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Resident urges council to pursue removal or renaming of Jefferson Davis sign at Fort Monroe
Summary
Huw Basit urged council to contact the Fort Monroe Authority and the state attorney general about removing a Jefferson Davis‑named sign/park feature, called it an embarrassment and asked the city attorney and council to explore legal and contractual options; the mayor responded that the matter is complicated by programmatic agreements and property arrangements.
Huw Basit told council he was embarrassed to learn of a park or sign named for Jefferson Davis at Fort Monroe and urged the council to take steps to remove the sign or rename the park. "I am embarrassed that we got a park and a sign named after Jefferson Davis," Basit said, and asked the city to direct the city attorney to consult with the state attorney general and the Fort Monroe Authority about possible remedies.
Mayor Donnie R. Tuck responded that the issue is complex and involves programmatic agreements and property arrangements tied to Fort Monroe National Monument; removing or changing the sign is not a simple act of local authority, the mayor said, and staff have already discussed the matter with the Fort Monroe Authority. Basit also provided a list of neighborhood projects he would like to see considered in the budget.
