CLEAR LAKE – A proposed veteran’s memorial in Clear Lake has stoked debate and opinions, and the item will be discussed tonight at the Clear Lake City Council meeting.
The Clear Lake City Council will meet tonight at 6:30 at the Clear Lake Fire Station. The meeting will be held at the Fire Station due to the construction happening in the City Hall offices. Citizens should enter through the door on the north side of the building.
A major item on the agenda is a proposed veterans memorial.
“For those of you who want to share your thoughts, concerns, opinions, or beliefs regarding a new Veteran’s memorial in Clear Lake – You are invited to come to our public council meeting and voice your opinion,” Mr. Nelson said Monday. “Exercise your rights!”
City Administrator Scott Flory will give a presentation on the project following citizen and council comments.
On July 16, the Clear Lake Park Board decided not locate the proposed memorial at the sea wall by City Park. The board decided to recommend to the City Council to form a task force of a variety of community members, to research alternative memorial locations and present preferred options to City Council .
Several citizens spoke at that meeting with opinions on the matter.
Among them, Julie McQuaid spoke that she was concerned for the safety issue that could arise from placing the memorial at the Sea Wall location, and was opposed to the Sea Wall location.
Gene Madson spoke that he had visited with several board members about the memorial. He continued that the focus is to have the memorial at the seawall location and that he has heard concern for the obstruction of view of the lake, and that the proposed memorial would not have any view obstruction. Madson finished by stating that the memorial would be 35 feet at its widest point, and that he can’t speak for the whole town but that this is the only spot that makes sense, and that he has checked other locations.
Donna Dull spoke that she works with Central Gardens and is concerned with the respect that people will show to the memorial if placed at the sea wall location, as she currently doesn’t see respect shown at the gardens and believes that a veterans memorial deserves to have that respect shown.
Mike Nelson spoke that you would be able to still see around, over and through the memorial if placed at the seawall. He stated our vets earned that turf.
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When the vets wanted to erect the memorial in Central Park MC they encountered flak from the Parks Board. I thought,what’s the problem? After it was built I saw why. Looks like a sideshow. Totally out of proportion with the other structures in the park. Hang tough CL Council, it’s tough to vote against motherhood and apple pie.
The citizens elected who they wanted to represent them. Let the elected officials make the decisions they were elected to make.
You cannot say No to any sort of military memorial even if they wanted to place it in your very own front yard.
This is basically one of those topics that if anyone opposes to, for whatever reason, then they are un-American. It should have never even been brought up for debate.
Everywhere you go these there’s some sort of memorial, military or not.
Why do we need constant reminders of horrible acts such as war, 9-11, or any other death/catastrophe??
There’s already a memorial flag poll to a specific Vietnam veteran near the boat launch. The memorial should be placed near that one if anywhere. Or put it in city park. The whole thing makes me yawn. Still wondering when Tony is going to “untable” the noise ordinance or bring up a new proposal for “Ride Quietly in Residential Areas” signs throughout the city? He doesn’t need to wait for Jim Boehnke to take the pacifier out of his mouth. I know…he’s playing it safe. 🙁
A government’s use of lethal military force will always be controversial, as citizens have differing opinions. Actions begun cannot be undone and become a permanent part of history. Erecting memorials to veterans or specific wars in public areas is a kick in the eye against those who didn’t support that particular campaign. Everyone is bound under the same colors so it sucks when political leaders bring us into conflicts we find unnecessary, only to be reminded constantly by a memorial
This is why all wars should be voted on by 1. Congress 2. The people 3. The military. Executive action should be confined to emergency situations. Wars should require 3/4 majority. We live in a highly technological internet smart phone age. All the people should be registering their views to elected leaders, and should carry just as much weight. Direct Democracy is possible: use it. Now with that said, I’m glad to see Tony at least making an effort to interact with the people.
So in summation, NO there should not be any veterans memorial placed anywhere in clear lake on public lands because the military acts in a privatized, bigoted, and myopic manner. It doesn’t represent all of the people, nor keep its doors open to all. So keep those memorials privately funded and on private lands. OM and out.
How it would work: People with evidence would petition congress. This could be the CIA, pentagon, executive, human right agencies, political refugees etc…. Congress would vote; 2/3 majority would send it to the People; 3/4 majority would send it to the Military; 2/3 majority of military approval, and war action would commence. This is a fair formula for determining use of military force.
@Philly-where it is not a bad idea it probably will not work. Half of the idiots now are not qualified to be voting as it is, much less on anything as important as this. Think about it.
@Philly-Sorry, that didn’t make much sense did it. I kept getting interrupted by the damn phone. I hope you got my meaning.
I understood your meaning perfectly. Yes there are a lot of dumb asses out there, but most of them stay home and don’t vote anyway. I could see many voting for war just because they think it’s cool or play video games, but that’s why there would be 3 tiers to pass through. Perhaps the final vote should be the people themselves and not the military. Congress, then military, then people.
No to the See Wall! It will ruin the view!
Know what else would have ruined our view? If our brave soldiers hadn’t fought and kept our enemies from taking over our great country we would now be viewing a flag other than the Stars & Stripes. Please think about this.