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'How dare we': Veterans unhappy about Warner Robins mayor, council clash on Vietnam vets memorial board

Councilmember Kevin Lashley motioned to table the plan, and Councilman Keith Lauritsen agreed.

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins' mayor and council disagree on whether to create a new Vietnam veterans memorial board.

We break down what happened at City Hall Tuesday night, and sat down with two Vietnam vets to get their reaction to the discussion.

Tuesday night inside of City Hall, Mayor LaRhonda Patrick motioned to create five new boards, including a Vietnam Veterans Memorial Board. However, four councilmen motioned to table it.

Vietnam veteran Tom McLendon is frustrated with the delay.

McLendon said, "I know everything that has gone on in the last 14 years, and it's one road block after another."

McLendon says he worked on bringing a Vietnam veteran memorial to Houston County with former mayors Chuck Shaheen and Randy Toms, but he says there's been too much red tape.

"We're right back to square root one. I don't know why it's such a problem. To me, I don't think city council talks to one another. It's a communication problem. Last night, it looked like only two wanted to help her and four didn't really care one way or another. That's what's so aggravating to me. They don't seem like they are interested in a memorial," McLendon said.

On Friday, Councilmember Kevin Lashley wanted to be a part of the board, but on Tuesday, Lashley motioned to table the plan, and Councilmember Keith Lauritsen agreed. Lashley said he wants the memorial to happen, but more voices will slow the planning and construction. Lauritsen also said he supports the project, but the city's been talking about it for eight years and he thought it was already a done deal.

Mayor LaRhonda Patrick said, "I will not agree with your interpretation with the need for this board. This board is for our Vietnam veterans, and how are we, who never shed any blood, who never suffered PTSD, to serve our country, in war, in a foreign country, fighting for your lives and see your fellow soldiers die, how dare we tell them that they have no voice in this board coming to existence and there's more to be done. So I will not agree with you, and I will continue to disagree with you until I see our Vietnam veterans have a voice in this board, and I may be a lone person standing on my own and I am very well am fine with that, but I will not change my mind, so I will bring this back to vote again, again, and again until we have this Vietnam veteran board formed."

Bill Carey served in Vietnam in 1968-1969. He says last year, it felt like the memorial was going to happen, but then, "the election came and everything dropped." Carey said he almost fell out of his chair when council put the plan on hold.

"I spoke to the man the week before that brought it up who said, 'We are going to do this,' and then last night, he voted against it," Carey said, "But before the night was over, they were all changing their song and I'm thinking, 'Well, that's another two-week delay.'"

McLendon said, "They talked at the end, and they all want to butter us up, and my question is, 'Why do you vote against something and then tell us how great we are?'"

Both veterans say they hope Patrick will get it done.

"I'd like to see the memorial happen, and step one, at this point, is a committee," Carey said.

McLendon said, "Her word is her bond and we really think a lot of her, but she can't do it all by herself. She had got to have city council to help her."

Over the phone, Mayor Patrick told 13WMAZ she was surprised and disappointed in council's decision on Tuesday night. She said she doesn't understand why they're being so vocal in not allowing local Vietnam veterans into the conversation.

Several of Carey's and McLendon's fellow Vietnam veterans died since these plans begun.

"All of the states seem to be doing this and have already done this. We can honor the 1,584 Georgia boys that died in Vietnam in a special way," Carey said.

McLendon says, "Some of the guys that I were close to wanted to see the memorial. They have since then passed on. It's like nobody on the city council cares, and I am tired of it."

Councilmembers Charlie Bibb and Larry Curtis voiced their concerns about the board at Tuesday's meeting. Mayor Patrick says she will be bringing the new Vietnam veterans memorial board back to the agenda until it is passed.

Three of the mayor's five boards passed Tuesday night, including an events board, a veterans issues board, and a retail business board, but council tabled the local business owner board and the Vietnam veterans memorial board.

McLendon says the owner of Buc-ee's is an advocate for veterans. He says the owner intentionally built Buc-ee's where it is today so it would be near the Vietnam veterans memorial when it is built.

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