SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Carbondale public art funding in question"

For as many years as it has been displayed, the public art displayed in Glenwood Springs has been an eyesore complained about by many and twisted into a 'debate' by few.  Now, keep in mind, we are not talking about the murals and painted displays under the bridge and on pathways.

We are talking about 'art' in the form of metal work and statues.

Another heated debate has been the high dollar cost to not only bring in and display the 'art' but to also maintain the 'art'.

In Carbondale, their public art is gorgeous.  Same thing in downtown Grand Junction, Edwards, Avon and Vail.  True tourism draws that the folks are proud of.

With that said, there also comes a time when the wish list has to be cut back in favor of true needs and priorities.

For the folks in Carbondale, the time has come to be content with what they currently have and patiently wait until economic times are better.

For the folks in Glenwood Springs......maybe we could sell the stuff and put the few bucks generated into our human service needs.  Such as Feed My Sheep and Salvation Army.

(Learn more?  Click title.  Comment to discuss)

"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."

SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent/Letter to the Editor "Public art is beautiful and worthwhile"

"Employee in the hospitality industry" Katie Turner of Glenwood Springs  writes in to the PI with her feeling of "how sad" of an individual  Jolene Varley of Carbondale  'is'.

Wouldn't it be nice for our city coffers to have tourism based representation not repeatedly show our community in the same light as those within our tourism industry that are divisive, elitist, intolerant and just plain old 'subtle' and arrogant 'bullies'? 

What we hear Jolene actually saying, that is now taken out of context by Katie Turner and turned into a personal attack on Jolene; is that we cannot afford, at this time, what we are spending on public art and the maintenance of. 

Jolene 'attacks', in her letter to the editor linked above, the elected officials, the known suppliers and vendors that perpetuate what she considers waste spending.  As a taxpayer that has no choice but to assist putting heads in beds for her community to survive, technically somebody like Katie Turner, in the "hospitality" industry...works for Jolene Varley.  

What Jolene is implying is a bit like the 'birthday cake gimmick' and $600 dollars per minute ($300 of that covered by another bailout to tourism marketing by the folks) for the fireworks this year; both of which are just a small portion of the reason we are so buried in the hole with our tourism dollars here in Glenwood Springs.

How 'sad' it is that no matter how much deeper we sink into the quagmire, our hospitality and tourism representation still resorts to attacks on the general population.

Weighing the two letters against each other, Jolene Varley most certainly comes out on top as the class act.

(Learn more?  Click title or comment to start discussion)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."