Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cultural Assets topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners agree originals stay at museum, authorize courthouse copies
Summary
The board approved a plan to keep original paintings at the Putnam County Museum and pay for reproductions ($1,000–$1,500 each) to display at the courthouse, extending the loan for four years before readdressing.
Putnam County commissioners on Aug. 5 accepted a museum request to keep original paintings on loan at the Putnam County Museum and have copies placed in the courthouse. Gwen Morris of the Putnam County Museum Board asked that the paintings "stay at the museum," saying that would "do the county more justice," while Wesley Wilson, DePauw University archivist, argued the works "belong to the citizens of the county" and should be visible in the courthouse. Commissioners approved a compromise: originals remain at the museum, the county will fund copies estimated between $1,000 and $1,500 each, and the loan will be extended for four years before reassessment.
The board recorded the motion and vote: Tom Helmer moved to keep originals at the museum and have copies made for courthouse display; David Berry seconded the motion with the added condition that the loan be extended for another four years and readdressed after that. The motion carried unanimously. The transcript does not specify how many paintings are affected or an exact copy budget beyond the per-copy estimate.
