Fife arts commission approves small framing project, pledges $5,000 for park mural pending council approval

The Fife Public Arts Commission on Feb. 19 approved $1,500 to purchase and frame 11 pieces of artwork for the community center and city hall and pledged $5,000 toward a mural at Dacca Park, but commissioners stipulated that larger spending would proceed only if the City Council approves requested budget amendments.

The approvals came during the commission’s discussion of the 2025 art-project packet and budget, where commissioners debated maintenance costs, site placement and whether some of the larger proposals should be pursued now or studied further.

Commission Chair Nizu Sugimura opened the discussion and asked staff to summarize the council review of the commission’s work plan. Tim Anderson, the commission’s staff contact, told commissioners that council asked the commission to hold at least one meeting outside council chambers and that a maintenance line originally in the commission budget had been moved to the city’s facility budget, freeing those funds for project selection.

“It takes a little bit more time, but it also allows us to do those one-off special projects,” Anderson said of the budget-amendment process, explaining that the commission would present a request to council and the council would act at a subsequent meeting.

Commission debate focused on prioritizing projects that would last longer and serve visible community needs. Commissioners discussed integrating interior design at the Aquatic Center with exterior color schemes, feasibility and maintenance for a painted basketball court at Wedge Park, and a mural project at Dacca Park that would include the word “Fife” and aquatic-theme elements.

Commissioner Char moved to allocate $1,500 to produce 11 framed pieces for the community center and to reframe a historic photograph in City Hall (to correct a misspelling). Commissioner Sugimura seconded that motion. After discussion about standard frame sizes and cost-saving measures, the commission approved the motion by voice vote.

Later in the meeting commissioners debated a proposal for the Dacca Park mural and competing priorities such as the Wedge Park basketball-court painting. Commissioners noted the mural is a vertical surface with greater longevity than asphalt court paint and that the parks department ranked it first in the packet’s priorities. Commissioners amended the Dacca Park motion to request that the mural call for artists include elements that tie to the city’s aquatic theme and five-color palette, and to seek a budget amendment from City Council for an additional $5,000 before proceeding. That amended motion passed by voice vote.

Commissioners made clear they would not start the larger installations without departmental approval of placement and, where applicable, an approved budget amendment. Anderson said that if council denies a requested amendment, the commission will not proceed with the affected project that year and may revisit it in future budgets.

Commissioners also discussed maintenance concerns for murals and painted asphalt, noting painted courts typically require more frequent upkeep; one commissioner said paint on asphalt can show significant wear in about two years. Commissioners requested that Parks and Recreation provide more detailed scope and maintenance estimates for larger proposals before committing additional funds.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to accept Jan. 2025 meeting minutes — voice vote; motion passed. - Motion to allocate $1,500 for 11 framed pieces (10 for the community center, 1 for City Hall with correction of a misspelling) — mover: Commissioner Char; second: Nizu Sugimura; outcome: approved by voice vote. Note: commissioners asked staff to prioritize standard frame sizes where possible to reduce cost and to return any unspent funds to the commission budget. - Motion to pledge $5,000 toward the Dacca Park mural, with amendment to include aquatic-theme elements in the call for artists and to request an additional $5,000 budget amendment from City Council (if the council does not approve the amendment, the commission will not proceed this year) — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Motion to extend the meeting by 15 minutes — approved by voice vote.

Next steps: Parks and Recreation staff will be asked to develop scope-of-work and maintenance estimates for the Dacca Park mural and the Wedge Park basketball-court painting. The commission directed staff to prepare a call for artists that specifies the aquatic-theme elements for the Dacca Park mural and to bring event- and installation-related details back to the commission in a future meeting. Commission members also requested updates on potential interior design coordination at the Aquatic Center.

This summary is based on the Feb. 19, 2025 meeting of the Fife Public Arts Commission; discussions and votes described above are recorded in the commission’s meeting recording and packet materials.