Public Art advisory details 2025 projects; council approves Payette Lakes Progressive scholarship application

Delta James, the city’s economic development planner and staff liaison to the McCall Public Art Advisory Committee, introduced committee chair Neli Bowman, who presented the committee’s 2025 annual report and project updates.

Bowman reviewed completed and planned projects: the downtown Balsam Route mural (which left a $4,700 mural‑fund remainder), an educational video produced with Peppersock Media tied to that mural, two forthcoming vinyl‑wrapped light boxes (funded with McCall Redevelopment Agency support) and plans for additional light‑box artwork in 2026. The committee described a student bus‑stop artwork program in collaboration with school staff and noted revisions to improve visibility and readability for drivers.

The committee also described a capital‑art allocation of $20,000 for public art at the Legacy Park stairs; artists will be selected through an RFQ process, three finalists will be paid to prepare designs, and finalists’ proposals will be presented to council for final selection. Bowman said the timeline and construction sequencing will determine whether artwork can be embedded during construction or attached afterward.

On the Riverfront Park cultural plan, Bowman said the committee had budgeted $15,000 and sought a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant to cover a total project cost of about $35,000; the NEA decision was pending. The committee proposed including Nez Perce and Shoshone tribal participation in the plan.

Bowman also summarized a proposed Makoski Heritage mural on the east wall of a Chevron station; the Heritage Board presented three artist concepts by selected artist Odessa Kaufman and will gather community feedback before a final design is chosen.

Separately, Delta James presented a request from Parks & Recreation to submit a small grant application to the Payette Lakes Progressive Club of up to $1,000 to support youth recreation scholarships. James said the scholarship program typically helps about 25 to 30 youth annually and has historic support from the Progressive Club. The council moved, seconded and conducted a roll call vote; the mayor asked for and received affirmative votes and the mayor announced, “That motion carries.”

Outcome: Council authorized staff to submit a Payette Lakes Progressive Club grant application for up to $1,000 to fund Parks & Recreation youth scholarships. Council accepted the Public Art Advisory Committee report and thanked committee members for their work; no funding beyond existing budget allocations was authorized for new art projects at this meeting.

Clarifying details: mural funding remainder: $4,700; Legacy Park stairs public‑art allocation in the city CIP: $20,000; Riverfront Park arts and culture plan total estimated cost: $35,000 with $15,000 budgeted by the city and the remainder sought via a NEA Our Town grant; Parks & Recreation scholarship grant request: up to $1,000 to support roughly 25–30 youth annually; artists for Legacy Stairs to be selected via RFQ and three finalists paid $500 each to prepare designs.

Next steps: staff and the committee will continue artist selection for Legacy Stairs and light‑box wraps; the Riverfront Park grant outcome is pending NEA; staff will submit the Payette Lakes Progressive Club application.