Jan 08 2020
Trey Crumbie | Messenger-Inquirer
The money needed to build a Gold Star families monument has been raised, Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson announced Tuesday.
About $60,000 to $65,000 was raised for the monument, Watson said shortly after a city commission meeting. A Gold Star monument is a structure honoring those killed on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.
"I think we need to always recognize the sacrifice not only of the soldier, but also the family, so I'm real excited about it," Watson said.
The groundbreaking for the monument, which will be placed near the Shelton/POW Memorial in downtown Owensboro on Veterans Boulevard, is scheduled for an April groundbreaking with a dedication ceremony set for August.
Watson was planning on inviting numerous individuals to be present at the dedication ceremony, including Hershel "Woody" Williams, a 96-year World War II veteran who has encouraged the building of monuments throughout the nation.
Watson thanked numerous entities such as Owensboro Grain, Daviess County Fiscal Court, the City of Owensboro, Downtown Owensboro Inc., Atmos, Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Rotary Club of Owensboro and the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro for their donations.
In other business, the Owensboro Board of Commissioners passed a new property maintenance ordinance which will define terms such as a privacy fence and hobby vehicles.
City Manager Nate Pagan the new ordinance is part of an ongoing effort by the city to clean up unsightly properties. Last year, the city added a second full-time property maintenance inspector. This fiscal year, the city also budgeted $150,000 to demolish blighted properties.
Privacy fences will now be defined with set construction standards, height and uniformity. Hobby vehicles will now include off-road vehicles such as 4-wheelers, pull-behind campers, utility trailers, riding lawn mowers and dune buggies. The proposed ordinance set the limit at no more than two hobby vehicles that are out ordinary view.
In addition to the definition changes, a maximum 5% clear-space allowance that a property owner would be allowed for out of ordinary view storage also passed. The calculation is based around a formula of the total size of the lot, excluding square footage of storage buildings and detached garages.