ANDERSON – Concerns about former President James Madison's slave ownership have stalled a proposal for a statue honoring him at the Madison County Government Center.
The Madison County commissioners have been considering placing a statue at the courthouse's west entrance as part of a plaza beautification effort.
The county was named for the fourth president of the United States who is considered the “Father of the Constitution” for helping to draft the document, which was ratified in 1788.
Madison County was formed in 1823, six years after Madison’s term as president ended in 1817.
Opposition was raised to having a statue honoring Madison because he was a slave owner.
Dan Dykes, county administrator, said the county was considering installing a 10-foot tall statue costing approximately $200,000.
“The idea is on hold,” Dykes said. “The commissioners do want to include some form of artwork as we consider plaza improvements.”
Jerry Bridges, director of the Madison County Council of Governments (COG), told the policy board last week the commissioners were looking to raise $150,000 to $200,000 for plaza beautification.
Bridges said the total cost estimate for the project is $260,000 and the commissioners are looking for other funding sources.
“The county has put a lot of money in the building,” Bridges said of the exterior remodeling and the asbestos removal and remodeling currently taking place inside the Madison County Government Center.
Last year, the Council of Government’s policy board in a split vote approved the allocation of $81,400 in food and beverage tax revenues for improvements to the plaza area on the south side of the building.
Elwood Mayor Todd Jones, a member of the subcommittee reviewing food and beverage tax requests, was opposed to the funding.
Bill Savage, economic development director for Elwood, said that Jones believed the city of Anderson should pay for the improvements since the courthouse is in Anderson.
Bridges said the courthouse is on county-owned property and that the county can apply for food and beverage tax revenues.
The proposal is to plant trees along Ninth Street, decorative art on the building and columns by the use of vibrant colors.
There is also a proposal to etch into the concrete on the plaza a blue line that would signify the White River as it flows through Madison County.