Coffey County staff reviews public-art easements, suggests outreach and grant options

Economic Development Director Jenny briefed the Coffey County Board on Dec. 1 about historic and recently touched-up murals around the county and the status of county easements tied to those works.

Jenny said county files show an easement across from the courthouse in Burlington that expires July 12, 2026; another easement with the Leroy Assembly of God expired in 2016 and a third in Lebo expired in 2019. She reported that some mural maintenance had been performed verbally under prior direction and that in one case Jim Stupi had repainted portions based on a verbal order from a previous economic-development director.

The recorded easements (in the drafts Jenny found) generally required the county to maintain and possibly repaint murals during the easement term and to return the wall to its pre-mural condition when the easement expires or is abandoned. Commissioners asked staff to coordinate with mural owners before additional work and to check ownership of certain walls (for example, a medical building in Waverly whose ownership was uncertain). Jenny said there are recurring grant opportunities from the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Arts Commission that can fund community murals (grant amounts discussed were "about $5,000").

The board asked that staff work with local owners to either renew easements or document owners’ preferences and to pursue cost-share options with cities for maintenance when appropriate.

What’s next: Jenny will contact mural owners and prepare any easement-renewal paperwork and will report back with recommendations on proposed renewals or grants.