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Residents urge removal of Confederate statue and call for plan to reopen Fred Hays Park
Summary
Four citizens addressed council: two asked that Bristol remove a Confederate monument from city property, one requested transparency in the city manager recruitment, and another urged a plan and timeline to reopen Fred Hays Park and to address homelessness and public-safety concerns.
During public comment on Jan. 12, four residents addressed the council on issues ranging from Confederate monuments to park safety and personnel transparency.
Cindy Green (1075 Clark Street) asked the council to remove the Confederate statue on city property and relocate it to a cemetery or private property, arguing that many such monuments were erected during periods aligned with Jim Crow and served political purposes. "Relocating it to a cemetery or private property would preserve it as history without the city endorsing its message," Green said.
Jessica Watts (266 Shipley Drive) made a similar request, noting that Virginia has removed 71 Confederate symbols since 2020 and urging Bristol to add its statue to that list. "They do not need to see that," Watts said of visitors who attend festivals and events in downtown Bristol.
Mike McGurr (9 Buchanan Street) congratulated Mr. Eads and asked that the recruitment and replacement processes for the city manager and city attorney be transparent in press coverage and council meetings.
Rick Watts (266 Shipley Drive) asked for a plan to reopen Fred Hays Park and for clearer communication about timelines, citing reports of needles and human waste and arguing the city should provide services (public restrooms, sharps-disposal boxes) to reduce harm. He warned closing the park simply displaces the problems elsewhere.
Council did not take action on the requests during the meeting; members thanked the speakers and said they would note the concerns.
