BENTONVILLE -- The City Council decided to delay taking action on a public mural after new complaints that the work allegedly advances "transgender ideology."
The City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to table making a final determination on All Bike(r)s Welcome until its next regular meeting Aug. 26. The decision came after more than two hours of discussion.
Beckie Seba, Chris Sooter, Gayatri Agnew and Octavio Sanchez voted for the motion to table the issue while Bill Burckart, Holly Hook and Cindy Acree voted against it.
Aubrey Patterson, Ward 3 City Council member was absent.
Bella Vista-based artist Paige Dirksen completed All Bike(r)s Welcome in a tunnel underneath Northwest Third Street near the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve Oct. 11 in collaboration with Northwest Arkansas-based nonprofit organization All Bikes Welcome and more than 80 members of the community, according to an All Bikes Welcome news release.
The mural depicts multiple cycling-related items -- including an air pump, pedal, helmet, water bottle, chain and bike frame -- next to stripes and geometric shapes of different colors, along with the message, "all bike(r)s welcome."
Michael McCranie, city spokesman, said the city received 17 official complaints in relation to All Bike(r)s Welcome.
The city will notify the artist of a work of art on display on city-owned property if the city receives signed, written complaints from 10 or more city employees or residents about the work in question, according to the Bentonville Municipal Code. The city will then give the artist an opportunity to immediately withdraw the work.
If the artist doesn't withdraw the work, the city will hold a meeting between the artist and complainants during which they will be able to address the appropriateness of the work's display, the code states. The City Council will make the final decision on whether the art will be removed, relocated, relabeled or otherwise modified if the meeting doesn't resolve the issue.
The city hosted a mediation meeting between Dirksen and residents identified as a "religious group" July 29, according to a report included in the meeting packet.
The group stated it opposed the mural primarily due to what it argued was the use of taxpayer money for "ideological purposes." It argued the mural featured clear "transgender messaging," including but not limited to the visual depiction of a transgender flag.
Two sections of the mural feature sets of alternating pink and blue stripes. However, the transgender flag consists of four blue and pink stripes with a white stripe in the middle.
The group also said the statement "all bikers welcome" was aligned with language used by the transgender community, according to the report.
"The group indicated that since this mural was in a public location, the messaging in the mural should be non-ideological," the report states. "Instead, according to the group, the imagery found in the mural advances transgender ideology. It is unfair that public dollars are being used to advance one ideology over others or having an ideology presented in a public place to those to disagree with transgender beliefs and goals."
Dirksen said her primary purpose in creating the mural was to create a sense of "belonging for all," according to the report. It states she wanted the piece to evoke feelings of "inclusion and belonging" as well.
Dirksen said she was confused by the group's argument the images on All Bike(r)s Welcome advocated transgender rights, arguing they were not that of a transgender flag, the report states.
"The artist indicated that she recognized that the mural was public art and to be enjoyed by everyone," the report states. "She was neither trying to specifically recognize any specific group or have any other group feel left out. The message of the mural is about welcoming everyone and engaging in joyful community."
A spokesperson for the group said it would accept Dirksen changing one of the colors on the existing two alleged flag images on the mural, according to the report. Dirksen declined to do so. Dirksen said modifying the mural after she already made suggested changes to it would only reinforce the perception the piece isn't welcoming to everyone. She said the change would instead communicate that certain groups weren't welcome.
Seventeen people spoke at Tuesday's meeting about the mural -- including Dirksen. Fifteen were in favor of the mural remaining as is while others two were against it.
Among the concerns of the residents who supported the mural were that taking it down would be an attack on minority communities and enable bigotry in Bentonville, as well as have a negative economic impact on the city.
Those who were against the mural argued the piece promoted division and advertised an individual organization -- All Bikes Welcome.
Agnew, Ward 1 City Council member, made a motion to dismiss the complaint against the mural and affirm the resolution accepting the mural the City Council approved June 10. The motion failed with a 4-3 vote.
Sanchez, Acree, Seba and Hook voted against the motion while Agnew, Sooter and Burckart voted for it.
Seba, who also represents Ward 1, made the motion to remove the mural on the grounds of it being an advertisement for All Bikes Welcome. She argued such an advertisement isn't is in line with the city's policy on public art.
Seba's motion also failed with a 4-3 vote. Acree, Sooter, Agnew and Burckart voted against it while Seba, Hook and Sanchez voted for it.
Sanchez made the motion to table the matter.
The city had requested Dirksen make changes to the mural in December to bring the piece in line with the design the city originally approved per its signed agreement for the piece. The city noted four sections of the final work had colors different from the approved design and which had to be corrected before the city could accept the mural as complete.
Ten people -- including Dirksen and several others who helped create the mural -- asked the city to allow the mural to remain as it is at the City Council's May 27 meeting. They criticized what they argued was the city's lack of transparency and consistent communication over the mural, along with the negative impact altering or removing the mural would have on public art.
The city's acceptance of the mural June 10 came with the provision that all language included in the piece -- besides the title and Dirksen's signature -- be removed, according to the resolution. This included the Instagram handles for Dirksen and All Bikes Welcome. However, the city would install a sign describing the art in a way consistent with other city-owned art pieces.
Paige Dirksen, a Bella Vista-based artist, speaks during the Bentonville City Council meeting Tuesday. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Saccente)
Water utilities and e-bikesThe City Council voted 7-0 to authorize the city to enter into a professional services agreement with Freese and Nichols Inc. -- a firm headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with an office in Rogers -- in an amount not to exceed $487,496 for generating, compiling, coordinating and updating an overarching comprehensive water utilities capital improvement plan. The money will come from a 2024 wastewater improvement grant.The City Council also voted 7-0 to authorize the city to accept a $250,000 donation from Walmart Inc. for the city's privately funded e-bike rebate program. Both items were approved as part of a larger consent agenda.Source: NWA Democrat-Gazette