Finance committee records $150,000 state grant for Chief Tuscaloosa sculpture

The Tuscaloosa Finance Committee voted to record a $150,000 donation from a state tourism grant for the Chief Tuscaloosa sculpture and approved a budget revision to add the revenue to the project account.

A committee staff member said, “They were awarded a $150,000 specifically for the Chief Tuscaloosa sculpture that is within the Project Warrior scope,” and that the Tuscaloosa Sports Commission intends to donate the award to the city to apply to the sculptor contract with Caleb O'Connor. The staff member told the committee the $150,000 will be added to the project's existing budget and used toward the production contract.

Committee members asked for clarifications about the city’s contractual obligations and utility coordination; staff said the city’s current contractual obligations are limited to the sculptor and site-development agreements and that power-company coordination has been resolved. The chair called for a motion to record the donated revenue and add it to the project budget under agenda item number 2; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The committee did not identify a named mover or seconder in the transcript. The committee discussion noted other funding already committed to the project and that staff and the mayor will coordinate on timing for letting downstream contracts start.