Aberdeen council approves new Wishkah River Bridge sign 5-4 after months of Arts Commission work and public backlash

The Aberdeen City Council voted 5-4 on June 25, 2025 to authorize the mayor to sign a contract with artist Tim Girvin for a new "Welcome to Aberdeen" sign to be placed on the Wishkah River Bridge, closing a contentious item that drew public comment, debate over process and calls to reopen the procurement.

The council motion authorized the mayor to execute the contract for the two concept designs recommended by the Aberdeen Arts Commission. The motion passed 5-4 after multiple residents urged the council to delay selection and reopen the request-for-proposals process.

Why it matters: Council members and city staff said the project is funded through a lodging-tax grant and not the city general fund, but council members who opposed the artist said the selected designs do not reflect community preferences and that public engagement around the submission process was insufficient.

Arts Commission process and defense

Lee Bacon, chair of the Aberdeen Arts Commission, outlined the commission's process and defended its recommendation. "This wasn't like we looked at pretty pictures and said, we like this one, we don't like that one. It was a very methodical and diligent process," Bacon told the council, describing an open RFP, a lodging-tax grant to fund the design and installation, and multiple rounds of review with the artist.

City staff described selection criteria that weighted cultural sensitivity, historical legacy, visual wayfinding and the ability to communicate without text. Stacy (city staff) said the commission shortlisted submissions to three, worked with the chosen artist on icon and font tweaks and narrowed the selection to a final design. "We modified the icons and the font," Stacy said, describing the steps used to adapt the artist's package to the city's criteria.

Public comments and council debate

Multiple public commenters told the council they disliked the recommended designs and asked that the RFP be reopened or that the city hold a broader community vote. Marcus Nathaniel, who identified himself as local, said, "It seems as though what the community has to say doesn't matter," and urged the council to give residents a stronger voice.

Council members debated options including accepting the recommendation, reopening the RFP (a process staff estimated would take two to three months), putting all submissions on public display or rejecting all submissions. Council members who favored reopening the process cited a last-minute online survey that drew hundreds of responses and said the commission should solicit broader public input; council members who supported the commission said the RFP and grant process had been publicly advertised and that the commission had worked for many months on the selection.

Funding, timeline and next steps

City staff said the lodging-tax grant awarded to the project requires that grant funds be spent by Dec. 31, 2025, unless the council authorizes an extension or reapplies. Staff told the council that reopening the RFP would likely delay selection into September and would require additional time for installation quotes and scheduling.

Council vote

The council voted by individual roll call. Recorded votes on the motion to authorize the mayor to execute the contract with Tim Girvin were: Ellis — yes, Nancy — yes, Jacob — no, Albert — no, Lawrence — no, Morrison — no, Cheney — yes, Fredo — yes. The motion passed 5 to 4.

What was not decided

Council members discussed temporarily removing or taking down the existing sign to avoid a traffic distraction while the process is revisited; staff said removal would require coordination but did not record any final action. Several council members also asked the Arts Commission to increase public engagement and to present all original submissions publicly if the commission reopens the RFP.

The council's decision closes the Arts Commission's recommendation for the time being; council members who opposed the approval said they would press for expanded community engagement if the city moves forward with installation.