City staff and Sister Cities group present mural proposal for Clara B. Mounds Public Library

Risha Jackson, the City of Bryan’s community economic development specialist, told the council the mural mockup for the Clara B. Mounds Public Library is funded through the Arts and Culture Development Grant, paid from hotel‑occupancy tax revenues, and selected through the city’s grant committee process. “We wanna hear your feedback,” Jackson said as she introduced the design and the grant recipient, BCS Sister Cities.

Chuck Martinez of BCS Sister Cities described the project as a citizen‑diplomacy piece and said the grant agreement was executed in October 2025. He told the council the mural will incorporate imagery from the city’s Sister Cities and be a landmark that “stimulate[s] a variety of conversations about the community’s international reach.” The group plans an interpretive text band under the work and a QR code to carry additional details for viewers who want more context.

Artist Jeremy Thompson walked the council through the mockup, explaining the animal iconography: a jaguar for Salamanca, a deer for Bastogne, a blue jay representing Bryan‑College Station as host, and an owl symbolizing Poland’s intellectual tradition. Councilmembers asked for clearer local cues for drive‑by viewers — for example, larger use of a local blue and small emblems or flags — and discussed whether language on the mural should be accompanied by a freestanding panel or QR code. Jackson and Martinez said staff plan an informational panel at eye level plus a web page linked from a QR code.

Councilmembers also raised trademark questions about Texas A&M imagery in the mockup. Martinez said the university reviewed the design and had indicated it was “okay with the A and M as it’s presented,” while staff will clarify contractual copyright and merchandising language before any merchandising or third‑party use. Project logistics discussed included sponsor solicitation, staging in May, painting by an international artist with visa processing in March–April, and a public unveiling targeted for the first Friday in June. Martinez said the finished mural will be between roughly 1,000 and 1,500 square feet and will receive a UV protective top coat; the artist estimated a typical lifespan of 10–12 years with care.

Next steps: staff will return with a final design that incorporates council feedback (larger host element, clearer emblems/flags, and a planned information panel/QR code) and finalize contractual language on copyrights and credits. No binding policy decision was made at the workshop; the council’s input will inform the final art agreement and installation plan.