Commission awards $1,500 stipend to artists to develop Town Square goat-sculpture proposal

The City of Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission unanimously voted on July 7, 2025 to offer a $1,500 stipend to artists Pete and Kit Jakoda, of Rivers Wish Animal Sanctuary, to develop a detailed proposal for a community-art sculpture at Town Square Park.

Commissioners discussed that the city received a single submission in response to the commission’s call for community art. The Jakodas’ proposal described two goat figures to be sited on entry columns at Town Square Park; the artists proposed additional features such as a recorded bleat activated by visitors, which commissioners said would require careful design to prevent continuous activation.

Commissioner Laura Frank and staff recommended awarding a design stipend so the artists could produce detailed sketches, materials and mounting specifics before the commission decided whether to commission fabrication. "I think at this point, the best path forward would be to use the allocated stipend, the $1,500, and just go back to Peter to see if he would be interested in further developing the proposal," Frank said.

A motion to offer the stipend was moved and seconded at the July 7 meeting; commissioners voted unanimously in favor. Staff said they would contact the artists to set up payment through the city’s accounts-payable procedures and return with the developed proposal for a future commission vote on commissioning and installation timing. The commission noted that, if approved for fabrication, the project would likely carry over into 2026 and might require partial deposits and permitting.