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Public speaker urges reinstatement of military commemorative squares to downtown Branson
Summary
A resident urged the Board to restore a permanent memorial in the historic downtown after the original commemorative military squares were moved during a streetscape project.
Gary Grama, a resident who signed up to speak during public comment, asked the Board of Aldermen to restore a permanent memorial to honor U.S. military services in Branson’s historic downtown district.
Grama said he was quoting former Mayor Rayanne Presley’s remarks from a 2008 dedication when the first five squares of the Branson Star Walk honored the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force. “In a city where veterans and their families are so central to our core values, it is fitting that we have this permanent memorial honoring America’s military services in the center of our historic downtown district,” Grama said, attributing the line to Mayor Presley. He told the board the original squares were moved to Patriot’s Park during a downtown streetscape project and remain there.
Grama proposed an alternative: mount slightly larger street‑name signs with each branch’s name and logo placed above regular street signs in the downtown core so the city would not be seen as removing a promised permanent memorial. He asked aldermen to “encourag[e] and assist city staff in making this happen.”
During a brief follow‑up exchange, an alderman asked whether the speaker would support adding a sixth recognition for the U.S. Space Force; Grama replied that his earlier remarks quoted the historical dedication and suggested any change would be a separate consideration.
No formal action was taken by the board during the public comment period; the item was a citizen request that staff or aldermen may choose to bring back for consideration.
