City of Norton, Ohio 2022 Council Meetings, 22 Sep 2022

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From YouTube: 09-22-2022 Special Council

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09-22-2022 Special Council

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Thank you agreed.

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No, it's not true.

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With the batter IES right here well,.

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That's why this is such a good chance, yeah.

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Full one: let's do it! Oh here, take this I, guess yeah, there's like 50 of them. None of them. You can supplement it with your PowerPoint yeah.

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Yes, sir, yes, sir.

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I now call the order Norton City special council meeting of Thursday September 22nd 2022, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of Silent prayer, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty,.

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Will the Kirk please call the roll Mr.

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Mr Kernan is excused Mr.

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Mr pilot is excused.

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Ms whipkey here.

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Mr Tousley is excused.

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uh New business everybody's here this is for the proposed Veterans Memorial Park that will be located here in Norton and I want to open up the floor for discussion and presentation by councilman Lukens first off I want to say before this meeting gets too far in. um Thank you for those that have served our country. We wouldn't have the freedoms that we have, if it weren't for the veterans and those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

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So so we're thankful to even be able to sit here in a free country and have this conversation amen, um Mr Lukens. If you want to go ahead and start the discussion presentation, absolutely.

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So I'm going to move up to the.

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Right everybody hear.

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Me all right, so it's a little weird me standing up over here, but we do have a PowerPoint that we've prepared for tonight uh just to help kind of ease um this um anyone who's. Not here, that's listening online. You can request the agenda from the clerk of council Carrie Macomber and her website is k-m-a-c-o-m-b-e-r at cityofnorton.org.

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Logistically, it was just going to be kind of difficult to figure out how many of these copies that we would need and get that all assimilated and sent out. But we do have some additional copies here. If anybody needs some four or five copies, so we'll just get right go right into this okay, so the PowerPoint is not quite ready, but we can kind of just go uh over some of the how this came to be and where we are now. So obviously, this Gold Star Monument we've discussed it.

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uh This would be our second official reading. We also had two committee work session, readings, I believe and um so we're at a point now, where we're kind of getting into the the thick of this, and- and we created this special meeting because we want to give anyone who's interested. You know the chance to come down, see what this is about, see what we're, what we're offering, what we're looking at and uh also we've listened to the the citizens.

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You know what what some of their um critiques were, and some of their suggestions were so we've got multiple bids that we're going to present here today, um not necessarily full on you know official bids, but you know.

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Approximate prices.

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For different monument companies and we're going to go through all that in the PowerPoint and give everyone a chance to see them and kind of Envision what what we are wanting to start here in the city of Norton I feel like as a general I, think a lot we can all kind of meet in the middle that a lot of people in the city would agree that we, you know it would be fitting for us to have a place where we can give honor and memorialize our veterans.

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It's just a matter of how are we going to get there? What does that look like and that's why we're here today we're we're we are where we're at so we can present this to everyone and you know, get get the input of the public because we don't meet me personally and everyone else. This is not something that we want to force on anyone. This is not something that we're going to try and twist anybody's arm. We just we want. We want this to be a joint effort.

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We want this to be a good starting point for the city of Norton to give honor to our soldiers, and especially soldiers like gold, star families and and their loved ones, and have a meeting point that we can. We can start this and have something proper in our city, so we're getting this PowerPoint together. We ready Mrs mccombia.

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Okay, but everybody does have a copy of your yes.

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So yeah as you guys, any of you got to look at the PowerPoint that we printed out. That's the exact same thing: we're going to be seeing on the screen we're just uh getting that set up, so we are still going to use the PowerPoint. We just don't have a setup yet so give me just a second it's coming on there maybe yeah it's on there. We.

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Just need to hit the lights.

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Get some popcorn.

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Thank you, Neva.

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Thank you, Neva.

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So when you want to transfer put it down.

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Okay, all right, thank you, Miss mccomber, all right. So let's kick this off. So city of Norton proposed gold star families Monument are similar notice. We got the similar on there. We've listened to the uh um the critiques and the suggestions that we've had that the main thing has been like hey. Maybe this is something that could be for you know. We've heard the common theme we want it for all soldiers. We want it for you know what about police fire.

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What about you know other um entities in the city that would want to be honored or memorialized. So that's that's why we are starting to kind of adopt that Monument or similar, because we're open to suggestions all right. So here's some of the decisions that I'm going to be presenting And discussing with you guys today, will be uh Monument provider. We've got several different uh companies that we're in discussions with right now to find a monument that best suits what we're trying to accomplish best.

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uh What we think looks the best, the best affordability, all of those combined to figure out which provider we would ultimately go with location. For those of you guys have already heard we're looking, obviously at Williams Park right now, which is right on the corner across from Circle K at the corner, Greenwich and uh Cleveland, massill, Road or another possible location. That's been Columbia, Woods Park, so obviously they both have their own pros and cons.

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You know, we've heard all all the uh different suggestions about you know: Williams Park, maybe he's not the best, because it's hard to have parking it's hard to get over there not impossible. But you know there are some some minor barriers that we would have to overcome, but on um Columbia Woods it would be a good location because there's there's parking, there's accessibility, but you know some of the Cons with that.

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Is you know you don't really go back there unless you're going back there specifically for something so you're, not necessarily going to see it that much where Williams Park we feel like everybody drives past it I mean it's, it's literally the heart of our town. You know when they talk about Realty, you talk about location, location, it just I, don't think there is a better location right and Williams. Park is uh deed, restricted that has to be used as a park, so we feel like that's one of the reasons.

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Also, that would be a great great place for that um number. Four funding, so obviously uh funding is very important right now, I don't have exact numbers. I was hoping. Someone from the finance would be here, but they're not, but I know that the um Parks funding the the they do have the funding for this park and we plan to offset it as much as possible with fundraising. We feel like this is a this is a project that would be very conducive to fundraising.

