During public comment at the Dec. 1 Petoskey City Council meeting, Fred Harrington Jr., representing the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, presented a signed tribal resolution formally opposing any plan to move the city’s war memorials from Pennsylvania Park.

Harrington read the resolution, which cites tribal sovereignty, historical ties and the city’s location within the tribe’s 1855 Treaty of Detroit boundaries. The resolution notes the tribe’s historic and ongoing use of city parks for cultural events and urges the city council to reject moving the memorials out of Pennsylvania Park. Harrington gave a signed copy of the resolution to city staff for the minutes.

Patrick Klein, speaking for the Vietnam Veterans and other veterans’ organizations, told council members he helped place the monuments in the mid‑1980s and characterized the area as "sacred ground." He urged the council to issue a clear statement that the memorials will not be relocated and said many community members are anxious about proposed park revisions.

Mayor Murphy and council members accepted the resolution for the record; city staff acknowledged receipt. No council action was taken at the meeting to relocate the memorials.