Lunenburg supervisors petition court to put Confederate‑monument question on November ballot

The Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors voted 5‑2 on July 9 to authorize County Attorney Frank Rennie to petition the Circuit Court to instruct the Electoral Board to place an advisory referendum on the November ballot about whether the Confederate monument on the courthouse grounds should remain or be removed.

Rennie, the county attorney, provided the board with legal options and background on the marker, which was placed on the courthouse grounds in 1968 after previously standing in the Town of Victoria since 1916. He said the monument’s inscriptions reference “the confederate soldiers of Lunenburg County” and language about “the sovereignty of the states.” Rennie outlined three paths: take no action (table or vote to leave the monument), remove the monument following a public hearing and a statutory 30‑day waiting period to allow historical groups to offer relocation plans, or place the question on the November ballot via a petition to the Circuit Court. He told the board that a new state law authorizing referendum placement took effect July 1 and that the Circuit Court petition and related steps must be completed by August 1 to meet ballot deadlines.

During limited public comment, Timothy Hatley of 1077 Newcomb Bridge Road, Ron Graves of Charlotte County, Karen Hawthorne of 7758 Craig Mill Road and Brittany Ryan of 5927 Courthouse Road urged the board to keep the monument on the courthouse grounds. Patricia HarperTunley of 2509 Unity Road spoke in favor of removing it.

Supervisor Alvester Edmonds moved to remove the monument from the courthouse grounds; Supervisor Edward Pennington seconded. That motion did not carry. Supervisor Mike Hankins then moved — and Supervisor T. Wayne Hoover seconded — to allow Rennie to prepare the petition to the Circuit Court to place the advisory referendum on the November ballot. The roll call vote was Bacon, Hankins, Hoover, Slayton and Zava in favor; Edmonds and Pennington opposed (5‑2). Chairman Charles R. Slayton noted the procedural deadline emphasized by Rennie.

The petition procedure does not itself remove the monument; if the board later votes to remove the marker, state law requires a public hearing and a 30‑day period to allow historical organizations to propose relocation plans. Rennie said the cost to relocate or remove the monument was not addressed at the meeting.

Next steps: County Attorney Rennie will prepare the petition to the Circuit Court for placement of the advisory referendum on the November ballot, subject to court and Electoral Board scheduling and the statutory deadlines described to the board.