Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Summer Monument topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sumner County committee clears monument placement; members seek answers about DAR involvement
Summary
Committee approved permitting a 6–7 foot courthouse monument funded by grants/private funds and scheduled for a July 8 unveiling, but at least one commissioner asked for a representative from the Daughters of the American Revolution to clarify membership and historical practices before final county-level approvals.
Sumner County committee members voted Dec. 1 to permit placement of a proposed 6–7 foot courthouse monument that the mayor said would be funded by grants and private funds and would cost taxpayers nothing. An unveiling and related community events are planned for July 8.
Mayor (unnamed) presented a rendering of the monument and described efforts to pursue Tennessee grant funds in January; he said the county would apply for the available grants and would bring the full plan back to the legislative body if the grant request is approved.
The mayor said the monument would occupy a prominent circle area on the courthouse grounds and that county staff were working on verbiage and placement logistics. The mayor also said the monument project was routed through grant processes including a War Commission grant (DARS/American Revolution was discussed during the meeting) but that timing issues prompted the county to pursue Tennessee grants instead.
Commissioner Johnson raised objections about the idea of associating the monument with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) or similar groups without clarity about membership policies and historical practices. Johnson told the committee: “The first thing that I came across was that they allowed transgenders in their group, the daughters of the American Revolution...They have a racist background, you know, that they didn't allow black men until 1977.” She asked for a DAR representative to appear before the full commission so the committee could understand whether the local chapter’s membership and positions align with community expectations.
Other members said the committee could pass a recommendation to the full commission while inviting a representative to provide answers at the county meeting. The committee agreed to seek the requested clarifications and to include the monument on the commission agenda for final review.
The motion to permit the monument’s placement on county property was moved, seconded and approved by the committee; transcript records show a voice vote of “aye” with no recorded opposition. Committee members noted the county itself will not pay for the monument, which will be funded through grants and private funds.
Next steps: the county will apply for Tennessee grants in January and will bring the project back to the full commission with requested clarifications about any outside group's role or inscription on the monument.
