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Council briefed on local VA 2•50 committee and recommended council-chamber portraits
Summary
Staff recommended creating a Falls Church VA 2•50 committee to plan local participation in the 2026 commemoration and recommended awarding two portrait commissions for council chambers (Carol DeLong and Frederick Foote Jr.) with artists selected from an RFQ; council discussion focused on membership, diversity and timing.
City staff proposed establishment of a local "Falls Church 2•50" committee to plan the city's role in Virginia’s commemorations of the national 250th anniversary in 2026, and presented Arts & Humanities Council recommendations to commission two portraits for council chambers.
On the VA 2•50 committee, staff said the state legislature and U.S. Congress have created coordinating commissions and that localities are forming committees to be eligible for grant opportunities and traveling exhibits. Staff recommended membership drawn from city council, historic commission, EDA, arts & humanities council, recreation & parks advisory board, the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, the Vietnamese Literary & Artistic Club (VLAC), the Virginia Preservation and Improvement Society and one at-large resident; staff said the committee would coordinate events and be active through Jan. 30, 2026, subject to extension.
On public art, staff described an RFQ process that produced seven proposals and recommended "Package A," two watercolorists (Deborah Khan and Asia Anderson) to paint portraits of Carol DeLong and Frederick Foote Jr. Staff explained the committee’s scoring process and offered a second option (Package B) of oil painters. The recommended stipend was $6,000 per portrait, paid in two installments (50% upon execution of contract; 50% at acceptance of the completed portrait). The council discussed framing, medium compatibility with existing chamber portraits, consultation with DeLong’s family and whether to select one artist for both works for consistency. A council vote on selected artists was scheduled for the Nov. 12 meeting; staff said artists would produce final concept sketches for a January review before final production.
Council members asked about committee size, potential duplicative memberships across boards, quorum issues, and inclusion of a school representative or student voice for the VA 2•50 committee. On portraits, members disclosed potential conflicts (one council member disclosed working with one of the artists but said she could participate objectively) and urged staff to consult families on likeness and pose.
