Editor,
In your recent article regarding the “Morning Sun” art piece, I find it amazing that this particular art is pretty much universally disliked. Yet, it was still purchased and set and is now to be moved at an additional cost.
What I find more amazing, and very troubling, is that the mayor has the final say on all art and purchases to that effect. How did this happen? The Carmel Public Art Advisory Committee is an advisory committee only, a lame duck if you will. However, it sounds like they are a better representative of the taxpayers of Carmel than our spendthrift mayor. Everytime this article mentioned “the City” I just automatically read it as “Jim Brainard.” I would be interested in knowing how many other decisions are made by “the City,” only.
I believe the only reason Mr. Brainard is not running for mayor after this term is that the piper will have to be paid soon. “The City” doesn’t want to be in office when tax rates are raised. He will leave that to the new mayor who will have no choice, and unfortunately will be greatly criticized. “The City” will get all the glory and subsequent mayors will be the scapegoats.
Putting expenses like this, which is into the millions of dollars by now, in the hands of one person, is a huge oversight. It needs to be corrected, and soon.
Don Masten, Carmel
