Fitting in - or else

The banners downtown proclaim that Indianapolis is "Amazingly Always New," but last week the old Indianapolis proved it's still alive, kicking and bad news for anyone who cares about the arts, culture or education.

 

Picking up a copy of Saturday's Star was like taking a ride on a time machine - going backward. On the Editorial page we learned how one of the city's most ambitious arts undertakings, the Indy Jazz Fest, may be finished. It appears the festival has been unable to pay back a $300,000 loan the Indianapolis Bond Bank made to it to make up for losses following a Friday night rainout in 2000. The festival's staff is now unemployed and its offices are closed. The American Pianists Association may take over the event, but only if all of Jazz Fest"s debt can somehow be written off.

 

Turning to the City&State section, we found a story about how our city's library director was ambushed and fired by four of his board members last Thursday. Ed Szynaka has been in charge of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library for nine years. Throughout that time he has had satisfactory job evaluations. More important, though, he has presided over the revitalization of the Indianapolis library system, upgrading technology, modernizing branches and setting the table for the renovation of the Central Library, a move which promises to dramatize and redefine how we think about our downtown.

 

At this point, the $104 million expansion project is, by all accounts, running under budget and ahead of schedule. But wait: According to City-County Council President Larry Borst, Szynaka deserved the ax because - well, because he's not one of us. "He's a very nice guy," Borst was quoted as saying in The Star, "but he just doesn't fit in this community. He bulls ahead, and he doesn't check in with people."

 

Never mind that, under Szynaka, our library system is now rated one of the best in the nation. "He doesn't check in with people." So last Thursday afternoon the City-County Council-appointed head of the library board, W. Steve Nelson, walked into Szynaka's office and told him to resign. Szynaka refused to cut his own throat so Nelson and three of his colleagues did it for him at their meeting that night. Who said nothing succeeds like success?

 

Finally, in Sports, we learned that having played in the NCAA tournament, the IUPUI Jaguars think it's time, not for their campus to be regarded as the academic equal of its progenitors in Bloomington and West Lafayette, but to have - hold on - a new arena. Seems the team is sick of playing in a 2,000-seat gym. They want 8,000 to 10,000 seats for what the school is calling a "convocation center." The cost of this venue is estimated to be $35 million.

 

Here's the beauty part: IUPUI officials think that amount can be raised from private sources so building a new den for the Jags won't cost taxpayers a dime. That's right - the folks at IUPUI believe that, in spite of the poor economy and the down draft in the stock market, not to mention cuts to all manner of social programs on the state and local levels, there's still at least $35 million bucks available in this town to build a house for hoops.

 

It's nice to know that, no matter how turbulent the times, folks in Indianapolis have their priorities straight. Chalk that up to what you can accomplish when you make sure to check in with people. The right people, that is.

 

Which brings us back to Indy Jazz Fest. Here's an event that, from the beginning, has seemed tailor-made for this city. It connects with and celebrates the rich legacy of music-making for which this town is known. It has consistently presented a top-shelf selection of international artists representing a wide array of musical traditions and styles, blending them with a healthy mix of local players. And it has done all this for a fair price. Whether one swings to the rhythms of Elvin Jones, rocks to Los Lobos or feels Gordon Bonham's blues, you'd have to be hard-hearted not to be inspired by seeing these artists against the backdrop of our city's skyline.

 

Talk about cultural tourism? Making Indy a national destination? This is what it's all about. Yet all this could be lost for the lack of $300,000. Not that apparently gettable $35 million they want over at IUPUI. $300,000. All we can do, I guess, is hope that Helen Smalls, the woman in charge over at the American Pianists Association, isn't like that bullish Ed Szynaka. I've spoken to her. She seems like a very bright, responsible and forthright person. But let's hope she's good at fitting in around here. Above all, she better remember to check in with the people who sign the checks.