The base Jackson County’s Confederate monument has been covered.
After a long debate this summer, Jackson County Commissioners voted in August not to remove the county’s Confederate monument which over looks the town of Sylva.
The commissioners agreed to remove the Confederate flag on the monument as well the inscription to ‘Our Heroes of the Confederacy.’ Since then, the monument has been in limbo as commissioners have not yet finalized exactly how the monument will look after it is updated. There will be a historical plaque added explaining Jackson County’s role in the Civil War.
County Commissioner Gayle Woody says that the commissioners wanted to wait until after the November election.
“We decided to wait until January to discuss the wording and all, so that it would reflect the slate of commissioners that we have now,” said Woody.
Two new commissioners, Tom Stribling and Mark Jones were sworn in this month.
“It may not seem like we are moving ahead but we are. And in the meantime, because we voted to cover up those parts the county has recently covered up those parts of the monument up,” said Woody.
Woody says that the commissioners plan to discuss what will be added to the monument in January.
"We had hoped that people would see this as a compromise but I have to be honest and say that I don't think either side thinks that it is a compromise," said Woody.
