(News Update)Celoron Mayor agrees Lucy statue is ugly, cites past efforts to get rectified, and announces new effort to fix it...
The mayor of Celoron agrees the "ugly" Lucille Ball statue need's "a make-over." Scott Schrecengost made those comments this morning about the life-size, bronze statue of Lucille Ball in the village park bearing her name. During a press conference... Schrecengost said he wanted to set the record straight on a number of issues that have erupted into controversy over the past few days regarding the statue. He says village officials had a problem with it from the start in 2009. He says they didn't get to see the statue until it was unveiled. Schrecengost says the village received it as part of a "real estate transation." He says both he and late Mayor Jack Keeney talked with sculptor Dave Poulin after it was unveiled... and, tried to work with him to rectify the matter. However... he says Poulin wanted $8,000 to $10,000 for it. With that... Schrecengost says they discussed a make-over with two other sculptors from the region... who would do it for less cost. A published report says now that Poulin would do the work for free... and, he admitted it "wasn't his best work." With that... Schrecengost announced the village has begun a fund-raising effort to pay for the work. Donations can be sent to: Lucy Statue, c/o Village of Celoron, PO Box 577, Celoron, NY 14720... or Five-Star Bank, 282 East Fairmount Avenue, Lakewood, NY 14750. You can also donate on-line at Kickstarter.com. He says it's under the name "Lucille Ball Tribute Statue -- Celoron, New York."
Schrecengost also addresses Facebook firestorm...
Celoron Mayor Scott Schrecengost also addressed the firestorm of criticism that's come over a Facebook Page that's reportedly been up since 2012... but, has become the focal point of trashing the statue and it's creator. Schrecengost says the annonymous page is urging people to not give to the village's effort to fix or replace the statue. He says they apparently have their "own agenda..." which appears to be to fun their own campaign to build a new statue and put it in Jamestown. Hwoever... Schrecengost says he has no knowledge of the Facebook page... or who's running it. He added it "may be a scam."
