The Citizen Advisory Committee of the City of Port Richey approved a $1,000 budget for paint and moved forward with plans for a volunteer-led centennial mural on a long city wall, while members said the design and additional spending will require City Council approval.

Committee members described a roughly 150-foot wall as the mural site and discussed imagery including the pelican city mascot, Olsner Park and Martha Olsner, shrimp boats, the stilt houses and a winding Cotee River. Volunteers proposed using a projector and a “paint-by-number” approach so many people could help paint sections, and the committee discussed a mural-reveal event where visitors could sign the work.

Committee members and volunteers laid out logistical and cost details in a roughly 20–30 minute discussion. Participants said the city agreed to pressure-wash and prime the wall white before painting and that sealant will be required to protect the mural from local weather. Cost estimates varied: a professional artist previously quoted roughly $5,000 for the whole job, volunteers offered to donate time, and committee members suggested paint and sealant costs could range from several hundred to a few thousand dollars. One committee member noted access to a commercial discount at Sherwin-Williams.

Resident Dave Mueller, who spoke during the meeting, urged practical choices for longevity: “You don't need to seal it if you use exterior house paint,” he said, and added that a Sherwin-Williams commercial account can yield a substantial discount. Chris Mayer, a resident who spoke to the group, said the city's concurrent Wayfinder branding project could produce a logo or other design elements to incorporate: "We're in the middle of... a Wayfinder project, which is the branding for the city, possibly a logo change and all that," Mayer said.

Committee members set a timeline expectation that painting could begin in mid- to late September after cleaning and priming and that the work might stretch into October depending on heat and volunteer availability. Members discussed using multiple projectors or splitting the mural into sections so several volunteer teams could work simultaneously.

On funding and approvals, a committee member observed that the city manager has limited spending authority and that larger amounts would need City Council approval. The committee approved the $1,000 paint budget by motion; the meeting transcript records the motion as approved but does not include a roll-call tally.

Implementation steps the committee discussed include: finalizing a digital design (the proposer said she will transfer her sketch into a mural program), scheduling a pressure wash and priming by city crews, recruiting volunteers and artists to paint sections, seeking donated paint or corporate contributions, and presenting the design and any additional funding requests to City Council for approval.

The committee emphasized community participation: volunteers would be assigned sections and the project would include a public reveal. Members also flagged sponsorship recognition as a possible component of the mural-reveal area if local businesses donate materials.

The mural discussion concluded with next steps to finalize artwork in a digital file, confirm the city’s surface-preparation plan, and forward any funding requests above the committee's immediate spending approval to the City Council for consideration.