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Board weighs preserving airport fountain rather than operating it
Summary
Board members reviewed conservation assessments for the terracotta figures at the airport fountain and debated whether to preserve the sculpture in place or maintain an operating fountain. A conservation contractor requested technical details (epoxy type, before photos); some members recommended preserving the terracotta and limiting operation to occasional events.
Members spent a substantial portion of the meeting reviewing technical and policy choices for the airport fountain's restoration. Millward (S2) summarized communications with Mountain Masonry and a conservation firm, Pacific Coast Conservation, saying moisture—not hail—appears to be the primary driver of deterioration and urging the board to prioritize preserving the terracotta figures themselves over continuous operation.
"I strongly suggest that, preserving the fountain doesn't necessarily need to or have to or probably should mean having it in continuous operation anymore," Millward said, arguing that preservation should focus on the sculptural elements rather than running water. Millward said Pacific Coast asked for documentation such as the exact epoxy used in earlier repairs and before photos to match finishes and avoid damaging original fabric when work proceeds.
Other members discussed technical options that might allow intermittent operation. Chuck (S7) noted that the pump itself appears sound but the filtration is problematic: "the pump was okay. It was just the filter was clogging up because it needed, like, a secondary filter to take the leaves out." The board agreed to request a competitive bid from Pacific Coast, to gather Mountain Masonry records and photos, and to ask the conservation firm whether occasional operation (for Frontier Days or other events) is feasible without accelerating terracotta damage.
Millward also called attention to stewardship of a named bequest that could fund a restoration and urged the board to decide whether to allocate those funds soon so contractors and interpreters know the board's level of commitment.
