| Author | Message | ||
     bettyd Citizen Username: Badjtdso Post Number: 168 Registered: 12-2005 |
Negotiate with the administrator of the estate for a different location, preferably in another town or state or country. | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 23 Registered: 5-2005 |
I am glad that we can amuse the Maplewood guys. I have just read the thread on Maplewood issues about the Statue. In no particular order, they would prefer the recycling centre over the statue , it looks like a bus shelter, it will be a bus shelter, the dogs will do their doo-doo on it, it will get bird droppings, it looks like a pile of dog doo-doo..... someone else suggests that they will take it once SO pay for it and then take it to the recycling centre, another make it a rain shelter for dogs, another says they would prefer the cellphone tower..... it makes interesting reading. | ||
| Debra Davidson Citizen Username: Peanutslady Post Number: 143 Registered: 5-2005  |
Please why do we need a giant letter T taking up space next to the train station? Please are we going to be on Sesame Street? Can someone please explain this to me? | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 24 Registered: 5-2005 |
I suppose T stands for Train, as in "The train on platform one has just left with your taxpayers dollars..." | ||
| Crazy_quilter Citizen Username: Crazy_quilter Post Number: 230 Registered: 2-2005 |
how much money would we lose if we say "no thanks" to the sculpture? how much will we lose if we continue on with plan? why throw good money after bad? who signed the contracts? could they be held accountable to paying any money if we don't get it? | ||
| Hoops Citizen Username: Hoops Post Number: 975 Registered: 10-2004  |
Cant we just hang a picture of Tau in the train station lobby? | ||
| Spitz Supporter Username: Doublea Post Number: 1589 Registered: 3-2003 |
Debra's post is perhaps the most poignant yet. Debra is speaking from the heart. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 516 Registered: 6-2005 |
Look, it seems like the height of stupidity to rip out the gazebo and put this gigantic monolithic thing in its place. It will be cramped, and totally out of place. I suspect they will rip out the trees which have begun to mature. And of course the fountain will go away. But as I am no art installation expert, and neither are the BOT's, and neither is Ms Arnedt (a self-proclaimed pollster and in charge of the project for the Pierro Foundation, and it seems, the village as well), I propose that they call in an expert in art installation to get a professional opinion. Hey, why skimp now! | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3653 Registered: 5-2001  |
Well, not a single letter on this issue appeared in today's News Record. Did ANYONE submit one? Let's hope more people show up at the BOT Meeting to speak next week, instead of simply venting here on MOL. | ||
| vermontgolfer Supporter Username: Vermontgolfer Post Number: 369 Registered: 12-2002 |
MHD, While many of us haven't done that yet, personally, I've been on the road, it does appear that the News Record is 'concnetrating' on the BOE election and all it's related letters to the editors, though I did note in the paper that they said all letters will be available on line. Let's see. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4461 Registered: 1-2004  |
MHD I did. But as I mentioned before, due to the BOE election it was doubtful the letters would get in before the election. Our best best is to take out a page and put the letters on it. | ||
| Bailey Citizen Username: Baileymac Post Number: 195 Registered: 3-2005 |
OK, I admit I was late getting involved in this issue, partly because we were told we weren't paying for it, partly due to apathy. Creating those pictures, and reading your responses, I'm now forced to ask, what the heck is going on here?? There hasn't been ONE positive response. We're a couple dozen or so South Orange citizens. Do WE represent a majority in town? Or are we the minority who happen to all have computers and all know about this message board? I love JTA's suggestion, would love to see these posts along with one of those pictures on a full page in the News Record. I have no idea what that would cost, but maybe it's news-worthy enough for the paper to do it on its own. Does anyone from the News Record read or maybe post on these threads? How can we get them interested? | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4465 Registered: 1-2004 |
Bailey Chances are the Snooze Wreckered wouldn't write an anti-statue story on their own. I'm going to call tomorrow and ask the cost of a page. | ||
| composerjohn Citizen Username: Composerjohn Post Number: 777 Registered: 8-2004  |
I'd be willing to donate a few bucks to help purchase a full page ad in the News Record. MHD - where are the BOT meetings held? | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3654 Registered: 5-2001 |
