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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Hearing wraps up, no timeframe for decision on murals

Today’s public forum on controversial Depression-era murals at the new Idaho Law & Justice Learning Center, the former longtime Ada County Courthouse and the stand-in state Capitol for two years while Idaho’s Capitol was being renovated, has wrapped up. “I deeply appreciate the courtesy that was extended from those who spoke on both sides of this issue,” said state Department of Administration Director Bob Geddes.

Geddes said he was the Senate president pro-tem when the Legislature met in the building and the murals were on display, with interpretive plaques. “During the two years that the Legislature occupied that building while this building was being renovated so well … not a single person came into my office and complained about the display of those murals. That’s my own personal experience,” he said.

“It will not be an easy decision, but here’s my thought: If the news media didn’t announce what that decision would be, how many of you would know? Would you come to the building and see? Have you been to the building to view those murals personally? I woud just speculate that in most cases, the Idaho citizenry has not seen those murals, so I would invite you to do this.”

Geddes said, “The state of Idaho, you as citizens, have supported the renovation of that building, and that building has been very controversial,” from the time that state officials decided to purchase it from the county. “When that decision was made to acquire that building, it wasn’t based on the value of the building. In fact, the appraisal that was made indicated that bare land in that close proximity to this building (the Capitol) would be of much higher value, than that land with that building and that structure on it. I’ve always been fascinated by that appraisal fact.”

 He said there’s no time frame for the decision. “I will take all of those testimonies that have been provided today in very serious consideration and try to find a decision that will accommodate what I will view as a representative outcome,” not just for those who spoke today, “but for all Idahoans. And I would encourage you to take the opportunity to go visit that building, look at the other murals that are there and displayed. Look at the effort and the energy that was put back into that building to make it a very functional and usable building for long, long, long into the future. I think it’s worthwhile.”

He also invited additional comments by email, and said he’ll also likely consult further with the tenants of the building, with staff, and with the governor. He told the crowd, “Thank you for being part of a public process, something that we all value and hold dear as citizens of the great state of Idaho.”



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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