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It's it's something that the people that would be into this would be very passionate about it and we definitely feel like fundraising would be. We could be quite successful fundraising in all in all aspects of this, so funding don't have exact amounts for that at this point in time, because it's it's still early, it's still in the you know. We have made this official yet, but the funding is something like I said we plan to offset with fundraising and but um moving forward from that ongoing phases. So we've talked about it before that.

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This could be just the very start of something for that area.

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Wherever this goes this this Memorial Park or Veterans Park, um it's it's something that we would, whether it's the Gold Star Monument or from one of the other monument companies that it could be a constant in a constant work, but it could be an ongoing process with multiple phases, whether it's as you'll, see in some of the pictures, whether it's giving honor to the police or giving honor to the firefighters or whatever um you know, whatever entity or group or or job that someone will come to the city and say hey.

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We would not we'd like to honor or memorialize this as well. So I would say it's not something we're just looking to put one monument and and then be done.

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um Obviously, the you know we'll listen to what the city has to say about that and the taxpayers say about it, but we do have bigger plans as well. More than just one Monument.

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All right, so here we go with option number one. So this is this is where we're at Now with uh option one. This is the gold star families Monument. You guys have probably seen this.

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Anybody recognize the lady in the middle there yeah, that's, that's you yeah, that's never in the picture there, but um so this is the gold star families Monument from the Woody Williams foundation, uh India black granite, uh almost five foot tall, the actual black granite and then the the pedestal below it. It's it's like six foot tall I, don't have the exact dimensions with me, but um beautiful black gold, black and gold, coloring gold, star families, Monument a tribute to Gold Star families and the relatives who sacrifice a loved one for our freedom.

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So you know one of the one of the um critiques. I guess that we've been given a lot is well. We want something for all veterans. You know this that maybe something like this isn't fitting for the city of Norton, or you know this isn't for all veterans and I I. Couldn't disagree more and I've expressed myself.

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That way, you know I respect everyone else's opinion, but I feel like anyone that has served in the military or has understands what a gold star family is that there's there's no higher sacrifice that you can give and if, if, if we're gonna it's a to me, it's a fitting start. You know you. The highest level of sacrifice would be.

D

It would be the highest level of honor that we could give for something like this, in my opinion, but this is the front of the monument and that price quote like it says: right there, 68 640, that's the Gold, Star Monument four benches, and also the description marker which we'll we'll get to here in a second I'm gonna click to the next page, all right. So here's the back of the uh panels of that that Gold Star Monument. So, as you can see, they've got the four different panels.

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Homeland family Patriot sacrifice as we'll show here in another couple slides. Those can also be altered to um you know best reflect what our community would like to see. I'll flip to that page now, so it's kind kind of hard to see this, but there's multiple different options like the one that I like with the uh where it says to add in the city of North inscription.

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It's got all the different Armed Forces logos on there and the pow Mia a beautiful monument, and also we have the ability to add in some local like say if we wanted to say this, Monument also dedicated to the city of Norton and all veterans in the city of Norton or something to that effect. So that option is, is there also as well for for those that you know, see that and say well, wait a minute.

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You know maybe don't even know what a gold star family is or well you know: do we even have a gold star family in the city of Norton or or Etc that it can be changed to to to to give the look that we would best want to see in our city all right, so that's also included the description panel right there. It's got uh explanation of gold, star families and some other things on there.

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You can get a couple different settings either up on a pedestal like that down on the ground flat or then down on the ground like a tilted up, so you can read it and you can see the gold star monument in the back and actually you.

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In the picture on the back, there see the different design they had, they opted, they got the logos of all the military branches and then the flag with the blue and the white, which is a real, pretty look as well all right, here's another picture, so that's one of the benches. Our 68 000 includes four of those benches. So, as you can see this, this community went and they you know they personalized it with their VFW, their American Legion and then also you can kind of see.

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On top of the batch looks like pow, Mia and then I can't tell what that is on the other side, but maybe uh from the heart or something, but um you can see where what is it? Oh, they.

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Okay, thank you, sir um they're, both pow on top of there so yeah it's it's it's something that there's room for dialogue, there's room for uh personalizing to your community and you know even sponsorships. You know if it's American, Legion VFW or even a business that says yeah I'd like to sponsor that bench we feel like something like that is with any of these monuments is is a reality.

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That's would be definitely an option for fundraising, all right and there's the invoice um as you see, 68, 000, half that's due the first up front and then the other half at the end. So basically it could be stretched over two year uh to uh grants like well, not Grant, Cycles, but two fiscal years and all the prices are included in there. The benches 18.50 each for 7 400 looks like 10 Granite costs, 6240.

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and then um 50 down to get the granite on order. Thirty, four thousand three hundred twenty, so thirty, four thousand three hundred twenty is what would be due this year and then the the other half is due uh when the monument gets delivered.

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Okay, all right! So here we are option number two. So this was another Local Company um before I get into this too much we. You know that was also some of the suggestions that we were hearing was well. You know, shouldn't we be going getting multiple bids and and I agree. That's something that we that that we should do so. That's what we have done.

D

As you see, we got three or four I think four different options in here really five, if you count some of the ones that are under the same Memorial company, but this is uh Midwest memorials, so they're from Wadsworth- and this was a Veterans Park that they did and, as you can see, they've got five of the pillars. Black granite I think those are 12 by 12 by 42., we'll see that here in the next next slide and all the different military branches. That was another one of the um critiques that we were.

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We were given by different people that well you know, we'd like to see something that represents all military or all veterans. So you know this is pretty uh pretty thorough as far as doing that, we've got okay. So here these are these pedestal midnight black uh Granite, pedestals 12 by 12 by 42, and the price is on there 3995 per pillar and times five. If we did with that look that they have there we're looking at 1975 1975.

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So these are nice as well as you can see, they've got the army and you know: I I, like this style, but I think I would probably maybe even opt for like a gold lettering. I like that better, but that's all subject to design and requests, but the the different Army. This will be defend. We got the Marine Corps represented back there, Semper Fidelis, there's the Marines hoorah, always faithful, Marine Corps. So we got just another option here covering all different military branches.

