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Rotary clubs seek permission for a public “Peace Pole”; commissioners agree in principle, ask for location and design details
Summary
Highlands and Mountaintop Rotary clubs proposed installing a 12–16-foot ‘Peace Pole’ in a public space engraved with 'May peace prevail on Earth' in English, Cherokee, Spanish and Gaelic; commissioners agreed in principle and asked the clubs to return with precise siting, dimensions and maintenance plans.
Representatives from the Highlands Rotary and Mountaintop Rotary asked the Board of Commissioners for permission to place a Peace Pole—a permanent wooden monument engraved with the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” in multiple languages—in a public location in Highlands.
Rotary presenters described a proposed 12-foot (approximately 14-foot with base) black locust post with four-sided engraved messages in English, Cherokee, Spanish and Gaelic, surrounded by local stone hardscaping and seating to create a place for reflection. They said the clubs will source the post, pay for fabrication and supply funding for installation; the clubs requested town approval to place the monument on public property and help select a site.
Town attorney Nick Tosco advised the board on First Amendment and government-speech legal considerations: if the monument is placed and accepted as town-owned and town-maintained government speech, the town may control the message and limit similar private monuments; if the town instead allowed privately owned monuments on public property without town ownership, the location could become a public forum and would require content-neutral access for all private messages. Tosco’s recommendation was to accept the Peace Pole as government speech—i.e., accept the donation and own and maintain the monument—to avoid constitutional restrictions on content-based exclusions.
Commissioners generally supported the concept and asked the Rotary clubs to return with specific proposed locations, a finalized drawing showing dimensions and footprint, and information about installation contractors, insurance and ongoing maintenance. The board approved the concept in principle and requested a follow-up presentation with exact siting and structural details so staff can vet utilities, footings and procurement/insurance requirements.
Speakers: Kath Connolly Hudson and Randy Foster (Rotary representatives), Jim Morton (consultant referenced), and Nick Tosco (Town Attorney).
