Who knew that the Scott County Board of Supervisors was also a select committee of art critics and connoisseurs?
The brouhaha last week over an offer to donate a poster to the county was laughable, but did prove at least one thing: Cronyism still thrives in Scott County government.
This story starts with Bill Tubbs, publisher and owner of The North Scott Press. Seems Bill was cleaning his office one day and decided to get rid of a poster he had purchased a year earlier. As he put it, "It just was not an appropriate spot." Not wanting to discard the piece, he offered it to the county board. A suitable plaque expressing the supervisors' gratitude could be placed nearby in a public hallway.
Bill's newspaper had endorsed the elections of all the fellows on the board, so it seemed logical that these guys would show their appreciation for Bill. After all, few politicians are willing to cross anyone who buys ink by the barrel.
Then County Recorder Rita Vargas and Supervisor Christine Galin started wondering out loud why Bill's poster deserved such special treatment. That set off a turmoil. The two women tried to ask a few questions about the county's policy on displaying artwork in public spaces. The boys on the board would have none of it.
More than one real art critic has judged the poster itself to be of marginal merit. Another one even referred to it as "a cartoon." It's not even an original; it's a poster print. But it depicts a military scene, so now it's supposed to be "patriotic."
Supervisor Jim Hancock was first to play the "calm down, ladies, don't get excited" card, throwing both fellow Democrats Vargas and Galin to the wolf pack. "Aren't we overdoing this?" he asked. (If only these women would just be quiet.) Supervisor Tom Sunderbruch showed off his manliness and patriotism by insisting that declining Tubbs' offer "sends a very bad message." (Not just bad, very bad.)
Supervisor Larry Minard leaped into his good-government pose, saying that the county needs a policy for accepting such gifts. (And might discuss one after the supervisors accepted this gift.) Supervisor Greg Adamson, who actually made a career in the military and law enforcement, spoke least, possibly feeling that he didn't need to prove anything to anyone anymore.
The easy fix was for the board to send the choice of public art to groups that are associated with art: the artists themselves. MidCoast Fine Arts manages public art installations at The Mark, the visitors' center in LeClaire, and the Davenport RiverCenter, among others. Quad City Arts manages art at the Quad City International Airport, and the Sculpture on Second program in Davenport. Have supervisors seen the Figge Art Museum? They sold millions of dollars in bonds to help build public buildings in Davenport, of which the Figge is one. County-board support for its own projects wouldn't be that much of a stretch, would it?
In the end, the four guys on the board decided they couldn't quit Bill Tubbs, and they stuck with the other guy in the room. The women were treated like noisy children for even raising the issue, and the publisher will be gratefully remembered. Perhaps the boys decided they owed the ladies an apology in time to send candy and flowers to Vargas and Galin for Valentine's Day. It might have added insult to injury, but it wouldn't have surprised me one bit.
Karl Rhomberg is co-host with Cathy Bolkcom of the weekly progressive talk-radio program Conversation with Cathy & Karl, broadcast at 9 a.m. Saturdays on Air America, AM 1270.
This story starts with Bill Tubbs, publisher and owner of The North Scott Press. Seems Bill was cleaning his office one day and decided to get rid of a poster he had purchased a year earlier. As he put it, "It just was not an appropriate spot." Not wanting to discard the piece, he offered it to the county board. A suitable plaque expressing the supervisors' gratitude could be placed nearby in a public hallway.
Bill's newspaper had endorsed the elections of all the fellows on the board, so it seemed logical that these guys would show their appreciation for Bill. After all, few politicians are willing to cross anyone who buys ink by the barrel.
Then County Recorder Rita Vargas and Supervisor Christine Galin started wondering out loud why Bill's poster deserved such special treatment. That set off a turmoil. The two women tried to ask a few questions about the county's policy on displaying artwork in public spaces. The boys on the board would have none of it.
More than one real art critic has judged the poster itself to be of marginal merit. Another one even referred to it as "a cartoon." It's not even an original; it's a poster print. But it depicts a military scene, so now it's supposed to be "patriotic."
Supervisor Jim Hancock was first to play the "calm down, ladies, don't get excited" card, throwing both fellow Democrats Vargas and Galin to the wolf pack. "Aren't we overdoing this?" he asked. (If only these women would just be quiet.) Supervisor Tom Sunderbruch showed off his manliness and patriotism by insisting that declining Tubbs' offer "sends a very bad message." (Not just bad, very bad.)
Supervisor Larry Minard leaped into his good-government pose, saying that the county needs a policy for accepting such gifts. (And might discuss one after the supervisors accepted this gift.) Supervisor Greg Adamson, who actually made a career in the military and law enforcement, spoke least, possibly feeling that he didn't need to prove anything to anyone anymore.
The easy fix was for the board to send the choice of public art to groups that are associated with art: the artists themselves. MidCoast Fine Arts manages public art installations at The Mark, the visitors' center in LeClaire, and the Davenport RiverCenter, among others. Quad City Arts manages art at the Quad City International Airport, and the Sculpture on Second program in Davenport. Have supervisors seen the Figge Art Museum? They sold millions of dollars in bonds to help build public buildings in Davenport, of which the Figge is one. County-board support for its own projects wouldn't be that much of a stretch, would it?
In the end, the four guys on the board decided they couldn't quit Bill Tubbs, and they stuck with the other guy in the room. The women were treated like noisy children for even raising the issue, and the publisher will be gratefully remembered. Perhaps the boys decided they owed the ladies an apology in time to send candy and flowers to Vargas and Galin for Valentine's Day. It might have added insult to injury, but it wouldn't have surprised me one bit.
Karl Rhomberg is co-host with Cathy Bolkcom of the weekly progressive talk-radio program Conversation with Cathy & Karl, broadcast at 9 a.m. Saturdays on Air America, AM 1270.
