R2000-240 AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION

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to public safety if one were to fall. Accordingly, staff would like to reduce the City's liability of the columns by making necessary repairs and/or modifications. The columns were fenced during the 2000 Decatur Celebration to ensure that no persons would be harmed in the event of structural failure. Multi-Agency Approach In the process of completing assessment grant proposals, staff contacted Millikin University, the Decatur Public Building Commission and the Decatur Park District to solicit interest in the project and ask other agencies that own outdoor public sculpture if they would be interested in joining the City of Decatur on the project. Millikin University and the Decatur Public Building Commission both expressed interest and the City of Decatur submitted grants on their behalf. Both agencies received grant funds and assessments were completed in May, 2000. The agencies that participated in the assessment grant process have expressed interest in applying for conservation treatment funds as well. Work Plan There are two areas of focus for Decatur's sculpture. The first area of need is the category of city-owned sculptures generally needing repair and conservation. These items include Defense of the Flag, located in Central Park, Lincoln's First Political Speech, on Lincoln Square, and Macon County's First Courthouse, also on Lincoln Square. The second area of major concentration is the Commodore Stephen Decatur monument and columns, on the Decatur Civic Center grounds. General Sculpture There are approximately $24,000 in repairs needed to the three sculptures located on Lincoln Square and in Central Park. Of that total, approximately $10,000 is eligible in the form of matching grant funds from SOS!. The majority of the repairs to be made are required on Defense of the Flag, the City's oldest outdoor sculpture, erected in honor of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1904. This sculpture is in need of extensive work to repatinate the bronze and repair pitting of the surface. It would be desirable to also improve the surroundings of the sculptures on Lincoln Square. Costs for additional improvements have not yet been estimated. General Scul ture Restoration Estimates Cost De ense o the Fla $19,700 Lincoln's First Political S eech $2,600 Macon Coun 's First Courthouse $1,600 TOTAL COST $23,900 Commodore Stephen Decatur and Columns Staff has calculated a total of approximately $25,700 is needed to provide aesthetic repairs to the monument and columns, as well as provide public safety improvements. Of that total, the Commodore statue requires $15,100 to repair pitting and general decay on the bronze surface and repatination of the entire sculpture. Page 2