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That is an option and the price included and just something that we can. We can look and decide and, uh as we said, it's not something we want to force. Anybody want to give everyone. We want to give options to this. We want to have you know as much uh unity and and togethernesses on this as possible and for something for our community to be really proud of, and and uh that's why we're getting all these different bids and that's why we're getting these different designs all right. So here were some.

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uh This is also Midwest memorials, some benches that they different bench designs, so they had them anywhere from 2995 here, for this pedestal bench looks like four foot by I: guess that's one to two foot polished straight seat, pedestal all polished um kind of that's the picture they gave me so I did the best I could with what I had on that. So that's one of the one of the uh bench designs that could go along with those other monuments, here's another bench design that they sent from Midwest midnight black park bench.

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This is like your standard park bench.

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um Another thing to to consider is like I would imagine a lot of these benches that we could have personalized through sponsorship through whether it's private donors or businesses or fraternity clubs, ufw American Legion? Any of those to offset some of these costs as well and there's a last design, so that's the most affordable one. That's just a straight bench polished straight seat polished like harp legs. You can kind of see those those harp legs on the side of there and those are 1825..

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Everybody get everybody, get the prices on that the bench before this. You guys got it I'll, be good.

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All right option number three. So we even uh part of our due diligence when we do diligence when we went to meet with uh um vendors was hey. You know this. This Monument, the Gold Star Monument itself is. Is uh it's not necessarily A copyrighted um design? It's not something that I, don't think any any company would want to copy it.

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A hundred percent and you know, and totally copy the the design of their Monument, but it is a design that is open to um you know you can you can change it in small aspects and still you're not infringing on any any kind of a design or if they, if they did, have a copyright, so we did get another option from Midwest to just do the cold star Memorial, uh like stated as it is here with the gold star, it says: gold, star families a tribute to to those who sacrificed a loved one for our freedom, and then it's got the silhouette of the saluting soldier in the middle there and uh a price quote of 49 995 dollars.

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So obviously that's that's less than what the uh Woody Williams uh Memorial is, but it's also it's smaller. The other one had four panels in this head too. So um just another option of okay. We really kind of like the Gold Star Monument, but we you know we would like to change a little or a little, smaller or or whatever design that we, you know, think, is a little bit better here. We have another option for that.

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All right- and this was the same uh picture from um earlier, because they uh I had sent them this email and then they sent it back, but obviously they they have uh the option to add any kind of inscriptions on this that we would want to as well with the two panels. You know the city of Norton dedicated also to the veterans of the city of Norton or whatever we feel would be fitting uh matters.

D

The design there's the uh specifics of that monument that was from Midwest memorials I think it's pretty much the same as what the original Woody Williams was, but it's just not as many panels as you can see. There's four panels so I think they're. Just talking about the middle panel, the four foot six by four foot, ten.

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All right option number four. So here we are at Summit memorials.

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This is a park that has been brought up to us a couple times that we've kind of kind of even been compared to, even though we don't have anything yet, but just just speaking to the uh kind of the magnificence and the beauty of some of these monuments. If any of you guys have been there, this is the Ohio Veterans Memorial Park in Clinton. You can see that on the sign, I've been there several times so I know I know a lot of these monuments.

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I went to some of the memorials met with the owner and was and got to look at some of the designs and just see some of his work, and it's stunning I mean it's beautiful. So we wanted to capture that as well. So that's the sign leading into the uh the Veterans Park here right out front of where the memorials start.

D

So here's a little uh thing that I didn't even realize also that uh city of Norton did sponsor a bench there at Clinton Park and we were the very first sponsor bench there at the uh Veterans Memorial Park. So that's kind of something to be proud of. We were the very first bench in there. That was what the owner told me and um just really I thought that was pretty cool.

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So but I just knows that we, you know, we we do believe in our veterans and we do support our veterans and- and you know this is- this is obviously is a topic that you know, although we can, we can debate and kind of dispute and maybe even kind of you know maybe not meet in the middle on every little detail. This I still think that this is something that, as we as we go along this process, that we can all we can. We can find a middle ground here and we can find somewhere.

D

We can meet in the middle and have a fitting Memorial in the city of Norton and I. Just thought that was a beautiful bench. So I got that picture as well, so I got some more pictures here of uh some of the Memorial's work. Here was another one city of Barberton, uh the colors, the the colors of the these monuments, the gold I mean I, just I, don't know if it's just me but they're to me.

D

They're just stunning I mean it just it's kind of a a next next level kind of look with it with the black granite and then just the stunning colors, I I can't say enough about it. I really I really like these. This color the color schemes with the gold and then the colors from the different Monument logos and such so. This is also at Clinton. Barberton, obviously um looks like class of 1964. yeah.

D

They uh sponsored this bench all right, so this is also work from Summit Memorial I put this in here, not necessarily because um you know it was. It was uh something that we originally had in the plan, but it is something that is available. They have uh um can I mention who's here tonight is that okay, okay,.

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The owner from uh some Memorial here tonight and if I'm not mistaken, these are unique. These are totally Your, Design, correct, yeah, okay, so I just wanted to make sure before I misspoke but yeah. This is the only place in the country that has these monuments, this gold, star, father, mother Monument. So um this is the gold star, father Monument, approximately twenty five thousand dollars.

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um Is it something that we can afford right now? I, don't know! Maybe it's something for you know, as these discussions go on down the road but I, don't think there's any I, don't think I've ever seen a monument more powerful and uh just leaves you speechless, especially when you see this at the Veterans Park with you know, knowing the gold star father and what that means and just holding the flag.

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The way that it's set up and the coloring with the stone is just it just leaves you speechless and then the same thing for the gold star mother, um that's a friend of mine that was uh injured in combat I brought him from. He was here visiting out of state, so we go down to visit the park and uh there's the gold star mother Monument same approximately twenty five thousand dollars uh holding the flag.

