Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Memorials Landscaping topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Library board explores memorial options for two volunteers, agrees to research plantings and benches
Summary
Board members discussed memorials to honor two volunteers and considered a hanging birdbath, engraved birdhouses, benches and plantings; members agreed to defer a final decision and research durable, low-maintenance options and planting sites before a later meeting
Skagway — The Skagway Public Library Board discussed options for memorializing two volunteers at its March 20 meeting and asked members to research alternatives before deciding.
Board members reviewed several concepts including a hanging birdbath or birdhouse with an inscription, an engraved plaque, a bench with small name plates for multiple honorees, and planting trees or shrubs with plaques. Discussion noted local wind conditions, potential cat predation of bird fixtures, maintenance concerns and the desire for something that would be a lasting, visible contribution to library landscaping.
Several members said the memorial should reflect the volunteers’ love of animals and the outdoors; some favored plantings for longevity and low maintenance, while others liked the idea of a bench with add-on plaques. The board discussed placing a hanging birdbath or birdhouse in a south-side tree but noted that public works has raised concerns about roots and future tree removal in that area.
Board member Peter Griffin suggested planting two trees and placing name plaques near them; Johanna Evans and others also suggested choosing shrubs or pollinator-friendly plantings ("bird and bee, butterfly attractant") to both honor the volunteers and add value to the library landscape. Board members agreed to take the matter up again at a future meeting after further research and to consider both plantings and physical objects (bench, birdbath, plaque) and their maintenance needs.
The board did not set a budget or choose a final memorial at the March 20 meeting and instructed members to return with ideas and cost estimates at the next meeting.
