Saturday, July 17, 2010
 
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Subcommittee committed to bronze for Civil War soldier statue

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(Originally posted Friday afternoon)

[July 17, 2010]  At Thursday's Logan County Board meeting as a board of whole, buildings and grounds chairman John Stewart said that he had received a letter signed by 11 of 14 subcommittee members for the Civil War soldier statue stating they favor bronze.

According to subcommittee member Paul Gleason, who was present, those who signed the letter said that the names in the letter would not be changing their votes, which last November was also decidedly for bronze.

There were 15 members of that committee last November when the choice was made. Clifford Sullivan has since died. He also favored bronze.

The building and grounds committee had delegated the work of researching the options to replace the statue damaged in a windstorm in December 2007.

The subcommittee chose sculptor David Seagraves' proposal using bronze to replace the stone statue. The state's attorney has approved that contract.

Earlier this month, in light of additional information brought forth on both marble and bronze reconstruction methods, maintenance and costs, the building and grounds committee asked the subcommittee to revote on whether to have the statue done in bronze or marble. Stewart had told representatives of the subcommittee that he would take their answer forward at the full board meeting in August.

Stewart told fellow board members, "Seeing this," and he waved the letter in hand, "I see no reason to keep dragging this out and wait until August."

A few board members were concerned with the issue of protocol; others felt there was no need to go further.

Building and grounds committee member Jan Schumacher was concerned that with the committee asking the subcommittee to revote this, it seemed it would be changing direction midstream.

Subcommittee member Paul Gleason interjected that in the beginning there were some members whose names were on the letter who had been interested in stone, but over time and after research agreed to bronze. Nobody on that list is going to change their minds, he assured.

Building and grounds member Chuck Ruben recalled a past committee recommendation to the subcommittee approving bronze as the better material to pursue.

"I see no reason to delay it any further," he said. "We can discuss it to death."

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Other comments:

  • B&G committee member Pat O'Neill -- We agreed that we would stand by what the subcommittee decided, and it looks like nobody is going to change their minds.

  • B&G committee member Terry Werth -- The subcommittee worked very hard on it a long time. That's what we have subcommittees for. We need to respect the decision of the subcommittee.

  • Board chairman Terry Carlton -- I think you would be breaking order to vote it now because of the voice of the committee to the subcommittee to revote this and bring it to the board in August. It would allow research to be heard locally, collectively for a final vote. Another month's wait for an answer would not be harmful.

Schumacher motioned to remove the $1,600 for the mold for the bronze statue if that contract would be approved next Tuesday.

Ruben agreed it was not a concern to him either if someone would want to cast a statue like ours.

The contract for bronze would go to Seagraves in the amount of $37,000, inclusive of the mold cost.

Straw votes indicated that the contract to cast the statue in bronze would pass but that its mold would not be purchased.

[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]

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