A site for a proposed new monument honoring Armed Forces was approved by Laurens County Council last evening. The vote was to place the monument at the corner of North Harper and East Main Streets, just off the square. That’s where a dangerously dilapidated building is about to be torn down with funding from the county assisting Laurens City government. Councilman Keith Tollison said “since council gave money to the city to tear the building down, that would be one way for us to get a return on our investment.”
Two previously suggested locations for the new monument had raised opposition. Council Chairman Jim Coleman told council that he had been made aware that there was strong opposition to a proposal to place it on the Historic Courthouse grounds due to its impact on that area, and the presence of monuments to the nation’s wars already there.
Carey D. Bolt, Veteran’s Affairs Officer for Laurens and Greenwood Counties made a video presentation to council regarding the memorial, which will honor each branch of the service. He said bricks to pave the area around the monument will be available for sale to honor individual service members. A potential company to construct the monument, Keystone Monuments of Elberton, Georgia was part of the video presentation. Carey Bolt said he hopes that the monument would be finished by the end of the summer in time for the 10th annual Hall of Heroes celebration. Council Chair Jim Coleman said that Veterans Day would be a more realistic goal.
The idea was presented to the Committee on Public Works last week, but was presented to the full council without a recommendation. The monument is expected to cost $230,000.
Councilman Ed McDaniel asked Bolt a question he said he keeps hearing from many people, “Why do we need another war memorial since we have so many.”
Bolt’s response was that, “This memorial will be for the later and less known wars and later wars like Granada, Afghanistan, Iraq, and to all veterans now and in the future.” Last night’s unanimous approval of the construction at East Main & North Harper came with a stipulation that the funding and the final design be settled.