The City of Montesano has agreed to supply the manpower to move a Vietnam veteran’s memorial from Bryan Park near the east entrance of town to Fleet Park, a block from downtown.

During the Aug. 23 council meeting, Councilman Dan Wood said the memorial currently is not in a prominent location and has been damaged by mowers.

The council also was advised that while Private First Class Johnny Chambers was believed to be the only Vietnam casualty from Montesano, it recently had come to the attention of former Montesano mayor Ken Estes that David Ira Harner, Spc. 4, was killed in action on Nov. 15, 1967, in South Vietnam.

While neither have dedicated parking lots, Bryan Park presents issues for on-street parking with a narrow shoulder and a generally busy street. Only one side of the park abuts the roadway. Fleet Park has on-street parking on all four sides of the park, and three of the streets are less-traveled. Fleet Park also is about a block from downtown.

During the Sept. 13 council meeting, Councilman Wood asked the council to approve the city’s commitment to moving the memorial. In the process, Harner’s name will be added to the memorial. Harner and Chambers will be the only two names on the memorial.

Mayor Vini Samuel noted a letter of concern she received stating Fleet Park was never meant to hold memorials. Wood said the point is moot to this council.

“We have memorials — the sandstone memorial has been there probably 40-plus years… We do have memorials and there are plans for the Bogdanovich memorial to wrap further to the right and more in front as more names are added there. That is a corner of the park,” Wood said. “It has a flag and the flag is lit according to standards, which is a an important element, and we don’t have that out in Bryan Park.”

The original plaque was donated by the Montesano High School Class of 1959. Wood said the class supports moving the memorial.

The brunt of the expense for the memorial will be on the shoulders of the Montesano VFW. The city plans to donate two days of labor to the project.

“Should cost limits be set on this to ensure we don’t run over and end up with some unknown cost?” Councilman Ian Cope asked.

“I’ll assume that’s part of the motion — not to exceed two days of labor for the city,” Mayor Vini Samuel said.

Also during the council meeting, Randy Bachtell was appointed to the Parks Board by Mayor Vini Samuel. Samuel’s appointment unanimously was approved.

Bachtell had applied for a council vacancy earlier in the year but was not selected by the council. Lori Benedict was appointed to that council position.

Benedict was absent from the council meeting. Her absence unanimously was excused.