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Public forum: proposal for women veterans memorial and downtown parking‑garage safety concerns
Summary
A resident sought permission to place a women veterans monument near the Shelton Memorial in Smothers Park; another resident reported repeated nighttime racing and littering in the downtown parking garage and asked for increased enforcement or camera review.
During the open public forum on July 15, two members of the public addressed the commission on separate community concerns: a request for a women veterans monument and complaints about safety and litter at a downtown parking garage.
Pam Smith Wright of 3520 Christie Place asked the commission to consider allocating space in Smothers Park near the Shelton Memorial for the Oberst Hayden's Women's Memorial, dedicated to women who served the country. Wright described two Owensboro women to be recognized: Mary Josephine Oberst, an Army nurse who was captured in World War II and later liberated, and Vivian Hayden Lawton, who served in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (the only all‑Black WAAC unit to serve overseas in World War II). Wright said fundraising had begun and that Lou Drowdy, listed in the meeting as a legislative delegate, was present and supportive.
William Brown of 113 East Second Street told commissioners that racing, noise and litter from the downtown parking garage backing to his condominium had become a persistent quality‑of‑life problem over the past six to 12 months. Brown said incidents sometimes occur late at night, pose a risk to pedestrians and leave litter thrown over the garage edge. He asked whether cameras were working or whether more police presence could be assigned to deter the activity.
The transcript records the requests and descriptions; commissioners did not take formal action during the meeting on either item. The commission did not vote on the memorial location or on any enforcement actions related to the parking garage during the July 15 session.