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Just uh stunning can't really even words, don't even uh describe you know these kinds of monuments, it's just it's something you either you've seen it and if you haven't seen it, you really just owe it to yourself to see it.

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uh There's the bottom of the gold star mother Monument, it's got some uh looks like a poem from an author unknown and then the gold star on there as well.

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So this is also work from Summit Memorial um I.

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I would have.

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Shared work like this from another uh monument companies, but they they didn't have any, they didn't submit any, and these were down there. So we we got pictures of them, but, as you can see, these benches are personalized, really I mean the sky's. The limit um you know is: is there? Is there private donors in our community or loved ones of someone that was in a military conflict or in combat?

D

That would would sponsor a bench like this in our park and be happy to do it and would love to be a part of our Park. This way, maybe I mean I I, don't I, we won't know until we try, but you see you see some of these and it tells uh that Soldier's Story, all the ribbons on the front of the bench that are the different colored ribbons and all the different military awards it just with the colors and then just the uh the engraving of the photo on there.

D

It just I I've, never seen anything like it anywhere else, and um that's I point that out. So we know that that these kinds of benches would be an option for us as well. Although maybe um even you know fundraising, if someone wants to just sponsor an entire bench, I wouldn't be surprised. If we have people in our community that either through a business or a private donor or in memory in honor of a soldier or a loved one, we, you know this could be a reality for for our our project as well.

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um Here's another monument at Clinton. This is something that you know it down the road. It could be an option: Purple, Heart Memorial, uh there's the Purple Heart ribbon on there. It's a decent sized Monument I didn't get a price on that one because we're not necessarily it's not something that we're looking at this year anyway, we gotta kind of start somewhere, and that would be possibly a project down the road, but it just was part of the uh part of the work that I wanted to show.

D

That is possible through some of the memorials right now. There's the pow Mia, another beautiful Monument, with the Eternal Flame there for all the prisoners of war and missing in action from Summit Memorial custom paver stones. That's another thing: that's something that loved ones really have a connection with and really when you have a a park, a Memorial Park, Veterans Park.

D

This is something that's almost like a given. If you can, if you can offer this to either not necessarily as a fundraiser, but just you know even to offset the cost a little where people will buy their own Monument uh for a loved one. You know and doesn't even obviously doesn't have to be someone that's deceased. It could be in honor of someone serving now in honor of uh someone that served in the past.

D

I sponsored a paver stone there for my friend that was in the picture earlier at uh Clinton, Veterans Park, and this is also work done by uh some Immortals. Now, that's a little bit bigger of a paver stone. You can see the ones that are brown back there, but um those paver stones, I, think eight by sixteen okay, eight by Sixteen on those and um really just a a you know. If you have a Veterans Park Memorial Park, like people are going to want to do that.

D

Like it's, it's not a it's, not a matter of. If it's just a matter of how many um plenty plenty of of veterans in our city, and even this in the surrounding area, that would possibly be interested in memorializing someone's military service in that way. So that's that's another beautiful aspect of what we're looking at okay, that was just my friend there.

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We we was taking some pictures, I put that in there as Purple Heart uh award and then what the pavers down I mean that to me, the pavement Stone just means the world to me. It's a way that I can express to someone that I care about. Like hey.

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You know, the city of Norton is never going to forget your your military service, like as long as as long as we're here we're going to make sure people understand that freedom is not free and if it's due a paver stone or if it's through a monument like it's, it's fitting it's it's a lease that we can do.

D

All right, so this is another one from Selma Memorial Summit Memorial. um uh This was recently finished, I think 2016-17. uh This Monument is 18 foot tall, so this is a really really big Monument.

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um Now, if you I tried to get a better picture, but I didn't have time to go to the park. I got this one off the internet.

D

um If you can see on the very far left when we were talking about different aspects of the Woody wood, Woody Williams, Gold, Star Monument, there is a soldier saluting over in the left. You can, you can kind of see it, and then the silhouette to the right is is an adult and it's holding the the hand of a young child and they're walking.

D

So just really a lot of thought that went through that and then you can see the American flag and there's an eternal flame at the top of that monument that uh Pine Township. Also um it opted to do, and this one is approximately 55 000 and 18 foot tall I.

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To have a crane come in here and drop this thing in there. It's that big, but um you know these kinds of monuments they're going to be here long after we're gone, I mean we're talking about something that is fitting, and it's going to last probably Outlast all of us in this room, and maybe even some of our kids too I mean they're they're, just beautiful black India Granite meant to last.

D

All right so here's another option um so Smithville I did a Veterans Park. The price on this one was approximately 75 000.. Now that you know, obviously this is this is more price, but I just want to kind of run through and really show some of the stunning work here. This is also from Summit Memorial. So this is one of the main uh Stones coming in you see the beautiful stunning gold lettering and um how tall is this I? Don't remember: okay, okay, all right.

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I didn't have them. I didn't have the dimensions on that one, but this is leading into the Veterans Park, um just just kind of a beautiful stunning look and then, as we get into um I, can't really read what that says, but that's another Monument with okay, the donors. Okay, so even something like that is an option. Obviously you know as we as we look at something like this, and we have the option for donors and sponsorships um it's as simple as engraving engraving.

D

The names on there and seeking sponsorships and donors is always an option. So these are the different. uh You know like, as I've said said already. You know: we've had um suggestions like man. Why? Why can't we have something that represents all veterans? Why can't we have something that represents all all military branches? Well, here's! You know some really good examples of that of what what's available to us.

D

um So obviously these are beautiful, stunning, very um that this city was very descriptive on how they wanted these. As you can see, there's a lot of work that goes into this. We got the the Marines lifting the flag down Iwo Jima. We got the Eternal Flame, we got the Eagles um a lot of intricate work on that, so that the price kind of reflects that that's probably a kind of a top tier Monument here, with the amount of work that went into this and the different uh Engravings and such so.

