El Monte : Statue’s Fate Uncertain

The fate of this city’s replica of the Statue of Liberty remains uncertain after the City Council’s 2-2 deadlock Tuesday on whether to place it permanently near City Hall.

Mayor Don McMillen and Councilman Dan Morgan said they had received positive comment from the public since the statue was placed at the Valley Boulevard site Aug. 3. But Councilman Jeff Marone said people he talked to did not think it looked suitable for the spot, and Councilman Ernest Gutierrez complained that the 22-foot statue could not be seen from a freeway. Councilman Jack T. Crippen, who was out of town, strongly favors the Civic Center site.

The glass-fiber replica, donated by Dr. Jing T. Wang, a Taiwanese immigrant, has been gathering dust in the city’s Public Works yard for more than a year while the city has tried to find a home for it.