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Veterans urge more transparency from Morrisville Veterans Memorial Foundation; foundation chair disputes claim
Summary
During public comment a veteran alleged the Veterans Memorial Foundation has ignored bylaws and pushed a town‑purchased conceptual design without required board votes; the foundation chair countered that the commenter previously voted for the plan.
At the Morrisville Town Council meeting on July 22, Bill Dowitz, a Vietnam veteran and former foundation board member, told council he believes the Morrisville Veterans Memorial Foundation is operating without required transparency and was attempting to impose a town‑purchased conceptual design "on the community without review or proper vote."
Dowitz said veterans have been "shut out of the process," alleged the foundation ignores IRS bylaws and the foundation’s own governance requirements, and urged the council, staff and the foundation to meet with veterans and make the memorial an environmentally sensitive, community‑maintained project with no taxpayer burden.
Bob Butler, who identified himself as chairman of the Morrisville Veterans Memorial Foundation, responded from the meeting podium and disputed Dowitz’s account, saying, "the person who said that he was against the plan, when he was on the foundation, he voted for the plan," and questioned the former member’s credibility.
Council took these comments during the public‑comment period; no council action was taken while speakers urged further engagement on memorial governance and transparency.
What’s next: Council did not take formal action but the exchange was placed on the public record; veterans and foundation leadership requested to continue discussions with council and staff.
