Fiscal Court took into consideration recommendations for the relocation of the Confederate monument currently housed on the Daviess County Courthouse lawn Thursday. Officials said finalizing a new site for the statue and base will take some time, and they are hopeful to have the situation fully resolved by the end of February.
During their Fiscal Court meeting, Judge-Executive Al Mattingly noted the Monument Relocation Committee’s two recommendations for the statue’s placement — the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art or the Owensboro Museum of Science & History — as well as the recommendation to move the base to the Battle at Panther Creek site on U.S. 431.
Mattingly said those recommendations would be taken under advisement as County officials spend the next couple months working out the logistics.
“We are not in control of either of those (museums) and, in fact, we are not in control of the Battle at Panther Creek site, so it’s going to take some work to find out if either of those museums would think about taking the statue,” Mattingly said. “It would also take some work to talk to the Daughters [of the Confederacy] and see if they would allow the base to go where we originally wanted the base and the statue to go.”
Commissioners commended the Relocation Committee for their ability to work together through an emotional process and come to a consensus.
“It took courage to jump on that committee and I thank them for serving,” Commissioner George Wathen said.
Commissioner Mike Koger agreed, saying he was happy to see one of the hardest parts of the decision-making process in the rearview mirror.
“I’m glad we’re finally getting it down to the final locations so we can move forward,” he said.
