Rockingham Council to meet on Tuesday

ROCKINGHAM — City Council will meet for the first time since June on Monday.

Last month’s City Council meeting was canceled because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the fact that there was just one piece of new business on the agenda — a property acquisition proposal that the Council will consider on Tuesday.

The city will consider paying $7,500 to acquire a 4.1-acre property located at 110 Byrd Dr.

The property discussion is the only new business on Tuesday’s agenda, as was the case in July. That doesn’t include business brought forth by individual Council members.

Some of those who have been calling for the removal of the Confederate monument in Harrington Square were planning to be in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting. They were part of a group of protesters who, in a demonstration late last month, urged local leaders to remove the monument, stating that it represents the “glorification of white supremacy and slavery.”

Erected in 1930 by the Pee Dee Guards Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy of Richmond County, the monument features an inscription that reads “In loving memory of our Confederate soldiers.” A weathered Confederate flag is also inscribed on the monument.

Because of COVID-19-related preventative measures, the group won’t be able to speak in a traditional manner at the meeting, City Manager Monty Crump said Monday. The capacity limit for indoor meetings is currently 10 people. Crump said the group can prepare a written statement to be read aloud during the meeting and entered into the public record.

“This is the first issue that we have had with someone wanting to submit public comments since COVID restrictions and this is the way we will deal with all such cases until COVID restrictions are lifted or relaxed,” Crump said in an email to the Daily Journal. “This compromise allows for both the submission of public comments and adhering to the governor’s COVID restrictions. No one will be prohibited from having their comments heard.”

Jimmy Cooley, a lead organizer of the group calling for the monument’s removal, said on Monday afternoon that several members of the group are preparing statements to be read during the meeting.

Cooley told the Daily Journal last month the group just wants the monument taken away from its prominent location.

“We’re not for destroying history,” Cooley said at the time. “None of us want to rewrite history. We just don’t think the glorification of white supremacy and slavery belongs in the center of our town, If someone wants to buy it and put it on their private land, then we are more than happy. We just don’t want it displayed in public.”