The Martin County Art in Public Places Advisory Committee voted to recommend the top-ranked artist for a mural at the Hope Sound Public Library to the Board of County Commissioners.

Elise Rafa, the county's community development coordinator, told the committee the call for entries ran 45 days and produced 16 eligible applications. Staff shortlisted three finalists — Nick Albano, Nathan (surname variably pronounced in the record), and Daniella Sanchez Vegas — and asked the panel to score and rank them using established criteria with up to 100 points and 35 points weighted for artist experience.

Library staff spoke in support of the second concept. "In our opinion, muralist 2 is what kind of fits that scope for us the most," said Lisa Latour Goodine, library projects manager for the Martin County Library System, noting the design’s reflection of the nearby pine scrub ecosystem and the project's connection to outdoor improvements behind the library. Sarah Steele of Hope Sound Public Library added that the concept "showcases that environment" and would create a family-friendly place to read.

After members reviewed work samples and discussed concerns about scale, color and how designs would fit the actual wall, the committee tallied a second-round set of scores and moved to recommend the top-ranked artist to the Board of County Commissioners. A motion to recommend the top-ranked artist was made, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

Members raised caveats to the selection: several said elements such as an oversized panther in one concept would need to be scaled down and that artists should adapt their renderings to the site. Staff said those adjustments could be part of post-selection negotiations. The committee also noted that some applicants provided more extensive mural experience on their resumes, which affected scoring during the second round.

The mural is expected to cover about 900 to 1,000 square feet and staff confirmed the principal mural wall measures about 88 feet 6 inches in length. The committee instructed staff to forward the recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval and permitting negotiations.

The committee also heard from Justin, who updated the group on 3D-printed book benches tied to the outdoor project: "The bookbenches have been printed... We're expecting [the toppers] pretty much any day now," he said, and anticipated installation "this year" once the library is ready.

Next steps: staff will send the PAC’s recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners and work with the selected artist on adjustments to ensure the final design fits the wall and site constraints.