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Commission approves plan to commission large Cedar Street sculpture, cites SURA sunset as spending driver
Summary
The commission approved a motion to commission a large sculpture for Cedar Street, identify three reinforced-concrete mounting sites and use Urban Renewal funds; the motion referenced existing memorial funds.
The Sandpoint Arts, Culture, and Preservation Commission voted to move forward with commissioning a large sculpture for Cedar Street and to use Urban Renewal Agency funds, including a Gretchen Heller memorial donation, to begin the project.
Ellie Sesmus, chairwoman of the Sandpoint Arts, Culture, and Preservation Commission, told the commission that the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency — SURA — will “sundown in 2029,” and that the commission should spend available redevelopment art funds before the agency’s termination date. Sesmus described three reinforced-concrete locations on Cedar Street suitable for a large sculpture: at Second and Cedar; at Third and Cedar on the hospital side; and on the Cedar Street Inn’s west-facing wall.
Sesmus proposed a commission-led process to jump-start a large piece on Cedar Street and told members the commission need not run a public call if it instead purchases or commissions directly. During discussion she proposed funding the work using the commission’s Cedar funds and said “we’re thinking probably $1,520,000. 2,500 of that being the memorial donation that we still have from the Gretchen Heller Trust,” as the available figures. Commissioners acknowledged the figures as planning-level and agreed to assemble a work team to develop the project.
Motion and vote: A commissioner moved that the commission “put a sculpture at the corner of Second and Cedar and use funds from the CERDA money” and explicitly referenced adding the Gretchen Heller Memorial Fund to the financing. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
The commission directed staff to convene a work team to refine site selection, scope, procurement options and a funding plan and to bring specific design and procurement recommendations to a future meeting.
Context: Commissioners said urgency to spend Urban Renewal art funds is driven by the agency’s planned sunset in 2029. No final contract or artist was selected at the meeting.
