Smyrna Public Art Committee - A. Max Bacon City Hall - Admin Conference Room 2nd Floor — Minutes
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February 27, 2026 11:30 AM City of Smyrna Smyrna Public Art Committee Meeting 2800 King Street SE Council Chambers Page 5 of 7 present city staff members confirmed that an RFP must be submitted for each project. Chairperson Oglesby asked the committee how they would like to proceed. Chairperson Oglesby asked if the committee had any questions before the motion was moved. Committee Member Burke Scott asked what is preventing the committee from combining the sidewalks, painted manhole, welcome mural, and sculpture projects into one RFP. Special Projects Manager Carson Haynie, Chairperson Oglesby, and other present city staff members said time constraints considering the length of time it takes to decide on artist submissions. Committee Member Robert Harrison said the subcommittee could review artist submissions and weed out the ones that the committee would not find favorable to speed up the process. Chairperson Oglesby said he does not think the subcommittee should be voting on any of the artist submissions. Deputy City Administrator Kristin Robinson said historically the city’s art consultant has handled the RFP submissions, then presented them to the committee for decision making; and therefore, all artist decisions should be made within the Smyrna Public Art Committee. Community Services Director Richard Garland said it is important to be cost conscience of the art installation and the artist stipend to create their submission for the project. The committee agreed. Councilmember Leah Barnes made a motion to approve; seconded by Councilmember Meg Quigley. The motion to approve carried with the following vote: Aye: 7 – City Council Liaison Oglesby Jr., Committee Member Barnes, Committee Member Foote, Committee Member Harrison, Committee Member Quigley, Committee Member Scott, Committee Member Thomas Nay: 0 – None Recuse: 0 – None D. 2026-118 Pollinator Garden Community Services Director Richard Garland informed the committee that the proposed project design would be a pollinator garden that looks like a butterfly. Richard Garland said Keep Smyrna Beautiful has taken Parks and Recreation through the first phase regarding design drawings. Special Projects Manager Carson Haynie said Environmental Services Director and Keep Smyrna Beautiful Executive Director Julie Barwig would be present for the next meeting. Community Services Director Richard Garland said this is a $4-500,000 dollar project that would be placed along Concord Linear Park. It will include a large butterfly sculpture, sidewalks, irrigation, electrical, concrete, furnishings, and other infrastructure work which makes it such a long-range project. Richard Garland said this would be a seed money opportunity for the Public Art Committee as the committee would allocate a certain amount to the project and so would other organizations. Richard Garland said this project proposes a great opportunity for community education about the importance of both art and pollinators, such as how they impact the environment. Richard Garland emphasized that the project will also create community synergy around a central area as other organizations can help fund the pollinator garden. Richard Garland said Keep Smyrna Beautiful cannot take it by themselves but since they are a 501c3, they