Agenda - 06-16-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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18 1 2 Concurrent with our efforts, veterans, students, and families of veterans of Orange County have 3 also asked the question, "Why don't we have a County Veterans Memorial?" That challenge 4 has created an opportunity for the veterans of Chapel Hill to join with County veterans to build a 5 noble memorial for the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County within Chapel Hill. We have 6 shared our memorial's concept with Orange County veterans and it has been well received. 7 8 This County Memorial may be a good and appropriate fit for the Orange County Southern 9 Human Services complex on Homestead Rd. Space for a memorial on the "homestead" site 10 area may be available. The Veterans Committee has looked at this alternate site and, if 11 available, would provide a premiere location for a Veterans Memorial at Chapel Hill. It is well- 12 suited for a memorial on the upper hillside. There is ample parking, public transportation, and 13 the center is frequently visited by both Chapel Hill and County citizens. 14 15 I share this information with you now, as we have been asked to consider combining efforts. 16 The county will soon be asked about a memorial and an appropriate site. We think that 17 Homestead Road site in Chapel Hill would be well-served to be the home for a veterans' 18 memorial for the veterans of Orange County. 19 20 Most respectfully, 21 22 JIM MERRITT BRUCE RUNBERG 23 Veterans Memorial Committee Chairman Co-Chairman 24 25 Commissioner Price asked if the members of the Veterans Memorial Committee would 26 stand and be recognized. Commissioner Price said there are also some Committee members 27 from the Northern and Central parts of the County that have joined in this effort. She thanked 28 them for their service in general, and specifically for their work on this Memorial. 29 Commissioner Price asked if the approval process can be done in conjunction with the 30 Town of Chapel Hill. 31 Commissioner Jacobs recognized Mr. York who had helped bring this Memorial to 32 fruition. He said a design was created by David Swanson, in conjunction with the group 33 working on a Chapel Hill Cemetery version of the Veterans' Memorial. He said this design may 34 well still work for the Southern Human Services Center site. He said students from Stanford 35 Middle School presented five different proposed Memorial designs to the Veterans Memorial 36 Committee. He said these designs were not incompatible with the design of David Swanson. 37 He said he hoped their presentations could be incorporated with that original design. He said it 38 was wonderful to see the students so engaged in honoring Veterans. 39 Commissioner Jacobs said both he and Commissioner Price were honored to work 40 with such a group as this. He said he hopes the proposed site will be more visible, more 41 flexible, larger, and able to accommodate more visitors. 42 Commissioner Jacobs said in reference to the Southern Human Services Center site, 43 the road will go right by this Memorial as people visit the Southern Human Services Center. He 44 said this is a great opportunity to embrace the honoring of local Veterans in a way that is 45 integral to the daily business of Orange County Government. 46 Commissioner Rich said she was on the Chapel Hill Town Council when Mr. Merritt first 47 brought this proposal forward. She said she was concerned about the placement of the site in 48 reference to the future road, but Commissioner Jacobs assured her of the design. 49 Commissioner Rich asked if there is a timeframe for this project. 50 Jeff Thompson said there is at least a two to three year timeframe for raising funds.