By: Diane Benjamin
$100,000 to move this?
What we know:
- Koos and Company are REALLY upset by the results of the last election
- The citizens overwhelmingly voted the “Plan” dead
- Koos and Company think the “Plan” isn’t dead
- This building will not be saved
- The Normal voters waited too long to send the message the “Plan” is dead
- The downtown locals grow up with is almost gone
The entire mural can not be just cut out, kept intact, and moved to another location. If it is moved, it will require extensive repairs and repainting.
Is it worth $100,000?
Anyone who thinks it is should raise the money themselves. Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to fund the relocation.
The people now upset about losing yet another historic building lost. The Council proved they had no intention of altering the “Plan” that has been in place for many years. Marc Tiritilli almost defeating Chris Koos two years ago did nothing to alter the “Plan”. The April 2019 election started the process, in two years the “Plan” can be buried permanently. Of course voters need to show up!
Historic buildings have been disappearing for the “Plan” for many years. Charging taxpayers $100,000 for art that doesn’t have any hope of staying intact just might be vengeance against the citizens who voted against their “Plan”.
Where were the protesters when Normal bought the property?
This is what the Town paid for 100-104 E Beaufort in 2005:
Pin # 14-28-435-026. Look it up here: http://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/
Instead of being angry about the art, where is the outrage against Koos and Company for giving away properties taxpayers paid for?
Its c–p like this that every time someone wants to do away with Township Government, the hair on the back of my neck stands up and I think I growl a lot.
You’re dead on here, Diane. The Town knows that wall won’t survive a move. And even if it does, it’ll have to be moved multiple times for people to see it. The current injunction is likely futile, but I guess we’ll see soon. It’s all nothing but a huge waste of time and money. The building will move forward as planned, but I doubt the space across the street ever get’s built. Especially if voters show up again in two years. The funny part that I noticed though is that most of the people who are currently suing the Town to save the mural were the ones who voted for the plan in the first place. The Lefty-Arts crowd loved the Uptown “Plan” and love the mural, but they’re realizing now that they can’t have both.
“The Lefty-Arts crowd loved the Uptown “Plan” and love the mural, but they’re realizing now that they can’t have both.” –at tremendous cost to the taxpayers. How True. How Disgusting!
Good Grief – This approach is amazing! (So much for being “good stewards” of our money) Does anyone know the history of the $100,000 mural? I wonder who paid for the mural to be constructed (and how much)? Will this become a million dollar mural?
Once again Koos and the previous gaggle of Normal councilpeople (Yes… that is you McBride) prove themselves to be the WORLD’S WORST REAL ESTATE AGENTS!!!!!!
It may be vengeance of a sort, but my take is more that this is misplaced damage control. (This is all conjecture, no inside knowledge or factual basis implied.)
Koos and perhaps others have a hard time comprehending that people don’t want The Plan, so their take-away from April’s election was “Wow – I didn’t realize people were so attached to that (adjective) mural! We better save it or we won’t get re-elected!” And as we know from past experience with the town, once a decision has been made, realities like cost are a secondary consideration at best.
Holy cow! There are literally hundreds of starving artists that could re-ceate this whole mural for a couple of weeks or so of hourly pay, propably less than $2000.00 labor plus paint. Where’s the beef?