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I have established this blog as a means of transparency to the public, outreach to the community, and information dissemination to all who choose to look. Feedback is welcome, but because public participation is equally encouraged, appropriate language and decorum is mandatory.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

A Request I'm Struggling to Fulfill....

I've received a request to remove this monument from a local roadway...but what will the victim's family think if this is done?


I don't know the full story--but obviously it was a tragic outcome that led to the creation of the roadside monument pictured above.  I've seen these on highways and roadways across the country--typically marking the spot where somebody's loved one has perished.

I received the following request:

"Attached is the picture of the memorial that is in the XXXXXXXXXXX median.
While I am sympathetic for the family and their loss, I don’t think this memorial needs to remain in the median any longer.
The display has been up for longer than a year. It is not logical to think that we can
have memorials all along the roadside at every point of human life lost. I have talked with several other residents, and we all agree that we would like to have the memorial removed.
Thanks for your attention to this matter."


My Response:

"Thanks for the picture.  I am struggling a bit with this one simply due to the fact that obviously someone’s loved one was killed here and I want to be respectful of that side of this equation as well (e.g. what will the relatives think if suddenly this is removed?)  I am having staff research what our typical response is to removal requests for such memorials, and I will be back in touch once I learn how these are typically handled.

I hope you recognize the delicate balancing act at play here."




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