Ann Arbor City Council remains conflicted on the city’s public art program. Council Tuesday night voted ten to nothing for an ordinance amendment that allows them to return old percent for art funds to their original source. Two resolutions to actually do this however were postponed.
City Council member Jane Lumm says she wants the unallocated funds returned but a proposal by Sabra Briere is too vague. The language that concerns Lumm requested the City Administrator include in his budget proposal funding for public art administration the next two years as the program transitions to a public-private model. Lumm's resolution doesn't address this issue.
Briere and others however want to ensure some form of public art administration is in place as the program transitionsl.
Without a resolution on returning the public art funds council still hasn’t approved a six month contract for Aaron Seagraves to return to work on public art projects that are in the pipeline.
Former public art commission member Margaret Parker is sad council wants to take money away from public art. She is hopeful that council continuing the discussion will lead to a better way forward for the program.
A copy of the resolution proposed by Jane Lumm and others can be found here.
A copy of the resolution proposed by Sabra Briere can be found here.
— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.
