Kristy Schmitz, Linn County register of deeds, says the flower gardens around the county courthouse would be the best place to install new signs. (Journal file photo)
By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – A presentation by Linn County Register of Deeds Kristy Schmitz about signs and flowerbeds brought up questions and a little confusion about who was in charge of choosing signs for the Linn County Courthouse lawn.
Schmitz told the county commissioners at their meeting on Monday, Nov. 18, that the master gardeners she was working with on developing flowerbeds for the lawn had decided that the old signs should be replaced. They had gone to the Linn County Historical Society, and had that organization order the signs.
Schmitz said she was concerned about the placement of the signs by the historical society because it was not where she wanted them.
Schmitz and Public Works Director Shaun West had agreed on the placement of signs in another location in the center of the flowerbed so that it would not take extra maintenance trimming around the signs. West had also seen the signs and said he had no problem with them.
Commissioner Jason Hightower asked who was in charge of taking care of the flowerbeds. Schmitz said that she and some master gardeners from the Marais des Cygne Extension Service would be involved in the upkeep but that she was also looking for a 4-H group or students who wanted to do some community service to help with the project.
Alison Hamilton, director of the Trading Post Museum and commissioner-elect from the 2nd District, expressed her concerns that signs were going to be placed on the courthouse lawn without the county commissioners approving the design and quality of the signs.
Both Hamilton and Theresa Miller, director of the Linn County Historical Society, had offered to design historical signs for the courthouse lawn in the past.
At that time Commissioner Danny McCullough suggested that the decision for who would do the signs be sent to a subcommittee of the Economic Development Committee. The sign issue has not been addressed by that subcommittee.
Commissioner Jim Johnson said that he was a little confused about the situation and asked the newly hired Economic Development Director Chasity Ware to come to the podium. He asked if she would take this to the historical society subcommittee to look at.
Ware said that she would take it to the Tuesday morning economic development meeting.
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