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Wasatch County discusses Memorial Hill plaques, eligibility and funding; veterans urge caution on expansion
Summary
Council and public debated revised Memorial Hill policy language and a physical plaque proposal; a veterans group speaker recommended a six‑year residency threshold, staff proposed four end‑column plaques at about $26,000 after a Delta Stone donation, and council directed staff to pursue funding and sponsorships for 2025.
Councilmembers and community members spent a significant portion of the Dec. 11 work meeting on proposed updates to Memorial Hill policy and changes to the physical memorial.
Dan Hawthlines, a Midway resident and Vietnam veteran, recounted years of volunteer restoration work and urged the county to limit initial eligibility in order to manage demand. "I think 6 would probably be best," Hawthlines said when discussing whether to require ten years of residency or a shorter period for eligibility to have a name added.
Staff presented two physical options. The immediate, lower‑cost proposal calls for inserting new pieces of granite in four end columns and securing them with stainless fasteners that are intended to deter theft; after a contribution from Delta Stone the county estimate for those four monument plaques was about $26,000. Staff described a more extensive option — removing pot rock and installing a full granite surface within the central circular monument — that would be more expensive and could be reserved for the memorial's centennial in 2027.
Council members and the Memorial Hill committee discussed practical details: whether new names will be added chronologically rather than re‑engraving and re‑alphabetizing, how often staff will remove plaques for on‑site engraving, and whether to include a QR code or digital component to provide biographical details. Staff said the county has one official application on file and an additional email inquiry; council discussed plaque capacity and ways to recognize donors without displaying sponsor logos on the memorial itself.
Staff reported the plaque project was included in 2025 budget revisions and asked council whether to seek discretionary funds and sponsorships to cover additional options. Council directed staff to pursue available donations and to explore including the initial plaque work in the 2025 budget, leaving larger centennial enhancements to future planning.
A member of the public, Pam Patrick, suggested secure on‑site donation boxes or a QR payment option so visitors who use the memorial could contribute to upkeep; council discussed security and preferred using a single secure collection point or a digital option instead of scattered cash boxes.
The council asked staff to continue refining the policy language (including clarifying how residency and service timing affect eligibility), to work with the Memorial Hill committee on plaque logistics and capacity, and to pursue funding and sponsor outreach for the initial plaque installation.
