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County approves site for new veterans wall

The Press-Sentinel - 4/7/2018

The Wayne County Board of Commissioners set the stage Monday night for a new granite veterans wall at the top of the road leading down to Jaycee Landing.

The Board approved a request by Dennis Grantham to allow him to erect a granite monument-with names of deceased Wayne County veterans etched into it-on county property next to U.S. Hwy. 84 in front of the Jesup Jaycee Fairgrounds.

Grantham had previously asked for use of the site, but County Administrator Ed Jeffords had pointed out that plans for development of the entire Jaycee Landing area are still being decided. Board Chair Herschell Hires had told Grantham that the county wanted to wait so as to ensure that the site wouldn't have to be changed later.

Grantham assured the commissioners Tuesday night that the site wouldn't interfere with any plans for the landing. (Jeffords was not present for the discussion, having left the meeting early to pick up his wife from a trip to Norway.)

Grantham also assured the commissioners that he would find the funding for the project.

He told the commissioners that he was representing veterans who had signed a petition for the wall, which he said would be more visible on U.S. 84 than at the Wayne County Courthouse, where most of the county's other military monuments and memorials are located.

Most of the county's organized veterans groups, though, have gone on record as opposing the proposed location.

VFW concerns

Jim Poindexter, senior vice commander of Jesup Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4583, said he was surprised and disappointed when he heard about the commissioners' vote.

Poindexter had expressed his opposition to the proposed location at an earlier county meeting, and the Jesup VFW Post voted in a recent meeting not to support the placement of the proposed memorial at Jaycee Landing.

"The members, however, did not object to the memorial and believed that it should be placed at the Wayne County Courthouse with other veterans memorials," Poindexter said.

Poindexter also said he had presented the commissioners and administrator with a list of questions to be considered, including the source of the funding, who will build and maintain the wall, who will manage and verify information and placement of names, whether the monument would be one wall or would include a component for each of the 65 conflicts involving American soldiers, whether there would be a cost to families for the engraving, and who would collect and manage money for the project.

"I would not like to see the county to have to step in later and take over management and cost of maintaining," Poindexter said.

Poindexter said the VFW will continue to conduct its veteran ceremonies and services in front of the monuments at the Wayne County Courthouse-which he said is centrally located in Jesup-and will continue to support the programs and ceremonies of American Legion Post 311 at its existing memorial wall at Bill Morris Park.

Legion concerns Steve Strickland, commander of American Legion Post 311, had questions similar to those raised by Poindexter.

He asked, "What exactly will the wall commemorate? What will be the criteria once that is determined? How will it be funded? How will funds be allocated to maintain the wall and surrounding landscape? Where will the funding come from if initial funding is canceled or no longer available over the long term? Who will take on the responsibility for the upkeep and maintaining of the structure?"

Regarding the location, Strickland said, "The organizations wish to keep the monuments that are already constructed and possible future ones as centrally located as possible. This is so that ceremonies performed at these locations allow for the observers not to have to move throughout several locations around the county."

The American Legion constructed the existing wall in 2000 and annually updates it to include the names of all veterans who have been buried in Wayne County. That wall, however, is made of wood, and Grantham noted some deterioration during his comments to the commissioners.

"It is my understanding that proponents of the new wall have been critical of the memorial wall at Bill Morris Park," Strickland said. "The wall is nearing two decades in age now and has seen the wear and tear that the elements through time can provide. It has weathered the heat of the sun, cold, wind, rains and numerous storms. So one might expect there to be signs of its age.

"We, at the American Legion, would wish that the ones being critical would have instead offered to help maintain the wall that the community already has in place to honor the veterans of our community. The wall at Bill Morris is maintained by the American Legion Post No. 311, who receives funding through donations and fundraising events. Members of the Legion also use their personal time and monies to maintain the monument. When it is work required that is not within the skillset of our members, the Legion pays out of its own budget to have the repairs done. We do not ask that the taxpayers be responsible for the expense of maintaining the wall.

"The American Legion Post No. 311, along with all the area funeral homes, work together to acquire the list of names that are to be listed on the wall on an annual bases. The American Legion Post No. 311 also pays to have the plates engraved that will go on the wall. Individuals may donate to aid in this effort, but it is all voluntary, and we do not solicit funds from local authorities or government."

Non-agenda item Though Grantham

spoke at length Monday night about a variety of topics related to veterans and his own activities to honor deceased veterans and those killed in action, he offered few details about specific plans for the wall.

Grantham was not actually on the agenda, but under "items with commissioners," Commissioner Jerry "Shag" Wright allowed Grantham to speak. Grantham then asked the commissioners to make a definite decision on his request.

Commissioner James "Boot" Thomas made the motion to grant use of the proposed site, and Wright seconded it. (Wright had initially tried to make the motion, but Grantham had interrupted him to make additional points.)

Some citizens have previously raised concerns that the Board is too quick to take non-routine, non-emergency votes on items not listed on the agenda after those items are brought up under "items with commissioners."

Strickland-who credited the commissioners with traditionally supporting veterans causes-said, "We, as veteran service organizations, wish to express that whenever individuals go before the Commission to propose building or funding such issues, that the Commission can seek advice through our organizations to determine what the veterans as a collective body wish done.

"We would also like to ask that when matters concerning our organizations will be brought forth before the commission, that we be notified in order to be properly represented at such meetings."