D

The the colors is what I, what I, like especially too I mean you see the Marine Corps colors.

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Here you see the gold uh there's the Marines lifting that flag on Iwo Jima again, so that's the Marines and then you got the Coast Guard I mean you got the the beautiful like aqua, blue turquoise color there with the ship engraved in the middle Eternal Flame, and then the eagle there see the flagpole in the middle vigilance, looks like Vigilant sacrifice and a couple other things on the flagpole I would imagine the flagpole would be included in that price.

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It is so there we have the Coast Guard we've got the Navy see the uh the anchor there in the middle with the Eternal Flame, and then the eagle up top and um beautiful, beautiful colors, beautiful colors on the on the military logos.

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There's Air Force same thing: beautiful see the jet engraved in the middle there, the actual silhouette of the jet, the gold star. Can you see the gold star on the on the left side, just kind of barely um beautiful stunning.

D

All right, so this was just some more worked out. This is what I, what I seen when I went to some Memorial last week that they're working on the back. You know that was another aspect that we were uh we were given. You know some suggestions on like hey that we um maybe we could tie this in and have it as just as a Memorial Park in general and tie in. Maybe you know the police and firefighter.

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You know the sacrifices they've made over the years and the you know the different, uh the the different firefighters in the in the police officers.

D

So this was just some of the work that I seen when I went down there uh there's the price approximately ten thousand dollars, but, as you see more just you know stunning beautiful coloring on the international firefighters logo on the left and then also the Akron firefighter local 330 on the right there, um just kind of just just kind of stunning beautiful, like a I, don't know, uh I, don't know how it could be more vibrant than that. It just really really looks great to me all right.

D

So obviously uh that was a lot of information to go through. It's all on the uh the Powerpoints that we printed out um we're not actually going to do a question and answer session tonight, because uh special meetings, Accord, are uh our rurals and uh Council rules that special meetings.

D

We don't take uh comments from the public, but what we'd like to do is if you do have a question or if you do have um well anything in general email, our Clerk of council, Carrie, Macomber, email, her question and then we'll be we'll be uh prepared to answer that at our next council meeting. So that'll give us time if there's some kind of uh questions that we have to research or anything we can make, we can do our best due diligence due diligence to make sure that we have an accurate answer for anyone.

D

So, like I, said, Carrie mccombers, our Clerk of counsel.

D

K-A-K-M-A-C-O-M-B-E-R at the city of Norton .org, and um she will um she will get back with you four to two, uh the right person and we'll get the questions answered. um A couple other additional things. I think I already pointed this out, but the uh the Williams Park, obviously that can only be used as a as a park. It's it can't it's a deed restriction. It can't be used for anything else.

D

So we've talked about this before where um you know well, why would we put money into the park because it's already being neglected or it's you know it's an eyesore I feel like this is a chance to actually turn that negative into a positive I feel like the park is an eyesore, maybe eyesore's, not the right word, but that's how it was awarded to me. I, don't necessarily agree. It's an eyesore, but it's it's not getting used. So now we have an opportunity where we can use this park. We can.

D

We can start to get some funding into this park. You know repair that gazebo have people there at the park and have a reason that we can put more more money into the park and, um like we said you know it's right now, we're looking at Columbia woods and we're looking at Williams Park we're not you know we're not dead, set on either we're looking for input.

D

If you have, if you have a suggestion or you have a a preference email us, let us know, but you know I, just I'm, leaning towards that location, also because it's the location of it now I understand. We also have parking issues and we also have access issues but I think they're, easily remedied, say uh the majority of people there are going to obviously be there for Memorial Day or, like fourth July, like there's. No reason why we can't have a police helping people cross the road or we can even have an established drop off.

D

You pull up your car. You drop off even if somebody's in a wheelchair, the uh we're planning on having it handicap accessible. So you can pull up in a wheelchair and you can you can drop them off and then pull back around and pick them up.

D

um One additional thing: I know the parks, master plan hasn't actually been amended or hasn't been adopted by Council. Yet, but you know that that is a service that we that we paid for and it um it does suggest that maybe we use that area as a Veterans Park that was in the in the Parks master plan.

D

So we're not that far off base with what we're trying to accomplish here um and it's something that I do believe that we can all meet in the middle and uh last thing is, is the price you know everything always comes down to price and rightfully so, and you know being elected officials myself and everyone else. We we want to be good stewards of the money that that we're given. You know whether or not that we're given, but that we have access to and we you know we don't.

D

We don't want this to be something that we're trying to force on anyone or something that's uh trying to sneak over on anybody. That's not the intent at all. So we're looking forward to um getting some input from the city from the citizens send an email call whatever you need to do to get. You know if you have a suggestion, but I feel like for every suggestion that that I've been given that we've been given I feel like we've, been able to provide a an.

F

D

You know we've provided an answer for the funding. We provided an answer, for we want it for all veterans. We've we've provided an answer for everything that I've been that's been brought up to me as far as hey. Why don't we do this? Or can we do? This I feel like we've been able to we've been able to uh to to come back with something legitimate.

F

um And obviously,.

D

With the price, the fundraising, um no one, no one can guarantee fundraising. No one I can't sit here and say that I guarantee that we could get the entire price through fundraising, but I I really feel like we could. We could really do good, like I I can't quantify it. I can't say specifically like yes, we'll do 30, 000 or 40 or half or two-thirds I. Obviously, I can't do that, but I think this is something that's long overdue I'm a president Norton born and raised here.

D

A military veteran I've got lots of friends in the military veterans. I mean this is this is within our ability to do something like, even even if we have to we meet in the middle and it's you know it's a give and take like this is something that we can do this we can.

D

We can meet in some capacity and have a Fitting Place in our city, for our our veterans- and you know our firefighters down the road are police to have a place to memorialize and give honor to the sacrifice that these people have done. I just really believe that and I say that with the whole heart, not not as in trying to force anything on anyone or trying to you know, pull the wool over on anyone. uh Let's, let's have a dialogue over this.

