By Stephen Smoot
At the last Town of Franklin Council meeting, citizens came to raise their concerns regarding a veteran’s memorial banner that had blown free from its moorings. The banner was assumed to be stolen, but had been brought by a concerned citizen to the office of the Pendleton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, then to the town office.
Family members restored the banner to its rightful location.
The 99 banners honoring veterans that grace the streets of downtown Franklin originated in a project performed by the formerly combined Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce and CVB prior to their becoming standalone institutions under their current leadership.
Some assumed that the Town of Franklin had spearheaded the project and had “dropped the ball” in terms of not maintaining them. They addressed their concerns in the public comment period during the June town council meeting.
Gary Hess spoke for the group, saying, “I’m hoping to clarify and resolve an issue concerning veterans that came to my attention.” He then requested that a solution be found so that family members not have to undertake the dangerous task of putting them back up.
At the time, Russ Sasso, council member, promised that he would find a solution, saying that “this is absolutely an issue that will be resolved today.” He agreed that families, especially seniors, should not have to use their own ladders to ascend telephone poles and restore the banners.
Since then, Sasso, Bob Horan, Franklin’s mayor, and the American Legion Pendleton Post 30 have forged an agreement to cover such problems going forward. Sasso said, “It’s the mayor’s wish that Franklinites know that if they find a downed banner, to bring it to the town office. The office will notify the American Legion, and the banner will be re-hung as soon as the Legion can arrange it.”
The town office will accept the banners when found and the American Legion will assume the responsibility to put them back in place.
Both Horan and Sasso served in the armed forces. Sasso has accepted an invitation to join the American Legion and will “in that capacity, be integral in re-hanging future downed banners.”