The Oregon City Arts Commission on Jan. 16 reviewed draft materials for a new public-art renovation grant program and a related qualified-vendor application intended to help private property owners restore public-facing murals.

Staff said the commission has approximately $28,000 dedicated to a public-art renovation grant for the current biennium. Commissioners and staff discussed program scope, application mechanics, and steps to limit administrative burden for small property owners.

Commissioner Josh Planton said the funding came from two sources: "we received 2 pieces of funding. 1 was from the budget committee itself for this biennium, which runs through June of this year. The additional funds was from the enhancement, grant committee." Planton said staff performed an inventory audit of public art across Oregon City and identified several murals on private buildings in need of restoration.

The commission discussed establishing a prequalified vendor list so building owners could choose vetted artists for restorations without conducting their own outreach. Commissioners agreed the initial vendor application should focus on mural restorations tied to the current grant, with the possibility of expanding categories later. Commissioners asked staff to include: clear submission deadlines with a clock time, examples of supporting materials, resume/CV guidance, a project-description template (dates, materials, equipment, whether restoration or new work), and an option for applicants to indicate preferred contact method.

Discussion also covered conflicts of interest and evaluation neutrality. Commissioners proposed anonymizing identifying information during the initial review where practicable and using an objective scoring matrix to evaluate qualifications. Several members noted that personal knowledge of an artist’s prior work can be a legitimate quality signal while cautioning against favoritism toward friends or family.

Insurance and legal terms were raised as possible barriers for small property owners and volunteer applicants. Staff said applicants must confirm property-owner consent in writing, and the city may require insurance naming the city as an additional insured while work occurs on sidewalks or right-of-way. Staff noted examples discussed in the meeting: a nonprofit general-liability policy of $2,000,000 can be obtained for roughly $600 per year in some cases, and that coverage requirements vary by circumstance.

The commission also reviewed program compliance items: an easement agreement (to record that the property owner will maintain the mural) and a required final report. Commissioners recommended holding a portion of grant funds until submission of a final report; the group suggested mirroring the community enhancement grant practice of withholding a final payment (for example, 25%) until the final report is received and the project closed out.

Staff and commissioners noted operational deadlines: funds must be spent by the end of June for the current biennium, so staff proposed releasing the vendor-qualification application soon and finalizing edits by email. The commission agreed to an email review and to launch the call once the suggested clarifications and timing (including a submission time-of-day) are added. Staff said they will reach out to identified property owners on the commission’s assessment list and may work with public agencies if private projects do not absorb the full allocation.

Commissioners flagged several follow-up items for the commission’s strategic planning retreat: whether to maintain a rolling vendor list vs. periodic calls, how to expand a longer-term directory of artists beyond mural restorers, and how frequently to refresh vendor qualifications.

No formal motion to adopt the program or vendor list was taken at the meeting; staff will circulate a revised application by email for commission sign-off and then publish the materials on the city website.