Trustees of War Memorials Meeting
Trustees began an inventory and directed further research into the care and custody of multiple named war memorials — including the Civil War Soldiers Memorial, Spanish‑American War Memorial, American Legion Memorial, VFW Memorial/Richard O’Brien, 1st Lt. Derek Hines Bridge, and Disabled American Veterans.
The Trustees opened the meeting with the Mayor reading the Trustees’ mission and reviewed financial balances for the trust funds designated for memorial care and restoration. Trustees began an inventory of city war memorials and identified several specific monuments (Civil War Soldiers Memorial, Spanish‑American War Memorial, American Legion Memorial, VFW Memorial/Richard O’Brien, 1st Lt. Derek Hines Bridge, Disabled American Veterans) that require further research; the group agreed to keep this item on the next agenda and pursue additional review.
Under maintenance updates, members reported that new benches donated by the American Legion and VFW were placed at William B. Justin Park and that a plaque had been installed in new concrete. A thank‑you from the Trustees to the donors was suggested. The Mayor placed solar lights at various monuments and is exploring flag lighting; the Fire Department has been rinsing the Doughboy. Trustees discussed options to preserve the Franco‑American monument (including potential shrink‑wrapping), assigned Paul Jancewicz to explore preservation vendors or donated services and funding approaches, and recommended developing a 2024 maintenance plan. The Mayor also recommended including Trustees’ accomplishments in the City’s Annual Report. The Trustees set their next meeting for March 14, 2024; there was no public comment recorded.