Pollinator Pathway Mural Gets Green Light From RTM

GREENWICH, CT — After fits and starts, the Pollinator Pathways mural located on East Putnam Avenue across from Greenwich High School will finally come to fruition.

The Representative Town Meeting on Monday night overwhelmingly approved a gift of $25,000 for the mural by a vote of 125 in favor, 68 opposed and five abstentions, paving the way for the mural's completion.

Work had started on the educational mural in May, but it was halted after the RTM had questioned the process the Conservation Committee went through in planning for and executing the project. RTM members said they were not involved in the vetting process, and nearby neighbors were not asked for their input in public hearings. Town code also stipulates that the RTM must approve gifts over $5,000. The entire project costs $25,000, with the mural costing $13,750.

The Conservation Committee had gotten nods from the Department of Transportation, Greenwich Department of Public Works and Greenwich's Greenscape Committee.

The Greenwich Botanical Center, through the Sustainable CT program, provided a $7,500 grant for the mural, which the community will match. Money was raised through crowdsourcing from 65 donors, who were able to raise all the funds needed to get to $25,000.

New York artist Nelson Rivas is painting the mural; Myra Klockenbrink, a member of the Pollinators Pathway Committee on the town Conservation Commission, helped spearhead the project in Greenwich.

According to the Pollinator Pathways Project website, "The installation of the mural illustrates the importance of native habitats and the crucial role of biodiversity for pollinating insects, birds and other wildlife."

It will be a source of education for the community and GHS. Posters and QR codes with more information on pollinator pathways will be made available at the bus stop near the mural.

In August, Patricia Sesto, Director of Environmental Affairs for the town of Greenwich, went before the Board of Selectmen to get an endorsement for the project. She told the board that pollinators are in serious decline and that it's vital to educate the community on the necessity of pollinators.

On Monday night, 50 speakers signed up to speak about the mural. Supporters called it an important project that would help educate and empower people to help the environment.

Opponents called for an art installation policy to be developed. They cautioned that the mural, while educational and positive, could set a precedent for future pieces of art that might be controversial or political to pop up around town.

"We're experiencing a mass-extinction. Entire ecosystems are collapsing, air pollution is ravaging entire communities, pollinators are dying. I cannot bear to witness such atrocity one day longer," said Ryan Bernstein, a senior at GHS. "This mural will help inspire the young, brilliant minds of the Greenwich community to engage in environmental actions to save our suffering environment, all the while providing free, practical, artistic experience to Greenwich high schoolers as they learn the intricacies behind creating a powerful, artistic statement. All of these benefits are at no cost to the Greenwich community."

"If we want to have control over the proliferation of public art in Greenwich, then we should codify procedures for it. We should not punish the Conservation Commission or the Pollinator Pathway Project for the lack of an existing policy. This the first mural in town and the awkward process is part of the growing pains, not a nefarious act to shut out the RTM," Bernstein added.

RTM Budget Overview Committee Chair Lucia Jansen, who spoke as a neighbor of the mural, called for the item to be rejected until a public hearing could be held and residents could give input.

"It's been confirmed by the Director of Environmental Affairs, after the proposal was put before the First Selectman for approval, not one public meeting or hearing took place during the entire process with the property owners, the neighborhood, the Greenwich High School art students, or other local artists or the general public," Jansen said.

Jansen noted that she recently discovered a 200 square foot garden just east of the mural that is part of the project, although it wasn't disclosed to the RTM in explanatory comments.

Isabelle Harper, GHS senior and leader of the Environmental Club, said the mural will empower scores of students.

"To me, I think every student atGHS will be so inspired and empowered by this mural. This is something that really is so important to us and to our future," Harper said. "Encouraging people to learn about pollinators and native plants is something that's so valuable to members of our community, especially students."

Harper said the high school is essentially the only neighbor to the mural.

"In regards to people saying we didn't ask the neighbors about whether we can put this mural up or not, GHS is really the biggest neighbor of this mural, and we're the ones who are facing the mural. We see it everyday going into school and leaving school," she said.

Philip Dodson, an RTM member from District 8, said a Memorandum of Understanding from the Board of Selectmen was not included in explanatory comments to the RTM. The memo says the mural will be up for at least two years.

"The lack of transparency by those involved with approving and advancing this project is appalling. The major concern and issue here is not the subject [of the mural] that people have been describing. If we approve this mural, it sets the precedent others will use as the basis for putting murals all over town," Dodson said. "The problems this will cause must be considered. Approving this first mural will lead to problems over where and what would be acceptable practices in consideration of other murals. There will likely be disagreement and possible litigation over what is considered acceptable or not."

Jonathan Perloe, also from District 8, supported the project and said he was bothered by what he called "insensitive and racist remarks" made last week by some members during an RTM meeting.

"One person said, 'We're not the Bronx or Brooklyn, we're Greenwich.' Another person said, 'Do they want a mural of people starving in Africa?' If we aspire to eradicate racism, expressions like these should not be acceptable and should not pass without being called out,” Perloe said.

First Selectman Fred Camillo said he supports the educational mural, but understands the RTM's desire to review the project and be involved in the process.

"I'd caution everybody going forward that somebody's opposition to this doesn't signify anything other than the fact that they may be seeking a policy in place so that in the future we don't have anything going up that may be objectionable to people," Camillo said. "I support this project, I think it's a good one, but also going forward we should absolutely have a formal policy in place. The RTM got this right by taking this up and vetting this."