CJ - BOT Meetings are upstairs in Village Hall, which is on the corner of South Orange Ave and Scotland Rd. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4467 Registered: 1-2004 |
JC Also since they BOT meetings are taped, make sure you sit out of camera range until it's your turn to speak. If you do sit in line of the camera, don't play with your hair; talk to people around you, or wear low cut shirts with certain things popping out. All those things are distracting (or entertaining) to those suffering through, I mean watching the meeting.  | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 26 Registered: 5-2005 |
Where EXACTLY (To the nearest 5 feet) is this eyesore going? I am under the impression that the gazebo and fountain are being done away with to make way for this. Am I right? There was apparently a representative sampling done of residents asking if they favoured the T Smith "Art" and it showed our town was gung-ho, it just amazes me that no-one, not one person that I know was part of that sampling. Can we do a representative sampling of people asking if they are in favour of our gazebo and fountain being demolished? If public opinion counted for the buying of the "Art" then let public opinion count for the non-buying of the "Art". | ||
| Bailey Citizen Username: Baileymac Post Number: 196 Registered: 3-2005 |
Soparents, if you haven't seen the "rendering" I made, click on the Archive link at the top of this page, and look at the photos. They give a pretty good idea of size and location, as best I can tell. Scroll down, there are 3 pics posted between 3-21 and 3-22. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 153 Registered: 2-2006 |
Soparents, whatever Ms. Arnedt did, it seems doubtful that it qualifies as a valid statistical sample of public opinion. It is misleading to describe or think of it as one. There was previous discussion about this point. I don't believe whatever she did has been made public and the burden of proof is on her to demonstrate that her descriptions are true. I am skeptical that they are. What she did appears to be a marketing/propaganda ploy to further the position she wanted to promote before she started. Why the BOT bought this line is another question. | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 27 Registered: 5-2005 |
Oh dear.... Thank you Bailey..... This reminds me of the life-size concrete cows in Milton Keynes, England (Yes, they do exist, I used to live there - there is even a ridiculous photo of the mayor with a cowboy hat on his head and a rope to "catch" one). For many a year, the ONE thing that the whole country knew about Milton Keynes was that we had STUPID concrete cows. Forget the beautiful landscapes, forget the superb transit system, forget the world class shopping centre, forget the Open University, a world class eductational facility being based there, we were known for concrete cows. Rather nice to know that potentially, the only thing South Orange will be known for is the Tony Smith thing casting a giant shadow over our fair town. If you want art that is home grown, then why not approach Culumbia High School? Surely they could have come up with something better than this, and knowing the town as they all live here, they would know what would fit and blend in!!! Again, Thank you Bailey, but your superb rendition has given me a vision that I cannot get out of my head.  | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 28 Registered: 5-2005 |
Even if a full page ad is paid for, the final decision being made can strike it from publication if it is felt that the contents are questionable. It may be that it is highly pertinent, but we all know that it just takes one person with a big stick to knock something back. This subject appears to be of great interest, how about News Channel 12? How about Fox? After all, they were more than happy to cover such a major event as another nail salon in Maplewood (although there truly are too many...) | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3655 Registered: 5-2001 |
SOparents, Not only have we not been able to identify anyone who was sampled about receiving the art or destroying the gazebo - until March 13, 2006 (after the BOT voted to approve this) there was NO public mention of the $250,000-$500,000 TAXPAYER responsibility for this fiasco. No mention in the various New York Times or Star Ledger articles. No mention in the Gaslight. No mention at any BOT meetings. Why was the public deceived? | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 29 Registered: 5-2005 |
I don't know of any quick/cheap/effective way to get a petition going to stop this except by e-mail. What if we generated an e-mail giving the facts (no embellishment!)and started to circulate, asking each person who agrees to copy the e-mail, add their name, address and e-mail address at the bottom to hopefully assure authenticity, and forward it on/circulate this around south orange. At the very least we would see some details on the kind of numbers of people who feel strongly about this, one way strongly or the other... This is not scientific, it is not going to hit every single house, but I am sure it will get around and will be discussed around the water cooler in the office and outside schools at pick up time which will heighten awareness. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3656 Registered: 5-2001 |
