Was grant

cast in

copper?

Or is

iron OK?

work?

Switching copper lions for cast iron could jeopardize grant funding

for Hermann

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The City of New Ulm is playing a high-stakes game of "switch the lions" in hopes of obtaining a desperately needed $400,000 in state matching grant funds.

The question is, will it work? If the city's attempt to get the Minnesota Department of Finance to release $100,000 in grant money is any indication, the possibility exists the city could come away without a dime.

According to Assistant City Manager Tom MacAulay, who authored the original grant request, the Department of Finance refused to release the money even though that amount was matched by "local monies" because the appropriation bill referred specifically to the lions.

"The appropriation must be matched with nonstate contributions sufficient to provide and install the four decorative copper lions depicted in Julius Berndt's 1885 architectural drawings of the monument," the legislation reads.

Therein lies an even bigger hurdle if the finance department continues to interpret the act literally. The measure specifically refers to "copper lions," not cast-iron lions painted to look like copper lions.

"We haven't had that discussion; that's a new twist." said Lee Mehrkens, Department of Finance capital budget coordinator, who is very familiar with the Hermann Monument project. "We try not to be pointy-headed about areas subject to interpretation, but in general where the legislation is specific, we pretty much say, you've gotta do what the bill tells you to do."

Mehrkens also confirmed the city is under the gun to spend all or a portion of the grant proceeds prior to Feb. 1, 2003, or the grant will be cancelled.

MacAulay is confident that having historical society approval will save the day for the city.

"Throughout this process, we've been working with Charlie Nelson, the (Minnesota Historical Society) architect to figure out different alternatives," MacAulay explained. "This solution presented itself, and Charlie came down and met with us. He knew it was cast iron. I think the big condition on putting the cast iron on the pedestals at the monument is that they have got to resemble the statue."

Another complication, however, is that MacAulay used the copper lions to be made by California metalsmith Karl Mindermann as a match for $300,000 in grant money, placing a value of $75,000 on each lion.

Now, the city is in the position of offering cast-iron lions costing the city $20,000 to cast, ship from China and paint to look like copper lions as dollar-for-dollar matching for three-fourths of the state grant.

How desperate is the city's situation?

The construction fund for restoration of the monument base had a negative balance of $634,008 at the end of July, according to City Treasurer Gary Gleisner. It went negative because of the $775,000 spent for base restoration.

"That's why we need the $400,000," Gleisner said.

In fact, according to Gleisner, the fund will drop another $20,000 deeper into the red as the bills for the lions are paid.

MacAulay said it was nothing personal as far as the city ending its association with Mindermann.

"The copper lions weren't forthcoming," MacAulay said. "I'm not sure exactly how far he got, he may have completed most of the model, but it just wasn't forthcoming so looking at alternatives using a different kind of material presented itself."

MacAulay said it's his understanding the state agency that is responsible for saying whether money can be released is the Minnesota Historical Society. "In other words, it's the coloration that's the important thing, that they look like they belong, so that's the process we're going through right now with the painting work being done up at the (New Ulm) Body Shop."

For his part, Mindermann who is retired and lives in Sacramento is upset about being made the "bad guy" in this situation. However, he does admit having a fault that made the task of raising money for materials more difficult.

"Being the bull-headed Dutchman that I am, I insisted that the money be raised only in California," he said. "I thought it would be great to have the California Sons of Hermann lodges provide the gift of the lions."

He did manage, however, to raise about $10,000. That quickly disappeared as Mindermann equipped himself for a difficult period of learning to cast copper which he had never done.

"What broke the camel's back for me," he noted, "was when they used the lions which were meant as a gift as a match for getting the grant money."

Despite the differences, Mindermann said, "I am going to finish one of the lions." It is the one which he is donating for display in the monument's interpretative center.

Still, oddly enough, he could hold the key to getting the grant money for the city if the Department of Finance were to refuse to disburse the money for cast-iron lions.

That's because the department, in its ruling, said the city could collect a "proportional amount," in other words $100,000, for each lion when it was finished.

What if the city reversed course and asked him to provide copper lions for the statue?

Mindermann said he's a lot more mellow now. "I'm willing to work with them."