Politics & Government

Healdsburg Takes First Step Toward Plaza 9/11 Memorial

Parks and Rec Commission gives OK.

 

Healdsburg Parks and Recreation Commission on Wednesday gave its blessing on a plan to place a memorial plaque holding a piece of I-beam from the World Trade Center Twin Towers destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001 in

"This means a lot to me," Ret. Healdsburg Fire Engineer Ben Gilliam told the commission prior to their 5-2 vote in favor of the Plaza placement for the memorial. "Every city and town in America should have a piece of the World Trade Center in public display."

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About 20 people, including were in the audience to support Gilliam's proposal. McGuire has written a letter backing the project.

Gilliam's plan now goes to Healdsburg City Council, which will cast the final vote on the design of the memorial and whether to place it in the Plaza.

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"This should not be forgotten," said Gilliam, who first contacted the New York City Fire Department to ask them to send the piece of the building. "This is a perfect piece for that space."

He said the Plaza spot would be roughly midway between the on Center Street and the on Healdsburg Avenue at West Grant Street and so would be equally respectful to both police and firefighters.

"There were 343 firefighters, 60 police officers and 3,000 citizens who died that day," said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Joe Lickey. "It belongs where everyone can see it."

In addition to Lickey, commissioners Richard Bugarske, Kent Mitchell, Jay Tripathi and Gus Hermosa voted in favor of the Plaza placement.

"It's fantastic, I support it; it's a great spot," Bugarske said. "I'm glad we're finally taking care of it."

Commissioners Tom Peterson and Kathy Birdsong cast the two "no" votes, saying while they supported the memorial idea, that they would rather see it installed in another location in the city.

"Everyone wants everything to be in the Plaza," Peterson said. "If we do this for one group, are we going to get other organizations, like all the teachers in California, saying they want to have their group represented in the Plaza?"

Peterson said he thought the Plaza placement should be reserved  Healdsburg local residents.

Hermosa said he was in favor of the Plaza site, but cautioned that there could be a high voltage electrical unit underneath the desired location. Commission members said they would ask the city's electric department to investigate that concern.

According to drawings submitted Wednesday by Gilliam, the memorial would be located along Center Street south of the Plaza's gazebo, and between the gazebo and Matheson Street.

Gilliam's said an anonymous donor has agreed to finance the cost of the memorial up to $10,000.

The design, done by a teacher and his class at Healdsburg High School, calls for the I-beam, embedded in concrete, to sit atop a small four-sided pillar of darker concrete.

The pillar would be installed in a brick base. On the side of the pillar would be a cast metal plaque and a medalion.

"It is hoped that, by revealing the composition of the pillar in subtle ways, we promote contemplation of the universal truths and lessons of 9/11, and that our shared humanity is our greatest gift," says the project summary submitted to the city Wednesday.

Project members, in addition to Gilliam, include: Schuyler Bartholomay; Alex Villanueva; Austin Beck-Doss; Dalton Baker; Luis Fernando Gonzalez; Luis Nieves; Jerry Eddinger; Glen Schaezlin; and Ray Holley.


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