A conference committee on Senate Bill 2010 discussed on the record whether funds from an Arts Council endowment should be used to prepare sites for public sculptures and asked legislative counsel to draft an amendment reflecting a compromise on staffing and project counts.

Committee members spent the meeting reviewing language that would appropriate money for the Council on the Arts, consider removing a proposed full-time equivalent (FTE) position, and set aside money for site preparation and a short-term hire. The committee did not adopt a final funding math for each project before adjourning; it instructed legislative counsel to prepare an amendment to reflect the agreed direction and to return with more detailed numbers at a later meeting.

Why it matters: committee members repeatedly flagged the original endowment’s purpose—maintenance rather than construction—and debated whether using that fund to build sites would deplete funds intended to pay ongoing upkeep. Lawmakers also disagreed about adding a permanent grant-writing FTE at a time when members said general-fund pressures are high. The committee’s choices could reduce future maintenance funding for sites if construction costs are paid from the endowment.

Most important developments

- Scope of bill and endowment: The bill under consideration was introduced as an appropriation to “defray the expenses of the council and the arts, to provide for a transfer, to provide for a report, and to provide an exemption” (Senate Bill 2010 as read into the record). Several senators referenced a prior 2021 appropriation that created an Arts Council endowment intended for maintenance rather than construction.

- Staffing: Committee members opposed adding a new permanent FTE to the Arts Council’s base. Instead the committee coalesced around providing temporary salary funding to support grants work for the new executive director. Two funding figures were discussed: $150,000 in federal-authority temporary funding that the House added (noted as contingent on receiving a federal grant) and a compromise proposal of $85,000 from other sources for temporary staffing.

- Site-preparation and project count: Members proposed allocating $300,000 for site work (“dirt work”) and debated whether to fund two, three, or up to four sculpture projects. The Senate position repeatedly referenced two sculptures tied to an earlier $90,000 allocation; others urged splitting the larger available appropriation so the Arts Council could select priority sites. The committee repeatedly said exact per-project dollar amounts remain to be worked out.

- Agreement to draft amendment: Toward the end of the meeting a senator asked legislative counsel to prepare an amendment that would remove the permanent FTE, adopt House changes except for the FTE, allocate $85,000 for temporary salaries, provide $300,000 for site preparation, and set a project-count target of three projects (with final per-project funding to be determined). Legislative counsel agreed to prepare the amendment; the committee deferred final numeric allocations and adjourned.

Discussion details and context

Committee members said the endowment created in 2021 was intended to generate ongoing maintenance dollars, not to fund initial construction. Several lawmakers urged caution about using the endowment for construction because building multiple sites could deplete principal intended to pay future upkeep such as gravel grading, mowing, weed control and snow removal. One member said the Senate had previously approved $90,000 for two sculptures and argued funding should be aligned with that allocation unless the Arts Council can document additional local contributions.

Members also debated whether the Arts Council needs a permanent grant officer. Several lawmakers supported giving the new executive director temporary staffing resources to focus on fundraising and grant applications rather than approving a new permanent FTE line at this session. One representative cited a requested salary of $72,000 plus about $12,000 in benefits as a line-item that would require finding savings elsewhere; others said a temporary allocation of $85,000 would provide near-term capacity without committing to a permanent hire. The House had added $150,000 of federal-funded temporary authority contingent on award; the committee did not remove that authority but discussed the uncertainty tied to it.

Members suggested design compromises—smaller parking areas and simpler site work—to reduce per-site installation costs and recommended that communities raising private funds contribute toward site build costs. Several lawmakers asked staff whether sites would be lit, whether winter access or snow removal would be provided, and whether communities had pledged maintenance or donation amounts; those details were not fully documented in the meeting record and were left for follow-up.

Actions and next steps

- Request for amendment: Senator Mather asked legislative counsel to prepare an amendment reflecting Senator Cleary’s (transcript: Cleary/Clary) proposals: remove the permanent FTE, adopt House changes except the FTE removal, set temporary salary funding at $85,000, allocate $300,000 for site preparation, and set a provisional target of three projects with final per-project funding to be determined. Legislative counsel agreed to draft the amendment. (Motion made on the record; no formal recorded vote.)

- Follow up: Committee members said they would continue negotiations over the weekend and reconvene Monday to finalize numbers. The meeting adjourned without a final vote on the bill’s funding lines.

What was not decided or remained unclear

- Final per-project funding levels for the three proposed projects were not set.
- The committee did not adopt or reject the House’s $150,000 federal temporary-authority line; members noted that authority would only produce a position if the grant is awarded.
- The level and source of local contributions from communities proposing sculpture sites were not documented at the meeting.

Ending

The committee’s direction—remove the new permanent FTE, provide temporary staffing dollars, set aside $300,000 for site preparation and target three projects—will be formalized in the amendment legislative counsel was asked to draft. Lawmakers said they expect to reconvene with specific per-project numbers before final action.