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Bel Air board approves $30,000 public‑art contract despite divided views
Summary
The board approved a $30,000 contract May 4 to install an 18‑foot aluminum 'tree' sculpture at Atwood Road and Marketplace Drive, funded from the Public Amenity Fund. Commissioners expressed mixed views about taste and timing as parts of the fund near expiration.
The Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners approved a $30,000 contract May 4 to commission an 18‑foot aluminum sculpture for the corner of South Atwood Road and Marketplace Drive.
The Cultural Arts Commission recommended the work by Pontus Wilfors (transcript variants Wilfforce/Wilfors) after scoring proposals on design, experience and quality; staff said the commission reviewed two proposals and selected the winner using a rubric. The selected proposal describes a monumental aluminum tree approximately 18 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter, with a canopy that expands roughly 9 feet from the ground.
Funding: staff said the contract will draw from the town’s Public Amenity Fund, which had a balance of $47,505; public‑amenity rules require nonresidential developers to contribute a percentage of building cost into the fund and cap contributions per project. Staff warned that about $29,500 of available public‑amenity funds would expire July 1 if not used.
Debate and public comment: Commissioners praised public art’s benefits for identity and pedestrian interest but several said they were not persuaded this piece was the best use of the funds or did not like the style. One commissioner said he would vote no for stylistic reasons while acknowledging respect for the commission’s work; others stressed the risk of returning funds unused and noted limited time to re‑bid the project. A Cultural Arts Commission representative said the selection process was widely circulated and deliberated.
A public commenter who identified herself as a commission member urged commissioners to respect the commission’s recommendation and warned that returning funds would be fiscally irresponsible. Another public commenter urged the town to retain staff expertise on other matters.
Vote: The board approved the contract in a recorded vote; one commissioner voted "No." Staff and the commission said the sculpture’s installation would be staged through summer and installed in September, and that site enhancements such as landscaping and benches had been discussed.
