Smyrna Public Art Committee - A. Max Bacon City Hall - HR Training Room — Minutes
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September 19, 2025 11:30 AM City of Smyrna Smyrna Public Art Committee Meeting 2800 King Street SE HR Training Room Page 4 of 5 5. Approval of Minutes A. MIN2025-215 Approval of the August 22, 2025 Smyrna Public Art Committee Meeting Minutes Committee Member Robert Harrison made a motion to approve item MIN2025-215; seconded by Committee Member Imani Thomas. The motion to approve carried with the following vote: Aye: 4 – City Council Liaison Oglesby, Committee Member Foote, Committee Member Harrison, Committee Member Thomas Nay: 0 – None Absent: 3 – Committee Member Scott, Committee Member Styf, and Committee Member Rhome 6. Other Business / Staff Comment Dr. David Martin Dedication and Linear Park Public Art (other business) Chairperson Oglesby said he learned during the September 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, a gentleman named Dr. David Martin recently passed who was very important to the Smyrna community. Chairperson Oglesby said Dr. Martin cleaned up Smyrna streets every day, and that they will soon be memorializing him by potentially renaming Cobb Linear Park after him. He would like to do something with public art in that area to commemorate Dr. Martin. Richard Garland said there is public art in that park, and there is a plan to implement a large pollinator garden there as well. He also said there have been designs submitted for a monarch butterfly pollinator garden in that area, and they are awaiting funding for implementation. Committee member Robert Harrison said there is opportunity to activate Linear Park to commemorate Dr. Martin’s life with a similar approach to previous events such as the sidewalk chalk effort and lantern parade. Committee member Robert Harrison said an initiative of similar nature would be a great way to publicize Dr. Martin’s dedication while also coordinating with the restaurant nearby that will open soon. Chairperson Oglesby said he loved that idea and said to get with Economic Development Director Andrea Worthy about the restaurant side of things. Chairperson Oglesby said he recalls from early committee meetings that in certain parks there could be some sort of structure that could hold art for temporary periods of time. He mentioned maybe this is an opportunity to do something similar. Richard Garland re-visited his comment about the monarch butterfly pollinator garden. Committee member Robert Harrison said there is a tree that was recently cut down, leaving a trunk surface that is large enough in diameter and flat enough to the ground that it makes a natural platform for a piece of art. Anna Talarico said the idea of pouring a concrete pad and getting a bolt installed so that rotating art can come up for 18-24 months is a great idea. She said the City could pay an artist a fixed loan fee to use their sculpture, then after the timeline for that piece is up, that art would go away and something new would come up. Committee member Robert Harrison said he recommends a two-dimensional design to go on the retaining wall in that area, and said the design can be anything from birds, flowers, trees, and bees which could be painted on the granite walls. He also said the retaining wall is a great canvas for art, but paint does not look nice on it. Committee member Robert Harrison said metal art that pops off the wall just a bit would look nice. Chairperson Oglesby said he loves the energy and creativity happening within the committee right now and that there will be a huge focus on Linear Park. Anna Talarico asked Richard Garland what are the funding sources that will be supporting the $400,000 pollinator garden. Mr. Garland said Keep Smyrna Beautiful reached out to an architect, and once the estimate was sent back, they realized it was not doable at the time.