Public art: council votes against reconsidering expenditures
Coun. Peter Demong tabled motion calling for art program to be suspended during economic downturn
City council has decided not to debate a motion to suspend the Calgary’s public art program for the remainder of the year.
The support of 10 council members was needed in order for for Coun. Peter Demong’s motion to reconsider the art expenditure budget to go forward.
Council voted Monday morning 9-5 against the reconsideration motion.
The program's 2015 budget was just passed in December.
Demong proposed suspending the city’s public art program saying “it behooves us as the city to show our citizens some restraint in how we allocate scarce resources in times of economic stress.”
One councillor who intended to support Demong's motion, Ward Sutherland, was absent from Monday’s vote.
The current policy commits the city to spending one per cent of the value of its capital projects on public art.
Last May the policy was adjusted so that only half a per cent of projects worth over $50 million goes toward art, and no installation exceeds $4 million.
City manager Jeff Fielding told council Monday that administration will be bringing forward a report in March or April on ways the city can trim $20 million in spending from this year's budget as a response to the downturn in the economy.
He said that the city has seen a 76-per cent jump in job inquiries through its website this year.