Cedar Rapids school superintendent wants halt to talk of sculpture

CEDAR RAPIDS - The sculpture talk will come to a halt if Superintendent Dave Benson of the Cedar Rapids Community School District gets his way.

Earlier today, the district announced that Benson will recommend permanently removing an agenda item regarding a proposed agreement with Pennsylvania-based Rob Fisher Sculpture LLC for a $57,000 sculpture for the district's Educational Leadership and Support Center.

If the board approves Benson's recommendation, "the item will be pulled, it will no longer be discussed and it will not be coming back on a future agenda," said board secretary Laurel Day, who is also Benson's assistant.

Day said Benson made the decision for the request after a meeting with his cabinet this morning and reflecting on comments from community members and people in the district. Board members Nancy Humbles, Keith Westercamp and Allan Witt all voiced concerns about the sculpture, which would be funded by SILO dollars.

"We just felt, based on the conversations and discussions that we've had ... it probably was an item we would not want to go forward with at this time," she said.

There are no plans for an alternate piece of art to go up in the building's atrium.

Benson was unavailable for comment this afternoon.