D

Let's uh send your email with your your suggestions or whatever you're thinking and let's, let's see how we can move forward.

C

Thank you, Mr Luken,.

G

I have a question. First, the gentleman you introduced, who was he again.

D

Who's, some of them tomorrow, that's.

G

Mr Ken noon, um Mr Vice President, according to our rules and many times in the past, during special Council meetings, we have allowed special, have allowed the public to respond and have their opinions ask questions.

G

This was supposed to be a community meeting for whatever reason, and actually, as some of the rumors got out there, that it was going to be said that they weren't going to be allowed to talk. You had people didn't come specifically. For that reason, and at this point I would like to make a motion, because we can do it by vote of motion if there are letters or one of uh residents or somebody in the on the floor that would like to speak. I would like to allow that to happen.

G

If they have questions or whatever just want to make a statement or like I said, read any of the letters that we have been received.

C

They'll, second, that.

C

Carry what you call the roll.

B

Miss wipke, yes, Mr de Harper.

C

B

Mr Lukens, yes, Mr Bates, yes,.

C

Great at this time, um if there's anybody that has any public comment, um I invite you to come up sign your name on the sign in sheet. If you have something that you want to read, or you want to express and state your name and address, and you would have five minutes and.

D

I have to turn the microphone around because I got it facing the wrong direction.

B

F

My name is Anita Gibson I live at 3301, Higgins Drive, Norton Ohio, when this was first brought to my attention.

F

um I was a little taken aback and came because this actually was something that we were talking about back in 2017 when one of our parks and Cemetery board members named Jesse Prather was wanting to put a Veterans Park. There was some type of Veterans Memorial in the city of Norton and when I came to the meeting, I met Mr Lukens at one point and I saw his passion in this project and it really and I know the Parks.

F

Board is very much behind a Veterans, Memorial and Jamie and I talked, and he was very open to some of my suggestions and I really appreciated that and the fact that he has done his due diligence and gone out and got a quotes and other bids and different memorials. I think he's answered a lot of the questions that were brought up in the past regarding some of the concerns of other citizens and I. Think he's really done a great job at that and I wanted to commend him on that.

F

I think his presentation was wonderful and I can pretty much say that I'm looking forward to working with him in the future and the rest of council and I'm pretty excited about this speaking personally and that's all I have to say thank you. Thank.

C

F

Thanks Eva.

E

Foreign, my name is Gary D Nichols I live at 3663 connect, Road Norton, Mr Fowler asked me to come here tonight to talk in favor of the memorial. Is that I mean it didn't seem like that kind of meeting, but is that still open? Yes, okay!

E

Vietnam was my. So that's what I'm going to talk about, but the center applies to all the wars. Can you bring it here in this room? Norton residence died in Vietnam, been.

D

Trying to figure that out, okay.

E

Exactly when I started, I grew up. I knew that a couple of Norton graduates were killed in Vietnam when the Vietnam War in Washington DC several years ago to look up my comrades that were killed Vietnam as an after thought. I'd once from Norton by Norton, came up with zero today with computers. If you search by Norton, you will come to zero when you search by Barber and you will come up with 18 names after which I found that 50 are from Barberton. One is from Coventry two are from purple.

E

Jerry, wind or wine are known to wish you had. He resigned by Reimer Road graduated from Norton High School in 1963.. He was killed in Vietnam August 27, 1967.

E

E

Well, U.S army. He lived it three: two four Whipple Avenue he graduated from Norton High, School 1967.

E

he's killed in Vietnam on April 12 1968 at the age of 20., and, if possible, I'd like to win the silence in honor of these two sons never died. Absolutely.

E

E

Some have said that Norton doesn't need a monument because there's already one in Clinton several times. If you look at that, Monument you'll see their you'll see their names among 3095, others that were killed from Ohio. Nowhere does it say they were from Norton, hardly A fitting honor to our Warriors from Norton I. Think in conclusion, I'd like to say I, think 55 years is long enough for the for the marine and Soldier and their families to wait and to get their permission from their hometown of Norton Ohio.

B

Thank you very much.

A

Sir, thank you.

C

Thank you for coming tonight, sir.

C

C

Okay, at this time, there are two letters that I was asked: the clerk to read before Council, to be put in the record.

B

This um email was received on September 22nd at 3 39 PM from David France, three, three, six, five, four Brookside Norton Ohio by concern with the city moving forward with the planning of a Veterans Memorial in the Williams peace Park is this looks to be the idea and planning of one councilman and the city Administration, and not the parks and Cemetery board. The powers and duties of the parks and Cemetery board is to suggest planning for the parks.

B

If this Memorial was the creation of a councilman and planning was made without the parks and Cemetery board, I would suggest that this project be stopped pathway be taken. That is, that the parks and Cemetery board make their options for the plan and take this to council. The city should let the parks and Cemetery board do the job that was given to them. I hear a lot of we get looked into this and we researched to know who we is. If we doesn't include the parks Cemetery board, then this project should be stopped. Thank you.

B

David Francis.

B

This email was received from Joe Casey on Wednesday September 21st at 9 49 pm Joe Casey 627 Crawford Avenue in Barberton, Ohio 44203, Dear, Mr, Lukens I. Am writing you, this email in hopes that you will read it into the record during the special public meeting in regards to the proposal of the gold star Memorial at Williams Park, unfortunately, due to a scheduled conflict.

B

Excuse me I've been stating for years at Williams, Park Place of prime real estate within the city of Norton. It's it's just a vacant lot with a worn out gazebo the city uses it once or twice a year other than that it's an eyesore, but on September 23rd 2019 Norton city council passed ordinance, 98-2019.

B

By a vote of seven to zero, allowing the administrative officer to enter into an agreement with hilts and mcclement LLC professional Engineering Services in connection with the preparation of a Parks Improvement plan in a to exceed 29 600 dollars at a public meeting held 25 months later at a local bar on October 5th 2021 Williams Park was one of the topics of discussion it was discussed at Williams. Park should become the Williams Veteran Memorial Park.

