WESTOVER — A Westover councilman, who recently raised questions about plaques dedicated to the memory of service men and women, is OK with the new memorial on the Monongalia County Courthouse Square.
Renovations on courthouse square were started in 2017, at a cost of about $2.1 million.
Six large rocks — each holding a plaque — were removed during those renovations.
Those plaques were placed to honor military men and women from the different wars. One — dated 1912 — was donated by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Another listed the three county commissioners in office in the early 1990s.
Earlier this month, Westover councilmember Leonard Smith said he had heard from people asking why those rocks were no longer on the courthouse square.
Last week, Smith went to the square to see what was there and talked to Commissioner Tom Bloom about the changes to the veterans’ memorial.
Smith said after meeting with Bloom and learning about how and why the plaques were treated during the renovations, he is satisfied.
“I had a discussion with (Bloom). We sat down and talked it over, and I understand where he is coming from now on some things,” Smith said. “As a commissioner, he is looking out for the county. There’s just a misunderstanding between people that’s throwing this out of whack.”
