The Public Art Review Committee voted to authorize a first‑stage contract for a one‑third scale maquette of the proposed Nebby sculpture, approving a $2,500 expenditure to begin work and asking staff to memorialize the request to the city manager.

The committee said the City Council had already approved moving forward with site work and using municipal funds for soil testing. Committee members said the maquette will aid fundraising and public review as they pursue private donations and foundation grants.

Why it matters: the maquette is a standard artist step that allows potential donors and the public to see a physical model; committee members said having a maquette will help with fundraising and that some donated funds are already being held for the project.

Committee members said they will coordinate with Engineering/Public Works on soil testing and with the trustees of trust funds and city manager on how donated sums are held and expended. The committee noted the donated funds currently sit in a holding account rather than in the trustees’ trust fund, and that council acceptance of the donation was an earlier step in the process.

Next steps and logistics: committee members said they will ask legal staff to draft a contract with the artist (first stage only, for the maquette), confirm whether additional environmental or geotechnical testing is needed, and continue fundraising outreach. The group plans a donor event on August 20 to solicit potential backers and will meet with a local consultant who previously performed soil testing for a separate project to identify cost savings.

Formal action: one member moved and another seconded a motion to begin contracting with the artist for the maquette for $2,500. The committee voted unanimously “Aye.” The chair asked staff to memorialize the decision in a memo to the city manager describing how remaining donated funds should be handled while fundraising continues.

Background: committee members reported that the City Council authorized work with Engineering/Public Works and the use of municipal funds for initial soil testing. The group discussed the advantages of keeping donated dollars in a holding account if they will be spent shortly, rather than immediately transferring them into the trustees’ formal trust fund.

Several committee members and invited volunteers are working on a fundraising team; the committee also said it will meet with the artist and with technical consultants to finalize scope for the maquette and the subsequent phases.