Board of Selectmen Meeting
by Jay Shenk
December 21, 2009
Memorial Committee Presentation
The December 21st Board of Selectmen meeting was held primarily to hear the final report of the “Memorial Committee”, a Committee charged by the Selectmen with coming up with a fair and coherent procedure for memorializing public property in Westminster. To accomplish this, the Committee borrowed terminology and procedures from other communities, such as Concord, where fairly firm policies have been put into place to both handle the need for memorials while preserving the character of the historic towns.
There is a link to the entire presentation below, and is worth reading by anyone who feels strongly about or is involved with memorializing or placing memorials on public property—for instance, naming a bridge, planting a tree, donating a bench, etc.
At a high level, here’s what I gathered at the meeting about the recommendation (not yet approved by the Selectmen):
• There will continue to be a “Memorial Committee” (TBD standing or on call) whose charter will be to examine requests for memorials, and to report to the Selectmen with a recommendation.
• The power to decide what gets ‘memorialized’ will reside solely with the Selectmen, although public input will be welcome.
• The Common on Academy Hill will remain unchanged (not subject to “memorialization”), but a new Memorial Garden area will be created adjacent to the Common, on approximately two acres of town owned property on Academy Hill near the Azarian Barn.
• Detailed Plans for the Memorial area are on the attached plan.
