The Cultural Council discussed the future of artist TJ de Blij’s pride pavement on Samuel Snow Square at a meeting Monday.
The council was originally responsible for funding the project’s creation through a grant. After the art was defaced in July, the council had to determine which organization would be best equipped to fund repairs and overall maintenance of the pavement moving forward.
After discussion with the Task Force Against Discrimination, the council is expecting an annual pledge of $150 from the task force for the pavement’s general maintenance.
Council Chair Jennifer Uhl expressed her excitement and gratitude for the task force’s pledge. However, she has not determined the exact number of years the pledge will continue for.
“There’s at least $150 for sure this year,” Uhl said. “But I was quite sure it’s every year, that’s the language I heard.”
Uhl also emphasized that the task force is not taking the project over entirely, but is just one source of consistent funding the council has found as it continues to search for others.
The council came to the conclusion that despite initially funding the pavement project, it is beyond the scope of its duty to continually finance it after its creation. Uhl discussed the nuances in its mission statement about the pride pavement that outline what the council’s role is moving forward.
“We hope to continue to find funding for this pride pavement so it is updated and repainted as years progress and is needed,” Uhl read.
Uhl also informed her fellow council members that the Department of Public Works is available to assist if there are severe cases of vandalism or accidental damage to the pavement.
“They will if there’s any ugliness — which we hope there won’t be — they’ll step in, so we don’t need money for that,” Uhl said.
The Cultural Council has seen minor turnover since volunteer board positions were appointed by the Select Board on Aug. 16. Diane Capstaff planned to remain on the council as a volunteer liaison until sometime in the fall, when the boards were initially expected to be appointed. When the positions were appointed on Aug. 16, her term ended.
“The only reason that she stayed on is because she was the liaison for Indigenous People’s Day and that happens in October,” Uhl said. “So it made sense for her to extend a little bit, and now we’ll just find somebody else, that’s fine.”