HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-04-MMC-min Monuments and Memorials Committee
Minutes of Meeting
May 4, 2017
Reed Room, Town Office Building
Attendance
Sam Doran, Chair; members Linda Dixon, Bebe Fallick, Kathy Jacob and Charlie Price;
Liaison from the Board of Selectmen Suzie Barry
Somerset Road WWII Memorial
Bebe Fallick revisited the subject of the Merriam Hill Association's unofficial memorial to five
neighborhood soldiers lost in World War IL The parents of one of the soldiers created a
memorial for the young men on Somerset Road by planting five trees in an adjacent lot along
with a bench and some rocks. This spot has served as a quiet sanctuary but today is no longer
viable. The Association is requesting that this memorial be moved to a small piece of town-
owned land located at the split in Somerset Road known locally as the "green banana".
At a Committee meeting of July 10, 2014, Chris Filadoro, who serves as Tree Warden, felt he
could accommodate the request for five trees. He planned to visit the site first before making
any further recommendations. To date, no action has been taken. Suzie Barry agreed to follow
up on this matter.
Minuteman Statue on the Green
Selectmen Board Chair Suzie Barry explained that the Board's major concern with the proposed
work on the Minuteman statue was the issue of restoration. At its meeting of xx at which Dr.
Evans was present but no members of the Monuments and Memorials Committee were in
attendance, Dr. Evans made a passionate and convincing argument in favor of his methods.
Subsequently, the Facilities Department has been unable to identify a bidder who will take on the
restoration work using Dr. Evans' approach.
The Board will revisit the issue on May 22. Suzie noted that a Committee presence at this
meeting would be a visible indicator of Committee support for the Daedalus approach and would
help to insure a fair and balanced hearing of both sides of the issue. Letters of support from
appropriate subject matter experts would also be helpful. Sam Doran will submit a brief recap of
the Committee's position and recommendations to the Board by May 17.
After Suzie left the meeting, the Committee discussed various strategies to prepare for the May
22 meeting. Sam Doran, Bebe Fallick and Charlie Price are available to attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Submitted by Linda Dixon