The Oak Harbor Arts Commission said it was willing to pay for public art on Pioneer Way with money from its own coffers and it may just get its wish.

In fact, it may end up paying the bulk of the $80,000 project.

Early last week, city officials learned that their plan to use Real Estate Excise Tax money, commonly referred to as REET funds, was not a legal option and would likely raise red flags with state regulators.

The unexpected news resulted in a last minute decision to pull the arts commission’s art recommendations from the city council’s Tuesday meeting agenda. It also left city officials scratching their heads about how to pay for the art.

Nothing is certain yet but Mayor Jim Slowik said one plan being floated is to pay for most of the project using funds from the arts commission’s budget, which has a balance of about $57,000. The remainder, about $23,000, would come from one or several undetermined sources, he said.

But even that plan is uncertain. The Pioneer Way Improvement Project was initiated during the worst economic downturn in 20 years, Slowik said. Money is in short supply and the city council is watching every penny with conservative eyes.

“This isn’t a slam-dunk,” Slowik said.

Although he said the arts commission has worked hard and deserves credit, even with a strong proposal the city council may elect to spend less than the planned $80,000. It’s a decision that is entirely up to them, he said.

Late last year, the city council gave the OK to seek bids from artists interested in creating public art at four key locations along Pioneer Way. The arts commission has spent the past six months wading through the more than 40 pieces submitted.

While the seven-member advisory group was able to come up with finalists, it’s suffered several setbacks. Replacements for two of the finalists had to be found after one doubled his price and another withdrew.

The arts commission has also weathered a healthy share of criticism, both from the public and decision-makers. Most of it has been in reference to the budget. The group’s most recent recommendations included five pieces, rather than the planned four, totaling $125,500.

That’s $45,500 over the $80,000-project cap, which was set at approximately 1 percent of the estimated cost of the $8.35 million Pioneer Way project.

The commission has also received flak for not strictly adhering to the results of a public survey of 11 possible art pieces. Although the current recommendation includes three of the public’s top-four favorite artists, its first decision only included two pieces.

The unexpected change in plans for funding the project, along with criticism over the survey results, means the arts commission will for the second time this month be forced back to the drawing table.

Funding the project with money from the arts commission’s budget, rather than with REET funds, means the group won’t be able to cover the extra $45,000 as it had hoped. And that means that it will have to entirely rethink what pieces to recommend for commission.

“It may be that we won’t be able to purchase four pieces,” arts commission member Rick Lawler said.

Currently, none of the four pieces being recommended are priced less than $20,000. Two come in at $30,000 each – three bronze ducklings and a moon and waves sculpture – while a basalt salmon pillar and a piece consisting of three columns of stacked glass come in at $22,500 and $21,000.

Lawler said he was relatively certain that the bronze ducklings for Ireland Street, which were selected in a special meeting Monday evening with South Whidbey artist Georgia Gerber, and the basalt salmon pillar for Dock Street would move forward.

Lawler said the arts commission isn’t happy about the change in plans but that he believes the group is still committed to the downtown revitalization project. This is their chance to have a real impact in the community, he said.

“It’s not an opportunity that comes more than once or twice in a lifetime,” Lawler said.

When the arts commission will meet to make new recommendations has not yet been established but the city council is slated to review its choices at its next meeting, June 7.