Art board recommends three purchases, approves minutes

The Art and Public Places Board voted to recommend three public-art procurements to County Council and approved minutes from its June meeting.

Board members voted to forward three procurement recommendations: a glass-tile mosaic for the Justice Center titled Birds and Big Skies of Los Alamos (not to exceed $70,000), a senior-center security gate called Los Alamos Heritage Gate by artist Jonathan Watson (project cost not to exceed $21,000), and Raven Dialog, a small sculpture by Star York for the Nature Center (purchase and installation costs not to exceed $15,000). The board also approved the June 26, 2025 meeting minutes.

Why it matters: The purchases together represent a near-term rollout of county-funded public art across civic sites — the Justice Center, Benny E. Hart Senior Center and the Nature Center — and include community-engagement components such as a planned ribbon-cutting or survey-based input associated with some projects.

Most important facts

- Justice Center mosaic: The board voted 4–1 to recommend that County Council approve the purchase of Birds and Big Skies of Los Alamos, a glass-tile mosaic by artist Jay Musacs, at a not-to-exceed amount of $70,000. Anna moved the motion and Tim seconded it; Jasmine cast the lone dissenting vote. The $70,000 figure covers materials, fabrication, installation, community engagement, a plaque, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and contingency costs (gross receipts tax excluded).

- Senior-center gate: The board voted to recommend council approve purchase of Los Alamos Heritage Gate by Jonathan Watson for installation at the Benny E. Hart Senior Center. The motion set a total project cap of $21,000 to include artwork purchase, installation, a plaque and a ribbon-cutting ceremony (GRT excluded). The motion carried unanimously.

- Nature Center sculpture: The board voted to recommend council approve Raven Dialog by Star York, with a purchase cap of $10,000 plus up to $5,000 for installation and miscellaneous costs (total not to exceed $15,000). The motion carried unanimously.

- Minutes: The board approved the June 26, 2025 meeting minutes by voice vote.

What board members said and did

- The Justice Center item drew the most recorded opposition: one member said the revised design removed a favored element (a roadrunner) and recorded a formal “no” on the final tally. Board members who supported the purchase cited strong survey feedback favoring design number 2 and community engagement plans tied to the piece.

- On the senior-center gate, a board member recused temporarily from the discussion due to a personal association with an artist; the group then discussed procurement logistics and a previously resolved question about a donation to Zia Pueblo related to the design. The recommendation passed and will be placed on a council agenda.

- On the Nature Center piece, board members discussed the stone base procurement, installation details (drilling/anchoring the sculpture to stone), and the artist’s willingness to participate in installation.

Next steps and follow-up

All three procurement recommendations will be forwarded to County Council for final approval. The board chair and staff said they will place the items on the appropriate council agenda and work with the respective working groups to prepare project plans, installation logistics and public-notice materials (ceremony dates and community-engagement steps to be determined by the departments overseeing each site).

Votes and motions (meeting record)

- Approval of minutes (June 26, 2025) — Motion: approve minutes; mover/second not specifically named in the audio record; vote: unanimous (5–0). Outcome: approved.

- Raven Dialog (Star York) — Motion: recommend council approve purchase and installation, price not to exceed $15,000; mover: not specified; second: provided; vote: unanimous (5–0). Outcome: recommended to council.

- Los Alamos Heritage Gate (Jonathan Watson) — Motion: recommend council approve purchase for Benny E. Hart Senior Center, total project cost not to exceed $21,000 (excl. GRT); mover: not specified; second: Andy; vote: unanimous (5–0). Outcome: recommended to council.

- Birds and Big Skies of Los Alamos (Jay Musacs) — Motion: select design No. 2 and recommend council approve purchase for Justice Center, not to exceed $70,000; mover: Anna; second: Tim; vote: 4 yes, 1 no (Jasmine). Outcome: recommended to council.

Ending

Each recommendation now moves to County Council for final approval; staff said the items will be scheduled on upcoming council agendas and project teams will proceed with logistics and community-engagement planning for installation and ribbon-cutting events.