Monett council advances preliminary plan to reshape green space into 'Freedom Park'

Monett councilmembers discussed preliminary design work to convert the grass area next to the downtown pavilion into a civic green called Freedom Park, with sidewalks, low‑profile signage honoring the branches of service, and space for community activities.

Mayor Randy Burke outlined the concept and said staff and Park Superintendent Larry Howard have been developing options that would “green it up” and allow low‑impact uses such as movie nights, kite flying and informal recreation while preserving floodplain function. He told the council that, because of FEMA restrictions, “we can't have any structures there, but we can have sidewalks,” and that any permanent monument would require careful consideration of deed restrictions and floodway placement.

Larry Howard described site improvements that would level and stabilize turf and create accessible walkways to expand programming opportunities without building in the floodway. Council members noted the park could tie into nearby attractions such as the Freedom Silo and be used for events the chamber organizes.

Council agreed to move the concept forward to a formal resolution for future funding discussion; the resolution will return to a public council agenda with construction details and a funding plan. Staff flagged that expanded events may require more police and fire staffing and that an emergency management plan could be appropriate if the event continues to grow.

Next steps: staff will refine the design, verify FEMA and deed‑restriction limits on permanent signage, and bring a resolution and funding options back to the council for a future meeting.