The City of Philomath’s newly formed Public Art Committee met Nov. 12 and, by consensus, appointed Adam as chair as members began work on a short-term pilot to place temporary sculptures on concrete pads installed as part of the downtown Streetscapes project.

The committee’s staff liaison, Chelsea Sterner, said the committee should review a sample program and contract used by the Happy Valley Sculpture Garden before the next meeting and provide technical feedback from practicing artists. “Their honorarium is a thousand dollars for the sculptures,” Sterner said of the Happy Valley program, describing the example as a model for leasing temporary work.

Why it matters: Committee members said a small, visible pilot in the downtown core could show residents how public art might enliven streets and help build support and fundraising for a longer public-art plan. The council has placed downtown art among strategic priorities and allocated initial funding, and staff said the immediate goal is to get two to four temporary pieces installed downtown while the committee develops a broader, long-range public-art plan.

City staff and committee members spent the meeting working through logistics. Staff described the downtown concrete pads as bench-height “picture frames” intended to hold sculpture and said there are roughly 13 pads around town. Members asked how pieces would be affixed, whether the city should prepare mounting hardware, and whether the work should be limited to Philomath residents or scored to favor local artists while allowing regional entries. One member urged that art be “tied to the land and prior to pioneer occupation,” underscoring a desire to include Indigenous context in future calls for artists.

Committee and staff also discussed procurement and legal limits. Staff warned that Oregon public-meeting and procurement rules constrain how the city can structure selection and contracting, and asked the committee to focus on substantive feedback for a draft call for artists and a sample contract staff supplied. Members were asked to review pages with sample language and imagery to ensure the call would attract viable submissions from artists.

Public-safety and siting came up as practical concerns. Members noted studies showing decorative or interactive elements can slow drivers and suggested coordinating with public-works and police staff and, when state-owned roads are involved, ODOT. Staff recommended starting placements where foot traffic is highest — for example around 13th and Main — and to prioritize sites with lighting and pedestrian dwell time.

Next steps and timeline: Staff asked members to review a short packet (sample contract, call-for-art language and photos of the downtown pads) and asked artists on the committee to advise on mounting and timing. Staff said the council’s target is to have temporary pieces in place downtown by June 30, 2026, for the Streetscapes objective; the broader public-art plan can take longer. The committee tentatively set its next meeting for Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m.; staff will circulate a calendar invite and site maps.

Administrative notes: Mayor Christopher McMorren opened the meeting and reminded the room that the session was being recorded and livestreamed. The committee convened as an ad hoc body pending future discussion of whether the work should remain a city function, be run by a nonprofit partner such as Maxivity, or follow a hybrid model. The meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m.