I am writing this apology to all of you concerning the confusion over the courthouse signs.
Beginning with the statements made by our newly hired county-funded Economic Development coordinator. First of all, the minutes she referred to are from nearly a year ago, where I presented to the Linn County Commissioners an option for the county to do a small improvement in redoing the Linn County Courthouse signs, so they could be read and to add two signs on northbound U.S. 69 Highway and one on southbound U.S. 69, using an old but still used county logo, along with the words about Linn County being a beautiful and very historic county.
Secondly, the signs that were designed and purchased by the Linn County Historical Society and an anonymous donor are EXACTLY what is on the old signs, simply stating two separate and historical facts about the courthouse.
Thirdly, the placement of said signs was approved by Public Works Administrator Shaun West. Any closer to the sidewalk, and the signs would interfere with underground utilities.
They also were to be moved south and east so that parked vehicles in front of them would not block them, as they are now. The original signs and the new attached signs are intended for visitor information about our very historic courthouse and county, which is also why they were put up 40 years ago by the Linn County Historical Society.
Approximately seven to eight months ago, Teresa Barr of the Marais des Cygne Master Gardener group, called and informed me that they were beautifying the grounds outside the courthouse with the commissioners' permission. And since the old signs were the property of the Linn County Historical Society, we were responsible for replacing them as they were unreadable and in terrible condition.
The Master Gardeners group, most of whom are from Miami County, made all the designs and decisions what was to go in to the improvements in OUR Courthouse grounds. (I know this to be fact as I was the first Master Gardener certified from Linn County.)
I explained that I would have to research the cost and figure out if we could indeed do that.
She further contacted me three or four more times after that inquiring about the time frame of getting them replaced.
I did decide to order the new face cover signs locally. They are made of aluminum, powder coated and sealed. They are of a light gray background and printed in navy blue. The signs are, as Mr. West explained the week prior to the meeting that “turned away the new signs,” to be attached to the existing substrate of the old signs with stainless steel screws and finish washers, as well as moved south and east of the present signs.
The drawing that was first presented about a year ago to the commissioners and then again to the Master Gardeners shows native perennials & grasses planted around & under the signs with native sandstone rocks surrounding them so as to make mowing easier. They are also to be lit by solar spotlights affixed directly on the signs.
There was absolutely no nefarious intentions in replacing these historical signs, and as noted before, nothing on the signs was changed in wording. Mr. West had already had the placement flagged and had short new posts to attach to the original ones, causing them to last at least 40 years and at no cost to the county.
I was asked, almost instructed to “redo” the old signs and I am very sorry about the confusion, had I known or been contacted that I and the signs were to be on the agenda at that meeting where discussion took place concerning the signs and my wrongdoing, I would certainly been there to present the facts.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Theresa M Miller. President
Linn County Historical Society
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