A decision on a motion to revisit the city’s policy of buying art for new city buildings was put off by city council for two weeks at Monday’s regular meeting.

Council decided unanimously to defer the vote when administration was unable to provide a definitive answer to a key question that at least one councillor insisted she needed before she could vote on the motion on whether to revisit the policy.

Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu asked city manager Christine Smith whether the policy that provides funds to purchase art for a new city building could be used to buy art for other locations.

Smith told council she would prefer to seek more input into the question as well as a legal interpretation of the policy before providing an answer.

Council agreed to put off the vote on the motion brought forward last week by Coun. Dan Boyd to revisit the policy.

The policy dictates one per cent of the total construction cost for new city buildings must be set aside to purchase art.

Boyd explained when he introduced the motion that with the city about to begin phase one of its building consolidation project, now is the time to open up the policy.

Construction of phase one, largely an equipment garage for trucks and loaders, could be $35 million or more, he pointed out.

Taxpayers, therefore, would have to provide $350,000 to buy art for a building that is largely for industrial use and is not visited by the public.

The councillor has insisted he’s not looking to review the policy because he wants to reduce the one per cent.

It’s more a question of whether to spend $350,000 – the equivalent of a one per cent hike in property taxes for one year – to buy art for a garage never visited by the public, Boyd maintained.

If the new city building is a pump station to move water and sewer, Coun. Rob Fendrick put it to his council colleagues last night, does it mean art has to be purchased and hung in the lift station?

There was clearly support for the principle that the provision for art must be a component of new construction, though clarity was needed.

There was also concern that a desire to revisit the policy was shrouded by a desire to reduce the one per cent.

Mayor Dan Curtis told council members motions like this aren’t usually brought forward unless there’s an underlying wish to reduce the financial commitment.

“If it’s not broke, why fix it?” Curtis asked.

The mayor suggested if there was a time for the arts and cultural community to stand and be heard, that time is now.

The city’s character is joined at the hip with the arts community, Curtis told council. There is no need to disrupt what is a fruitful relationship, he added.

“I am supportive of the one per cent,” Curteanu insisted. “However, I just want to know if we can allocate that money for other buildings.

“If that is the case, I do not see why we would have to reopen it.”

Boyd, who was on city council when the policy was adopted 16 years ago, said it’s clear the intent of the one-per-cent policy is to provide art for the building that is being built.

Curator Mary Bradshaw of the Yukon Arts Centre appeared before council to defend the current policy.

While she was the only member of the public to speak on the matter, she was sitting in the gallery with a handful of supporters.

“Coun. Boyd suggested that only city staff would actually see the art; however, the magnificent horse sculpture ‘Whitehorse’ by Daphne Mennell, on top of Two Mile Hill, was commissioned for the emergency services building,” Bradshaw said.

“This is a building that only city staff use, yet the sculpture has become a Whitehorse icon which reflects the distinct character of our city.”

Bradshaw urged council to reject Boyd’s motion to revisit the policy and maintain the one-per-cent allocation.

Virtually every major city in Canada has a similar policy, and Yellowknife sets aside 1.5 per cent for the purchase of art, she emphasized.

Boyd asked Bradshaw if she was aware that Calgary’s policy calls for a one-per-cent allocation on the first $1 million of construction cost for new buildings, and half of a per cent for every million more.

Calgary’s policy directs the allocation to a general fund used to purchase art. It does not require the money be spent on art for the new building specifically, he told Bradshaw and members of council.

Boyd said the other art policies he’s looked at are more about contributing to a general fund.

The city’s art policy needs the provision of a general art fund and direction regarding where the art can be placed so the city is not restricted to buying art specifically for the new building, he said.

Boyd said the policy is 16 years old and needs to be revisited.

Coun. Betty Irwin said the obvious lack of clarity in the existing policy dictates the policy should be reviewed.

It was clear during last night’s discussion the majority of council, if not all seven members, clearly support an art purchase policy.

Most indicated they are not looking for a reduction to the one-per-cent allocation.

See letter.