B

Very little details was reviewed at that time fast forward, 36 months after the original passage, the topic attorney Williams Park into Veteran Memorial Park on the floor. Council floor should have been the last and final places top should have been brought up at Norton has a parks and Cemetery was from my understanding, understanding, completely bypassed. Nothing was designed or financing the project, the only between the administration and one council member since the Norton 2020 Parks master plan results were never have been never released to the residents for review.

B

I'd have to guess the parks and cemeteries board did not receive a copy either. My suggestion would be remove this from there and present it to the board for its due process.

B

Some council members have stated that this Memorial is a start, a start of what there is no master plan. We look like there's no planned stages of process this, whatever putting the cart in front of the horse. That's something often see what happens is not the attitude needed for a project like this Norton was one of, if not the first Purple Heart City in Summit County, the administration was so excited to announce it and to have their pictures in the local.

B

The lack of planning has done what for the Purple Heart residents Within, all they got for their sacrifice is a parking spot.

B

Please don't make this another photo. Op portunity with councils and the administration support. This could be somewhat's great achievement if the administration or and or Council, can waste nearly thirty thousand dollars on a park study. Why can't they allocate the same amount of funds to get the Gazebo redone and make it something that the residents can be proud of? That should be stepped step. Two get plans of what final project will be like and take it step to step from there. Parking, sidewalks monuments and budgeting needs to be planned.

B

I would hate to see something that shows our respect, love and dedication for all veterans become just another deplorable gazebo in a short period of time. Best regards Joe, Casey.

C

Thank you Carrie um at this time. Is there any comment from Council? Yes,.

G

Mr Vice President, my phone's been ringing off the hook and even talking personally to the general public from Norton and.

F

I'm really not had anybody.

G

Come to me saying that some of them aren't for doing it at all until after we take care of what we already have and then a majority of them, they're, they're, okay, with and even good with the memorial but I've not had anybody say that they they wouldn't start off all veterans and then look at next, and this is basically what I've been hearing from the get-go and they also get the money first and we'll talk about it as opposed to just taking it out of the coffers we keep referring to a park.

G

We don't really have a specific Park fund that I have found. Mrs Keener would have been here and I could have asked her the park spot where we take in Revenue, but we don't have I, can't find a line item saying like the community findings, but we don't have one, as specifically as said Park ERS. But if you look at your monthly things, you won't really see anything for coming in specifically for parks.

G

When we talk about the money and using the Time Warner franchise money, that's basically going into the and to be able to use for any of the property or building and go anywhere. The only specific fund that we've had since cemeteries have been involved. Jerry fund, that's the one that contains 20 some thousand dollars.

G

So I wanted to point that out, but, like I said I've a memorial I thought it was a great idea, but not specifically gold. Star um I can appreciate and I've stated before so I'm just going to do it very quickly. I appreciate the loss. Families have felt, but I appreciate even more the loss that families feel of those that come back that have been harmed in some way or they have other issues that they have to live with, for whatever the rest of their life may be and they're all deserving of recognition.

G

And that is a place. We need to start one engulfs, every one of them and every branch every way, shape and I believe that the the firemen and the police should they also give their lives up and, and we're probably all been to Wars and event Veterans as well. We need to recognize Veterans as a whole and then grow. They figured we can and again the majority of what I'm getting back. My feedback is either not at all or go and for veterans all veterans, not just a specific.

D

I had a question real, quick, maybe Mr I, don't know if you can answer um so. We have money money set aside funding set aside for the cemetery under the Parks Board, but not for the parks in general understanding, just Cemetery, okay, because the reason why I've said that before that we've had the funding available, thought was awarded to me. So if I, you know Mr vice president Mr.

C

Nebo go ahead and step up to the microphone. Please.

F

It it seems to me that when we did the cable franchise fee many years ago, that money was um literally geared to go in the Parks. Okay, somehow something changed, I think the money that is in the cemetery fund right now, because we were never really aware that we had money in the cemetery fund until recent I think that is from selling plots at Western Star. That's where that money has come from so but I'm pretty sure.

F

That years ago, money from the cable.

F

And then what happened? Where that changed and it went into the general fund? Maybe you know that Miss whipkey I, don't I, don't know, but years ago it was geared for the.

D

Parts well, I know when we started this discussion. I know Administration said that this would not come from the general fund. I do know that was said. If any of you guys remember hearing that as well. So um I guess our next question would be them one specific. What we need to find out but I know that that was what what was said in meetings before that it was not going to come from the general fund money. The.

G

Franchise funds does actually go in to the best of my knowledge does go into the general fund, but it's actually earmarked for any of the buildings right or any of the properties.

G

That city owns it when it did at one point and I know, I tried to keep it going or at least directed strictly to the park so that we could have been making improvements way back when and when it came and actually had it Rewritten to do that and then come into a council meeting and I got overridden and they put it back to just going back in a broad disbursement right.

D

But just as a general, it's you know, statement I I really did try to do my best to make sure that we covered all our bases that anything that was spoken to me. That was a a suggestion. A critique whatever I tried to make sure that was on that PowerPoint I think we have a really good kind of a starting point. Now at least we've got multiple designs: we've got multiple monuments, we've got multiple prices, I think we've got everything that we need there.

D

um Maybe this gets shot back down to to the Parks Board and then they start to look at it and say: okay, what can we do with this? You know it's. It's not my intent, I, don't I, don't think it's none of our intent. I think I can speak forever. Everyone here that to force this on anyone or to make this a situation, that's uh contentious or Politics, as Usual I mean this is this is something that this is Patriot patriotism here. This is this is soldiers.

D

This is something that we we should all be able to meet in the middle across any party lines cross. Any demographic lines- this is something we should all be able to meet in the middle in some capacity and work through this.

