The Arts Commission voted 6-0 to approve 12 new utility-box designs for placement around Costa Mesa following a review panel that included commissioners and community members.

Art Specialist Megan Gardner presented the program and the proposed placements; the review panel prioritized geographic distribution and selected designs by Costa Mesa artists and others to reflect different neighborhoods. "We were pleased to have the boxes representative of the community instead of heavily in 1 part of town," Commissioner Ashendorf said while summarizing the panel's approach.

Dr. Adamareth, executive director of Someone Cares Orange County, presented a submission and explained the mural's background: the piece draws on a large mural on the back of the organization's building, honors predecessors Merle Hatleberg and Shannon Santos, and aims to elevate the stories of people the nonprofit serves. "I thought 2 things. 1 is to bring attention to 2 wonderful, big hearted ladies ... and also elevating the voices and the stories of the people who we serve on a day to day basis 7 days a week," he said.

Commissioners and staff noted the program's vendor process and that final formatting will be reconciled during production to accommodate box dimensions; staff said they will work with artists to ensure high-resolution images and fit. The board called the submissions thoughtful and geographically balanced and thanked community presenters.

The motion to approve the selection passed 6-0.