PINEVILLE -- At Tuesday's meeting, the Pineville Board of Aldermen was presented with a recommendation by the McDonald County Historical Society to move the David A. Thurman Memorial to city land.
Phyllis Chancellor, president of the historical society, said the organization began fundraising last year for the sheriff's house and the historic courthouse museum and raised $100,000, which was matched by a state grant. She said plans are to put in new windows and sidewalks at the courthouse museum and new windows, a new porch and a new bathroom floor at the sheriff's house.
The historical society plans to move the veterans memorial on the courthouse museum grounds closer to the building on the southwest side. She said the group recommended the David A. Thurman Memorial be moved to city property.
David Thurman was a reserve officer for Pineville who was shot and killed in the line of duty in April 1991.
Mayor Gregg Sweeten said he spoke to David Thurman's father, Eugene Thurman, who wanted to know why the memorial might be moved. He told Sweeten that David was also a sheriff's office reserve deputy, which is why the commissioners granted permission for the memorial to be placed on what was county property at the time. Sweeten said that, while he did not have a vote unless there was a tie, he would have a hard time moving it when it had been there since 1991.
Chancellor said the memorial reads that it is in memory of David Thurman's service to Pineville, and therefore it would make sense for it to be placed on city property.
Alderman Connor Underwood said he did not have a strong opinion about whether the memorial should be moved, but he had two observations. First, he said, the historic courthouse was once the hub of Pineville, but now more people walk through the doors of city hall. Also, he said, if the memorial were to be placed on city land, the city would be "future-proofing" the history of the memorial. He said, as generations go on, the city does not know who will own the piece of land where the historic courthouse museum is now located if future generations do not carry on the historical society.
"We don't know what's going to happen with that piece of land," he said.
The board agreed to wait to decide until Alderman Becky Davis, who was not at Tuesday's meeting, had a chance to be a part of the discussion.
Also Tuesday, the board discussed getting cyber insurance. City Clerk Melissa Ziemianin said the insurance was included with the city's previous insurance, but the city lost it when changing insurance companies. She said Joplin, for example, was hacked and had to pay a large ransom to get its data back. However, she also added that Pineville's data is backed up daily.
Alderman Scott Dennis said if the city could be up and running again in a day and get a new computer for $800, he could not see spending the proposed $3,352 for cyber insurance. He said he would rather see the city invest in more security for its data. Ziemianin said she would present more in June.
The board revisited a construction project from its last meeting, the low-water crossing on Sugar Street. According to Public Works Superintendent Chris Tinsley, the road will be raised more than two feet, almost three feet.
Sweeten said materials will be $26,900, and labor will be $19,197. The board voted to pay for the project with ARPA funds.
In other business, the board approved paying bills in the amount of $54,047.