Business Owner Proposes Plan to Place Mural on His Building

IRONWOOD, MI - Friday, August 29, 2008 - The regular meeting of the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) was held yesterday at 8:00 AM in the Women's Club Room on the second floor of the Ironwood Memorial Building.

These are the items addressed:

  • Downtown Murals - Jerry Taplin, owner of the former City News Stand building and muralist Kelly Meredith addressed the Authority regarding a proposed mural Taplin is attempting to have painted on his building. Meredith explained to the Authority that she would like to paint a mural depicting the classic group portrait of mine employees assembled in front of an area mineshaft. She said the mural will cost the DIDA and the City of Ironwood nothing. She has a plan she has used in other communities to pay for the mural.

  • According to Meredith, "Our intention s to have this be a completely self-funded project involving no grant or public monies." The way the funding works is that people pay to be one of the members of the miners in the mural, or they could submit a quality photo of a loved one to be memorialized. The cost for a portraiture is $200 for those miners seated in the front row and $100 for people in the back rows. This cost would merely cover the labor costs to depict these people. To fund the cost of supplies, materials and other costs, Meredith proposes the sale of "bricks." A "brick" is a 9"x12" section at the bottom of the mural painted to appear as a local stone with the name of a loved one stenciled n the center to appear as if it was chiseled into the stone.
  • Meredith appeared before the Authority to request their help -- no monetary assistance -- just their help as a public entity to do two things:
    • To be the receiver of funds raised. That means that people willing to pay to be a model or to buy a "brick" would make their check payable to the City of Ironwood. The City would collect the money, brick application forms, and photo submissions, keep track of the money raised and, at the completion of the project, pay the artists involved.
    • Be the public face that answers any questions regarding the project. Artists would handle every aspect of the project including, publicity, fundraising, installation of the mural and execution.
  • The mural would be completed in the artist's studio on medium density overlay (MDO) panels and then assembled on site. For that reason, the artist's liability policy protects this project in the event of accidents or damage. Taplin's building is located on the corner of Suffolk Street and McLeod Avenue. The mural would face McLeod Avenue.
  • The current design for the 840 square foot project is set up to accept a total of 90 miners - 30 at the front row ($200 x 30 = $6,000); 60 in the back two rows ($100 x 60 = $6,000). Total cost for materials would be $2,720. Total labor supported by "brick" sales would be $3,720, and the total costs supported by "brick" sales would be $6,440. Once again, there would be NO CHARGE to the City of Ironwood, the City taxpayers, the DIDA or any public entity whatsoever.
  • Meredith has painted murals throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and other states. She has also painted murals for communities outside the United States. Perhaps the most recognized to locals would be those painted on Ashland facades. Kelly lives in Butternut, Wisconsin.
  • Taplin purchased the old City News building and has been working to remodel the upstairs apartments. He told the Authority he plans on restoring the building's storefronts in the near future as well.
  • DIDA Web page & Other Communications - The DIDA decided to add a web page (or more) to the City's website... · www.cityofironwood.org. Steve Frank attempted to offer his assistance to Community Development Director Dan Petersen in designing and coding the page, but Chairman George Goerig would not let him speak.
  • Watering the Flower Baskets - The DIDA agreed to continue paying to have the flower pots watered beyond the original contract. Jane Bowman told the Authority that the flowers look exceptionally good, and they are looking very healthy. She said it would be a shame to let them die when they continue to do so well.
  • Removal of DIDA Member - DIDA Chairman George Goerig asked DIDA member Eva Smith-Furgason if she intended to improve her attendance record. Eva told the Authority that she wanted to continue serving on the DIDA. The Authority agreed not to recommend removal of Ms. Smith-Furgason because she's been a creative force for the Authority. Ms. Smith-Furgason missed several meetings since the meetings were moved to 8:00 AM. The Authority needs to realize that businesspeople need to tend to their businesses if they wish to stay in business. Not every business is the same. Some require the owner/manager to be available during all regular business hours (and often beforehand and afterward). Others might not be so demanding.
  • Holiday Decorations - The DIDA tabled the issue until some research could be done on the topic.
  • Blighted Downtown Buildings - Steve Frank told the Authority that no action has been taken securing the old Rainbow Bar, even through he has mentioned the issue repeatedly to City officials that the building was wide open to the public, and the shelves were still stocked with alcohol.
  • DIDA Member's Attempts to Ambush Local Business - At yesterday's meeting, this reporter waged a complaint for the second straight time to the DIDA regarding Vice-Chairman Joe Karius. Since the Superior Chronicle began publication in January, Karius and the Daily Globe have made several attempts to damage, discredit, and even close our business.
  • The Superior Chronicle is a licensed DOWNTOWN business. The Chronicle's offices are located within the Downtown business district. A special real estate TIF tax funds the DIDA. All buildings within the district are assessed a special property tax that goes directly to the DIDA.
  • The DIDA is supposed to support, improve, and encourage business downtown.
  • Because the Chronicle is a direct threat to the Daily Globe, Karius and other staff members at the Globe have exercised unfair business practices in an attempt to damage our efforts. To date, Karius and the Globe have:
    • Contacted our web host (the company that provides us with computer web server space) stating that we were violating copyright laws. At the time we featured a calendar as did the Globe. First of all, calendars CANNOT be copyrighted. Secondly, the nature of a calender is to list events, times, dates, and locations. How does one re-word such items as not to duplicate information? Our web host WRONGFULLY closed us down only days after we first launched.
    • Strong-armed other co-operative media, discredited us, and threatened our advertisers NOT to advertise with us.
    • Threatened WJMS Radio for airing Superior Chronicle stories and giving us credit for our information. Karius called the station and told that the Globe would no longer provide them with news if they continued to mention our name on the air.

I don't believe it is right or proper for a sitting member of a tax-supported City board, designed to improve downtown business, to do anything that will in anyway harm a downtown business.

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