C

Thank you, Mr Lukens, my my biggest concern through this whole thing has been um that's been brought up to me. Numerous times is just the location of being in Williams Park for parking.

C

um My opinion, take it with a grain of salt. I I would probably like to see it maybe prefer being here down in the where a veteran can actually pull up right next to it. If they want to sit in their car in a parking spot and Gaze on it.

C

um You know some of the older people in our city that can't walk across traffic and I've heard about special parking spots and stuff, like that. You know certainly every option's open for discussion, but that has been one of the biggest things that was said to me was you know, ease of access for the older veterans.

A

C

um To to be able to go and enjoy it, they could go down there and enjoy it Park their car right next to it not even have to get out if they wanted to.

G

C

Take a minute most of the festivities celebrations, cider Fest everything's held right here. It would be uh viewed by hundreds of thousands of more people that come in for fireworks and things like.

F

C

um Instead of maybe just driven past and gazed at that way, that's just my opinion, um but but that's my that's my thought on it. So actually.

G

I think that's an excellent way of putting it and I and I understand you're, saying the visibility is down here, but how much visibility will there actually be right.

D

G

You know it gets pretty hectic right.

D

And and for the record, I'm not like I'm, not dead, set on either location, and that's why we brought both of them up like I, want to go with what makes the most sense for our community. What makes sense for for visitation. You know and I'm just looking at that from like that location aspect of like.

A

D

It's just hard to be I wish. We could just have that location, but Columbia would be over there. We.

A

D

That so, then, you know I I get that, but that's that's! That's where I'm at with that I I mean I've, said it before it's. It's not a deal breaker for me. Either way like I just want to see our veterans. Honored I, don't care if it's at Williams Park or if it's.

C

Columbia Woods I think when you go down to the Veterans Park and Canal Fulton or Clinton. Rather it's super quiet. It's.

D

C

It's surreal: it's respectful, yeah.

D

That's a good point.

C

It's not sitting in the middle of an intersection where cars are honking. School buses are pulling.

D

Out it's a good points.

C

So I I- just that's just my thought- take it with a grain of salt, but.

G

um I appreciate that and I've got everybody wants that gazebo fixed, that's something that we could do now and it's just a shame that it took some to get this far and not have done it as well as the cemeteries and some other things we put so much effort into it and uh I have no idea why the park study has not been brought forth to be.

D

Approved I'm working on it.

F

We've actually had it.

G

For at least two years and have done absolutely nothing, maybe they'll get it right on their third time of writing. It hopefully get me off that stinking committee.

D

Yeah uh Mr McComb I got a question or Mr Vice President actually uh can we can? Are we able to do that to to make a motion to add that to our agenda coming up for the um the parks master plan? Let's.

C

Let's talk about that in the next committee.

A

Work session: okay, all.

C

Right um that way, we can. We can also.

D

C

On subject of the.

D

Special agenda and I have one kind of last closing comment: if I could Mr Vice President good, so the last thing I want to say is obviously we're still at a point here where we have this gold star Memorial on the on the table, um I would like I would appreciate for everyone who's hearing this or that has an interest, reach out, send an email and tell us what you want. What do you want as a community? What do you want to see? What is it? What is it that is fitting for our community?

D

Given you know the prices that we described? Look through this PowerPoint, you know request it from Clerk of council. If you have to look through it and and tell us, you know what what do you like? What is fitting, what what is appropriate for our city given given location price and what you think is fitting for our city, because I'm really interested in hearing you guys opinion.

C

Thank you, Mr Lukens,.

G

I found that I have a question: I mean it's kind of hard to see those up there in these little tiny pictures. Are these basically still staying with gold star or are these veterans in general.

G

Are these basically, all steel, gold star? The things that you that are in here I mean.

D

Unless it now listen, so if, if it has a gold star on it, that doesn't that doesn't necessarily mean that it's strictly dedicated to a gold star Monument, because there was the monument that I think it was in Smithville. It did have some gold stars on there, I mean a gold star is a gold star, I mean it, it can mean adults are family or it just mean it's just a gold star, I guess I, don't have 100 the proper answer on that.

D

Maybe we can get it from someone else, but the gold star, if it's a if it says like yes, gold, star families like we see The Monuments for the gold star and it's got the gold star on there. Then that's what that means, but some of those monuments have a gold star on there. Maybe that's what it means, but I wouldn't say that, because it has the gold star that that entire Monument is dedicated to Gold Star families. Does that make sense.

G

Kinda um another thing I'd like to mention just because they deserve the recognition but Norton High School also has a bench down at uh Clinton's, Veteran Memorial and it's quite nice too, actually I like it better than the cities, nice yeah.

D

I found that one a little later after the PowerPoint that one was the class of 1964 right Norton, is that what it was no.

G

That was not in existence. You're.

D

Talking about the bench in Clinton, yeah, there's a bench down there. It says class 1964 for Norton Barberton. They.

G

Didn't have it in 64., they just started that like I, think 2007, because I think is when the wall first went up.

D

So the bench that I'm talking about that I have a picture of it was.

G

D

Norton High School class of 1964. I.

G

Said I don't know how they could have done it when there.

D

Wasn't 1966 the.

G

Clinton Memorial wasn't there at that.

D

Time the the class of 1966 sponsored a bench down there see it can.

G

You guys see that yeah I.

D

Didn't even know that I just I just came across it the other day, I seen it online, so they must have sponsored a bench down there at some point in time.

G

And was that the one with the Panther on it yeah.

D

Yeah class of 1966.

C

Well, I certainly appreciate the homework and the amount of time that you've you've spent in looking into this Mr Lukens and I I think that we're on a on a better path um to to serve all veterans um and with with a memorial uh potentially it could be a a beautiful draw to our city. So I appreciate your time and your heart um for really wanting to serve and and do something special for your city.

C

um At this time, I'd like to uh make a motion to adjourn the meeting I'll.

D

C

G

C

Meeting adjourned.