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Committee agrees to revisit Hayward parcel for veterans memorial, asks acting administrator to seek price and bring design
Summary
The Sawyer County Administrative Committee debated location, size and visibility for a proposed veterans memorial, agreed to revisit a previously proposed Hayward parcel, and asked Acting Co‑Administrator Mike Markran to contact the owners, seek a lower price and return with diagrams and cost estimates.
Committee members discussed options for a county veterans memorial, focusing on a privately held parcel in Hayward that veterans and the American Legion Post 218 had suggested as a highly visible, low‑maintenance tribute site.
A committee presenter said a survey of veterans favored a site in Hayward because it would be more visible, and that American Legion members preferred a low‑maintenance tribute rather than a garden. “They were looking for something highly visible,” the presenter said, describing the survey and follow‑up conversations with the Legion.
Some members raised concerns about the parcel’s size, price and long‑term utility. Tom Duffy said he wanted to see a purchase price before agreeing to move forward, and another committee member cautioned that the town of Hayward is planning a remodel of a nearby area and that placing a memorial near that site could create conflicts with future city design plans.
The committee did not approve any purchase. Instead, members agreed to have Acting Co‑Administrator Mike Markran revisit the parcel, ask the owners whether they would consider a lower price, and prepare cleaner design sketches and cost estimates to present at the next meeting. The committee also asked members to keep an eye out for alternative properties and for staff to evaluate easement or land‑use implications if the site were on or adjacent to city property.
Why it matters: the committee has previously allocated funding for a veterans memorial; the choice of site, costs and maintenance commitments will determine the project’s scale and long‑term obligations for the county and any partner municipalities.
Next steps: Markran was asked to report back at the next administrative meeting with updated price information and a refined design; committee members emphasized the need to involve a larger group of stakeholders before final action.