SOparents, Interesting idea. Considering how much "spam" people already get, I don't know how effective that will really be, but I think it's a neat idea that is worth trying. If you want to take a stab at drafting something, we can work out the details offline. | ||
| Monster© Supporter Username: Monster Post Number: 2610 Registered: 7-2002  |
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| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 37 Registered: 5-2005 |
5.43pm - channel 12 is about to run a segment on this statue | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3661 Registered: 5-2001 |
6:15pm - Channel 12 just ran a brief blurb on the issue (again). No on screen interviews, just some footage of the gazebo that is going to be replaced. | ||
| mary032 Citizen Username: Mary032 Post Number: 231 Registered: 8-2001 |
Can anyone give us a more detailed report on the channel 12 blurb? What was said, and what pictures were shown? | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 38 Registered: 5-2005 |
They said that a statue that was supposed to unite a community has instead, divided it. Then they showed a shot of the gazebo which will come down to make way and said that some residents are saying that the tax dollars going towards the statue could be better spend on the village hall etc. At least, that's in a nut shell what I THINK I remembered hearing while trying to get my kids to stop shouting....Nothing mind blowing or "new" | ||
| Brett Weir Citizen Username: Brett_weir Post Number: 1360 Registered: 4-2004  |
I'm sorry, but my initial overriding issue with this work is it is ugly. I saw the one at Hunter College, and it's huge and unsightly. It will, IMO, look extremely out of place on Sloan St. I'm guessing this art was procured by the same people who arranged that awful performance bit on Sloan St. a while back. The outrageous cost and government misrepresentation issues make this piece even less desirable. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 517 Registered: 6-2005 |
There is a website which indicates the name of an art dealer in Ossining, NY who is looking to buy Tony Smith works. http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/search/Search_Grid.aspx?searchtype=ART_WANT ED&artist=30638 We should consider contacting him, selling the thing once its fabricated, and using the money where it is really needed. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3667 Registered: 5-2001 |
jayjay, Knowing the brilliant "negotiators" we have working for us in town, they'd probably have it installed here for $440,000 and then sell it for $50,000.  | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 159 Registered: 2-2006 |
jayjay, that's a great idea! Maybe a citizens advisory committee could handle the negotiation sale, MHD. After all, the BOT was willing to let a private fundraising group collect monies to purchase it, even when it produced very little to speak of. They should allow another private group handle the sale. | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 3128 Registered: 9-2003 |
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| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 3129 Registered: 9-2003 |
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| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 3130 Registered: 9-2003 |
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| composerjohn Citizen Username: Composerjohn Post Number: 787 Registered: 8-2004 |
I'm speechless.... that's nuts. | ||
| AntoninaKC Citizen Username: Antoninakc Post Number: 230 Registered: 5-2005  |
soorlady-- did you make that?? | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 212 Registered: 1-2006 |
Are those AT&T cell phone towers, which complement the other metal structure? Love the black, it is so goth!!! jd | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 3131 Registered: 9-2003 |
With all due respect to Bailey (who I feel made an honest effort to offer a visualization for us) - I decided to spend some time with Cheryl Arnedt and take some photos of the scale model. They appear above this post. I love this piece. It's different from every angle. Some of you hate it.. and that's ok. Art is subjective. Am I angry that Calabrese and Co misled everyone into thinking a grant would pay the lions share of the cost? Yes. Do I think we should shut the project down because of it? No. The town has committed to $250,000 - not $500,000. As I understand it, this money is coming from a larger bond issue that the voters/taxpayers already agreed upon. |
