By Aria Pons
FLORENCE, Ala. (WAFF) - City leaders agreed to put a plaque in place as part of a settlement between the city and a grass-roots organization that fought to have the Confederate Statue removed. However, the marker got voted against at the council meeting Tuesday night, 3-2.
City council members Kaytrina Simmons and Michelle Eubanks voted for the marker. Bill Griffin, Jimmy Oliver and Council President Dick Jordan voted against. Griffin was not present at the meeting.
Project Say Something has been working to get the statue moved for seven years now. They were willing to settle with the city to add a marker beside the statue to explain its historical significance. The meeting on Tuesday was supposed to determine the next steps for the marker.
Camille Bennet the president of Project Say Something said, at the last city council meeting, she was told the marker was supposed to be on the agenda, but it was not. Bennet said she was hoping for a positive outcome from this meeting.
She said this marker would have been a step in the right direction if it was passed.
“I also think it’s a unique step, like I haven’t seen this move made in Alabama,” Bennett said. “I’m curious to see what it looks like, how the community responds to it, also, if the community engages with the marker the way we feel they should. I’m just curious to see how Florence responds.”
Bennet said the entire process has been frustrating and hard to handle. She said she is disheartened that it did not pass. Simmons said she has no idea what the future of the marker will hold.
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