NEWRY – The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday agreed to continue looking at veterans memorials in other towns and to appoint a committee to research the costs for a new memorial. 

Town Administrator Loretta Powers said she contacted Woodstock Town Manager Vern Maxfield about the veterans memorial there and how money was raised for it.

“He said in his letter that a group called the Daughters of Veterans took a look at researching the names of veterans who had a connection to Woodstock,” Powers said. “They raised the money, which was matched by the town, and purchased two winged monuments.”

Powers said Maxfield described the efforts of the Daughters of Veterans as a “labor of love.”

“He also sent me the standards that they used in determining who got their names put on the monument,” she said.

Chairman Gary Wight said the memorial plaques at the Town Office don’t list the names of the veterans who served.

“They also recognize World War II veterans, but say nothing about other wars,” Wight said. “I think that the names of all veterans should be on any new memorial we do, not just the names of veterans who served in wartime.”

One resident suggested the names be separated according to whether they served in wartime or peacetime.

Selectman Jim Largess said he was not in favor of that.

“I think if we’re going to put names on the monument, they should all be together,” he said. “Now is not the time to discuss it. We can return to it later, but I think that the names should be together.”

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net

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