and beautification

The City of Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission voted Aug. 4 to approve a final draft of its 2024–28 parks and arts budget and to reallocate money toward murals, beautification and community-art planning. The commission also approved a set of related actions including a $1,000 artist stipend for an Orchard Park boulder-painting safety project, a partnership with a climbing vendor and a fee schedule update for 2026.

The vote finalizes a package of carryovers and new placeholders the commission says will let staff and artists plan projects scheduled between 2025 and 2028. Commissioners emphasized shifting the previously planned Kramer Park roundabout work into murals and reserving funds for art tied to upcoming city building renovations.

Commission member Laura Frank, who led several cost estimates for murals, told the commission that a single-court basketball mural at Rocky Hill could be budgeted at about $12,000 — "$10,000 budget with maybe a $2,000 contingency seems reasonable" — and that muralists she consulted use per-square-foot pricing. "For a reasonably complex mural the $35 to $40 per square foot seemed like a reasonable estimate," Frank said; using that approach she estimated fully wrapping the Orchard Park building at roughly $35,000 depending on which walls are done.

Why it matters: the commissions' decisions set the funding priorities that staff will present to city council during the municipal budgeting process. Commissioners said the changes are intended to move several multi-year public-art projects forward while keeping funds available for maintenance and programming.

Key budget changes and project notes included in the approved draft: - Liberty Lake Art (basketball mural at Rocky Hill): $12,000 placeholder for a single-court mural; staff recommended carrying the project into 2026 unless an artist is already available. - Pavilion Park ticket-booth and mural extension: $35,000 placeholder for expected design work and installation (commission said it will refine the number before the next meeting). - Utility-box wraps and Kramer Parkway public art: commission moved Kramer Park roundabout funding to murals and left utility-box wrap selection for the next meeting. - Beautification and Orchard Park boulder painting: commission approved relocating $5,000 from a Pavilion Park playground line into beautification (vote below) and raised the beautification line to $10,000. The commission also approved a combined $1,000 stipend ($500 each) for two artists to develop a proposal for painting high-traffic boulders at Orchard Park intended to reduce trip hazards and improve visibility. - City buildings / community art placeholder: commissioners placed $60,000 as a planning placeholder to support public art opportunities associated with the Legacy Building/city-hall project and other city building renovations; commissioners also discussed using a percentage of a building project budget for art as was done with prior projects. - Art consultant: the commission reviewed a proposal from a consultant (Karen Mobley) and placed an $18,000 “not to exceed” placeholder to bring a consultant into the design phase for city buildings and select projects; commissioners noted the full scope can be narrowed later. - Goat sculpture and community art: commissioners approved moving forward with a goat-sculpture project at Town Square Park (artist Pete Jakota will receive a stipend and develop a rough design to be installed next year). - StoryWalk: staff recommended carrying the StoryWalk work over to 2026; some materials may be purchased in 2025 with installation delayed to match school schedules. - Core Climbing partnership: commission approved partnering with Core Climbing (an indoor climbing provider) to offer introductory adult and youth classes; commission will receive 20 percent revenue for registrations (the partnership agreement will be sent to city counsel). - Fee schedule: the commission approved the updated park and event fee schedule for 2026, restoring some fees that council earlier adjusted and adding new categories (Townsquare fees, vendor fees for future winter programming, and class fees).

Votes at a glance: - Approval of July 7, 2025 meeting minutes — moved by Laura Frank, seconded by Noel Otterson LaParco; unanimous approval (present commissioners voted yes). - Approve Parks & Arts Commission 2024–28 budget draft as final (to send to the city budget book) — motion moved and carried unanimously. - Approve 2026 fee schedule as presented — motion carried unanimously. - Relocate $5,000 from Pavilion Park Playground to Beautification — motion carried unanimously. - Approve Core Climbing programming partnership (agreement to be routed to counsel) — motion carried unanimously. - Replace Kramer Park roundabout project with mural work and carry funds to 2026 — motion carried unanimously. - Approve up to $1,000 in stipends ($500 each) for two artists to develop Orchard Park boulder-painting proposals — motion carried unanimously.

What commissioners said and next steps: Commissioners asked staff to refine the Pavilion Park and Orchard Park cost estimates and to return with final numbers before projects go to council. Nancy Hill, presiding in the meeting, directed staff to circulate a corrected final draft of the budget after the meeting for commissioners to confirm before the council packet deadline. Staff members Jen Camp and Mikhail Steven were listed as the city's points of contact for follow-up and to route agreements to counsel.

The commission also set its next meeting date to Sept. 8 (moved from the Labor Day week). The commission spokesman said the budget package will be presented to council in the city's normal budget process; commission members emphasized the items approved are placeholders and will be refined with artists and consultants before final contracts or council approvals.

Ending note: commissioners framed the adopted budget as a working plan that preserves flexibility for artist availability, seasonal constraints on installations and coordination with upcoming city building work.