The Laredo Fine Arts and Culture Commission reported that the city will hire a full-time public art program manager who is scheduled to begin March 31 and serve as the city’s official liaison to the commission.

Commissioners said the hire is intended to provide a single city contact to move public-art projects onto council agendas and to finalize the commission’s draft standard operating procedures. The commission also agreed to host an informal meet-and-greet with the new manager before the next scheduled commission meeting so members can brief the manager and discuss priorities.

Commissioners described the incoming manager as having a background in both mathematics and art and supervisory experience. The position will be subject to a one-year probationary evaluation; commissioners were told the city’s evaluation can use a 90-day improvement-plan process if needed and that performance reviews are internal and include the manager’s supervisors up to the city manager.

Commission members said the manager will be expected to attend commission meetings regularly, gather departmental input, and finalize a small, revisable SOP document that will guide bidding, site selection and project specifications. Commissioners also discussed using the manager to coordinate with finance and other departments so the commission’s agenda items are placed on council dockets in a timely way.

Commissioners asked that the new manager meet stakeholders, including arts venues, schools and economic development staff, and recommended inviting city council members and the mayor to the meet-and-greet so elected leaders can hear the commission’s vision directly. Commission members said the new manager has been watching meetings in advance of starting and is prepared to begin work immediately upon appointment.

Votes at a glance: The only recorded formal action at the meeting was approval of minutes for the Jan. 16, 2025 meeting; the minutes were approved by the commission (motion and second recorded in the meeting transcript; roll-call vote not recorded in the transcript).