Resident asks council to approve commemorative clock donation for downtown sidewalk

Harold W. Howell Purcell asked the council to evaluate and approve a donated clock to be placed on the sidewalk in front of the Earl Odd Building as a recognition of his grandfather, a long‑serving local official.

“My name is Harold W. Howell Purcell,” he said during the meeting, and he described having entered a contract to purchase and install the clock. Purcell said he believes the clock would honor his grandfather, John Samuel Purcell, who served on the council and as mayor for many years, and that he and family members are providing the gift. He told the council that, in hindsight, he should have sought council approval before signing the contract.

Purcell said county administrator Christian Goodwin indicated he was agreeable to having the clock tied into electricity from the Hogg Building and that the county would assume the electrical cost. He said the clock will have chimes and a three‑year warranty, and he proposed only limited recognition text on the clock base indicating the gift was made by his family.

Why it matters: The item proposes a permanent fixture in public right‑of‑way and would require the council’s approval for placement and any associated permissions. Purcell asked the council for formal evaluation and consideration rather than asserting that approvals were already granted.

No formal vote on the clock was recorded in the transcript. Purcell provided a copy of the contract to council members and asked the body to consider the request during its evaluation process.

What’s next: Purcell asked for council consideration and said he would accept council direction on installation details and any required procedural approvals.