Council refers bronze bust and wooden sculpture to family, museum and wellness clinic before surplus or sale

Council members debated several items from the city’s museum collection and approved amended motions that narrow disposal options and add steps to locate alternative custodians before surplus or sale.

On a motion that was amended and approved, council directed staff to first offer a bronze bust of former Mayor Anne Lundgren to her family and, if the family declines, to refer the item to the museum collections committee to determine whether it should be retained in the municipal collection rather than sold at auction. Councilmember discussion suggested outreach to the museum collections committee before any sale.

Separately, council amended and approved a motion to offer a wooden chainsaw-carved sculpture (discussed in the meeting as a representation of Sacagawea) first to a local wellness clinic and then, if declined, to the museum collections committee, before declaring it surplus or selling it at auction. Council discussion noted that the museum’s collection scope should guide decisions about which items qualify for retention.

Staff noted that if the council proceeds with significant transfers or condemnations of the museum collection, the Washington State Auditor’s Office and city attorneys have advised hiring a professional appraiser; staff provided a preliminary cost estimate to issue a request for qualifications and to obtain an appraisal that could be in the range of approximately $10,000 depending on inventory work needed.

Council votes on both amended motions were recorded as approved; the meeting record does not show a recorded roll-call tally for individual members in the transcript excerpt.