Parks and Recreation Supervisor Mark Ziegler and several members of the arts commission presented the proposal at Monday's Shelton City Commission meeting.
The commission would solicit original artwork "appropriate for public display," according to the plan.
"Can we, as a city, afford to be in a position to be sued on account of a charge of censorship?" Mayor John Tarrant asked.
Members discussed the importance of developing a well-defined and consistent process for selecting art to be displayed. The arts commission members would research and develop a selection process, which would come before the City Commission for approval, Ziegler said.
In other business, the commission:
- Approved distribution of $28,921 in hotel/motel tax revenue in 2004 to five agencies that had submitted requests. They are the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, $13,421; SOCK (Save Our County's Kids), $2,000; Mason County Historical Society, $8,000; Yesteryear Car Club, $500; and the Mason County Forest Festival Association, $5,000. The association submitted its request three weeks past the deadline.
- Set a public hearing on the moratorium on sex-oriented businesses. Community and Economic Development Director Barbara Robinson asked that the commission set a date for the hearing, which is required within two months of a moratorium, Robinson said. The moratorium was adopted Sept. 29. The public hearing was set for 7 p.m. Monday at the civic center.
The moratorium was set at Robinson's recommendation to allow time to correct a recently discovered flaw in the city's ordinance, which spells out the geographical restrictions within which adult businesses must operate.
"Since the ordinance was first established in 1997, land-use patterns have changed, and currently there is no place within the city limits where this business use can operate," Robinson said in September. "That is unconstitutional, and we need to establish different restrictions so these businesses can operate somewhere within the city."
- Set into motion the steps for hiring a new city administrator.
The position became available when John Johnston resigned late last month.
Three executive search firms interested in recruiting for the position will be invited to do a 15-minute presentation at a special workshop session, possibly on Nov. 19.
The cost of the search is expected to be between $15,000 and $18,000, plus travel expenses, depending on which firm is selected.
Duggan Kinne is a correspondent for The Olympian.