NO NOD: PARKS BOARD WON'T BACK RIVER MURAL

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Monday voted 5-2 against endorsing a proposal to paint a 320-foot-long, 14-foot-tall mural on the downtown flood wall.

Board members Julia Kridelbaugh and Mike Kohlfeld voted for the endorsement, while members Terry Ashby, Rick Wieser, Steve Jackson, Jay Crosnoe and David Goncher voted against it.

The mural, a project of the River Heritage Mural Association, is planned for the river side of the flood wall, stretching between Mississippi River floodgates at Broadway and Themis streets.

Tim Blattner, spokesman for the association, told the board that the group already has received financial backing and permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the city to paint the mural. He said he wanted the park board's endorsement because the flood wall is situated in Riverfront Park.

The mural proposal, which will be submitted to the City Council, calls for a $5,000 cash outlay for the $16,300 project, with a $2,000 contingency fund for repair and maintenance of the giant mural.

Artist Fred Lincoln, formerly of Cape Girardeau and now living in Memphis, has already designed the wall mural.

But some board members said they thought the proposal should have been brought before the park board before it was finalized.

"I'm not against the mural. It's the idea of bringing something before the board that's already been decided on," said Crosnoe. "We kind of frown on something being done, and then ask for us to say it's OK after it's already done."

But Blattner said former Parks and Recreation Director Steve Bone was a member of the committee that worked on the mural proposal since its inception. He said he assumed Bone was representing the park board and had reported to it.

Board members said Monday was the first time they'd been presented anything on the proposal.

"I wonder why contact wasn't made to the park board from the start," said Ashby.

But Kridelbaugh said that, procedural concerns aside, the board should endorse the mural because it would improve Riverfront Park.

"I could see opposition to it if there's something wrong with the mural," she said. "But it's a good mural and it will be good for the city."

Kohlfeld said he agreed with board members who wanted information on the mural before it was finalized, but he said he voted for the endorsement because the mural would be "an improvement on a concrete wall."

But Goncher said he thought the mural was incomplete. He said there are sites and landmarks in Cape Girardeau not depicted on the mural design.

In other business, the board consented to a suggestion by Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink that a park development foundation be established.

Stoverink said the idea has been proposed in the past, but that "it's time has come."

A committee, consisting of Stoverink, Jackie Todd, Woody Woodfin, Parks and Recreation Director Dan Muser, and a member of the park board's finance committee will work to establish the foundation.

"An individual or corporation could make donations for park land acquisition or development within the community," Stoverink said.

He said a corporation currently interested in donating funds for new seating at the Capaha Park band shell has indicated the city needs a foundation for such donations.

Kohlfeld said many businesses or corporations are reluctant to donate to the city for parks improvements, but would be more likely to contribute to an established parks development fund.

"It certainly makes it cleaner to make a donation if there's a foundation in place," he added.

Stoverink said the foundation also could pave the way for individuals to donate to the parks through endowments.

At Monday's meeting, the board also agreed to recommend the City Council name the city's newest park along Fountain Street near Washington School, "Washington Park."

The name was chosen by students at Washington School and three of the students, Jean Meyer, 10, Mindy Hoffman, 9, and Katie Shepard, 9, attended the meeting to recommend the name.