IT HAS come to light that former Hepburn Shire Council chief executive officer Aaron van Egmond commissioned artist David Bromley to paint two murals at a cost of $30,000 without consulting council or the public art panel.
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The two murals, situated in the interior of The Rex, were commissioned by the former CEO while he was project managing the site. One mural, painted at the entry to the building, depicts all of the shire’s Town Halls amidst Bromley’s signature butterflies.
Current CEO Evan King said the sum included Bromley’s interior design advice, the sourcing of furniture and discounted paint.
“The former CEO worked directly with the artist on the commission,” he said. “We are unclear as to why the Public Art Panel was not consulted regarding the commissioning of the artwork.”
The timing of the works was determined by Mr van Egmond and Bromley, with the murals painted in May 2018.
As per the council’s public art policy, council has “the responsibility to provide its ratepayers with the best value, with all services provided by council meeting the expectations in terms of quality and cost.
“In providing this, all services need to be accessible, responsive to the needs of the community, considerate of the natural environment and subject to continuous improvement”.
Mr van Egmond left Hepburn Shire Council for the CEO role at Hobsons Bay City Council in June.
Mr van Egmond said he had acted with delegated authority and Bromley’s advice, support and works resulted in considerable cost savings for the project.
“David was engaged to provide an extensive range of services, primarily interior design services, interior fitout and curatorial services, plant and furniture selection and procurement, paint and material selection,” he said.
“The work referred to as murals are a minor part of David’s engagement. These were selected as a cost effective alternative to custom wallpapers or other wall treatments in order to create an interesting aesthetic over a large expanse of plaster wall. These works were not a public art commission.
“David has played a large role in providing interior design advice across the entire building. His services have been delivered over an extended period of time and were to continue to the completion of the project.”
The entire project is currently the subject of an external audit.