Confederate Monument to be moved is Committee recommendation

The Confederate Monument that has stood outside of the Botetourt County Courthouse since 1904 should be moved.

That was the conclusion of the county’s Monuments and Memorials Committee, according to Amsterdam District Supervisor Steve Clinton. He made his report at the October 27, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting.

The Committee expects to give a formal recommendation to the supervisors in January, he said.

The Board of Supervisors does not have to abide by the recommendation.

The Committee has determined the Confederate Monument should be relocated but not altered, he said. The Committee is reviewing locations and to that end will be in touch with the authorities in the Town of Fincastle and other interested parties, Clinton said.

He noted that the county owns a small parcel of property in the southern end of Fincastle and suggested that could become a memorial park, but those decisions and determinations have yet to be made and such a decision would ultimately rest with the Board of Supervisors.

Funding for the removal of the monument is also under discussion, he said.

The Committee had also been charged with reviewing the county’s anti-racism statements. Clinton said the Committee as a whole determined that this should revert to county staff, presumably Human Resources, to ensure that the county’s personnel policy is reflective of the county’s overall desire to be inclusive and diverse. The Supervisors agreed, making a motion to reflect that change.

The Botetourt County Courthouse eventually will undergo a major renovation due to environmental conditions and security deficiencies in the existing Circuit Court. Additionally, the Court needs more space and other offices such as the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Voter Registrar and associated service facilities require updating.

Movement of the Confederate Monument, if it takes place, likely will be performed in conjunction with the Courthouse renovations. However, renovations are not expected to begin until at least 2021 if not later.

                                        — Anita Firebaugh, Special to The Botetourt Bee. Photo, The Botetourt Bee