Nearly two years after installation, the state Capitol Building Commission voted to approve a mural that includes an image of the former governor’s beloved dog.
This afternoon’s meeting of the Capitol Building Commission was the result of a court settlement in the long-running mural dispute.
Several speakers objected to the artistic value of the murals in the state Rotunda as well as the abstract process that led to the work.
“I find it particularly offensive that we have Babydog in there; it shows the current era of executive overreach,” said lobbyist David McMahon.
Steve Canterbury, a former non-voting member of the Capitol Building Commission, called the murals “terrible” and wrong for their formal setting. He suggested members of the commission just decide to remove the murals.
“I would hope you might think about doing because I haven’t heard anybody things look very nice,” Canterbury said.
The murals were installed in 2024, although the installation took a lot of twists and turns.
The concept, as explained by the administration of then-Gov. Jim Justice, was to continue the vision of famed Capitol architect Cass Gilbert.
Randall Reid-Smith, who was the state arts secretary in 2024, cited meetings more than a decade ago of the Capitol Building Commission — the appointed board that reviews and approves or rejects all plans for substantial physical changes to the grounds and buildings of the State Capitol complex.
Reid-Smith maintained that board’s actions gave the go-ahead for the mural project, with consideration beginning in 2009 and approval on April 14, 2010.
More recently, the secretary said in 2024, a different and informal group of executive branch representatives reviewed the specific mural scenes. The informal group, led by Reid-Smith, decided to place a likeness of Justice’s dog, Babydog, in the mural.
There is no indication the informal group had meetings open to the public.
West Virginia contracted with John Canning Company to perform the mural work for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When the result became clear, attorney Harvey Peyton filed suit over the mural on behalf of a couple of citizens. The lawsuit was settled a few months ago.
As part of the settlement, the commission had to hold a special public meeting to review the murals and contracts. So that’s what happened today.
Peyton, in his remarks today, objected to the secretive process that led to the murals and their political imagery.
He urged the commission to ratify the murals as they were originally unveiled in April 2024, prior to the changes made by the informal group led by Reid-Smith, and delay any decision on the section with the dog while getting an estimate for how much it would cost to restore it to its original design so the public could participate through open meetings.
“Once you get that information,” he said, “you can make a conscious choice relative to cost and efficiency and benefit to the public and either approve or disapprove of those changes.”
Members of the commission went into a closed session to discuss the litigation and their options. When they returned, members took a formal vote and approved the murals as installed.
“I want to note that the rationale for the settlement was to address questions relating to process,” said state Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby, who chaired the meeting.
“As the body responsible for stewarding the historic integrity of the West Virginia Capitol building and its grounds, this body will prioritize both the transparency and process moving forward. We’re happy to have this matter behind us, and we look forward to restoring the important work this group is supposed to do at next month’s regularly scheduled meeting.”