BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL RECEIVES EMOTIONAL UPDATE ON VANDALISM AT MEMORIAL PLAZA
The President of the Washington County Veterans Association provided an emotional update Thursday on a recent act of vandalism at the Veterans Memorial at Fireman’s Park.
Ben Seeker fought back tears as he told the Brenham City Council of the incident, which was believed to have occurred the weekend before Monday, September 30th.
Two of the memorial plaza’s eight tiers, which hold bricks engraved with names of local veterans, had the trim holding the bricks in place removed and smashed. The wedges secure approximately 300 bricks at each tier.
Seeker said this is not the first time the plaza has seen damage.
Seeker then made a heartfelt plea for assistance.
Seeker said he has been told by City Manager James Fisher and Public Works Director Dane Rau that the best solution will likely be additional lighting and a security camera. Mayor Milton Tate and Councilmember Albert Wright said the council will do whatever it can to stop these acts from happening.
A reward is being offered by Washington County Crime Stoppers, for information leading to an arrest in the case. Brenham Police Chief Allwin Barrow said information received through Crime Stoppers has provided police “a very good lead”.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 979-836-8477.
It is sad that people have little respect for not only our veterans but our history as a whole. This town has done so much to keep the history of this town in place for all to enjoy with the parks and the restoring of the little places all over town as well as having artists come in and paint such beautiful murals on the sides of the old buildings. I remember all the hard work going into refurbishing the plane that was moved into the park and just weeks later teenagers were seen climbing all over it. Parents have got to step up and teach their kids to respect not only our history but also to respect other people’s property. Now days, respect of other people, the elderly, and handicapped has almost become a thing of the past. Sorry to think where the future will be like. I love history and Washington County is full of history and there are so many places to visit and be inspired by that history. Let’s try to keep it going from one generation onward.
This just makes me sick to know that someone has so little respect for our veterans to destroy a portion of the memorial! We have a brick there for my father and we go see it whenever we visit the park. He’s gone now but the brick has served as a link between past and present. The offenders must be punished the maximum allowed by law to let our heroes know that we will NOT tolerate the desecration of their Memorial!
Crime Stoppers will START at $1,000 reward…..John Deans, Chairman, Brenham – Washington County Crime Stoppers
I know Mr. Seeker personally and this is just heartbreaking. Anyone that is caught destroying the monuments and park areas that different groups and businesses have worked so hard to bring to our town should be punished in keeping with the same values that they have shown the people that put forth effort, love, and expense into bringing these things to fruition. I’m so sorry Mr. Seeker, I know how much this project meant to you.