Arts Commissioners want fountain of information

-- Suzie Harrison

Members of the city’s Arts Commission are asking the public to attend

a meeting Monday regarding the old City Hall fountain.

The fountain was a commissioned piece by artist Tom Askman for the

city’s art in public places project. But it has been causing problems

since just after its installation in September 1992.

On October 9, 1992, just one month after it’s installation, a letter

was sent to the artist by the staff liaison to the arts commission at the

time, Philip Hofmann, citing resident complaints and asking the artist’s

input to help rectify the situation.

“As you know, the city is not satisfied with the functioning of the

your sculpture at the City Hall,” the letter stated. “While the piece was

installed as designed and approved, problems remain -- resulting in the

water splashing from the piece out onto the walkway and street.

Furthermore, the situation seems to have worsened since the sculpture was

first installed.”

The artist never complied.

The piece hasn’t been running for the last nine months, mainly to

conserve electricity but also for safety issues. In fact, the

$27,000-commissioned piece has never worked correctly as it was

supposedly designed to work by the artist, city officials say.

Askman used galvanized steel, instead of stainless, at the base of the

fountain, which now is rusting. The commission believes this poses a

danger because the whole project could topple.

City Engineer Steve May is among those concerned about safety issues.

The bottom of the sculpture also has a rock bed where exploding jets

should be functioning. The jets haven’t worked for nine years.

At the 4:30 p.m. meeting, the Arts Commission will talk about the

options of either removing the piece or having it renovated.

The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall, 505 Forest

Ave.