Montrose coalition and city outline plan, budget cuts and Guard support for veterans memorial

Montrose officials and the Machos Veterans Memorial Coalition told the City Council work session on March 16 that a long‑planned veterans memorial is moving toward execution but still requires final approvals and continued fundraising. Public works director Jim Shide introduced the coalition’s update and a draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) that staff intends to bring to council for consideration at the next regular meeting.

Coalition representative Scott Striker described the planned memorial and the project components, and thanked the city and county for financial pledges. "We are on the cusp of bringing some beautiful, gorgeous, memorable veterans memorial here to Montrose that will be a place of education, reflection, healing, and pride for all the citizens of Montrose," Striker said.

Striker and project team members reported that the city and county each committed $300,000 to the project, and the coalition raised additional funds through grants, brick sales and donations. The coalition said it has sold 562 commemorative bricks and secured several grants, including awards from the CL Warner Foundation and the Home Depot grant program. Project planners said firm donations and lower subcontractor bids have reduced the project’s original budget estimate of $667,000 to roughly $595,000 after applying credits and contingencies; they characterized the remaining difference as achievable through continued fundraising and bid refinement.

The coalition described substantial in‑kind contributions that cut costs: donated electrical materials, concrete yards, fencing, rock/mulch and volunteer labor. Striker and project planners also said the Army National Guard’s construction unit from Grand Junction will participate in three multi‑day work weekends—starting April 10, then May 15 and a July week—to perform site preparation, rebar work and other tasks, and to provide a training opportunity for Guard members working with local subcontractors.

Jim Shide confirmed that the MOA in the council packet is a draft and that the document will be presented for formal approval at the upcoming council meeting; he said a separate project authorization and contract award would follow. "What we're considering at the next council meeting is the MOA," Shide said, noting that small edits remain in the working draft but that no conceptual changes are planned.

Coalition leaders proposed a potential groundbreaking timed to Memorial Day, but said they also favored earlier dates when the Guard will be on site, subject to completion of the MOA and related contract steps. Project managers said many key materials—plaques, monuments, the eagle statue and the Huey helicopter—have already been purchased or staged locally and that a time‑lapse camera and site security are planned during construction.

Next steps: staff will deliver the revised MOA for council consideration at the next meeting, the Veterans Memorial Coalition will finalize remaining donations and logistics, and the county will consider its parallel approvals so that Guard participation can proceed on the planned schedule.