Controversy Over Confederate Monument

Controversy Over Confederate Monument

You're taking a live look at the confederate monument outside the madison county courthouse.

Tonight -- the huntsville city council said the madison county commission denied its attempt to help relocate it by gifting the land on which the monument sits - to the city of huntsville.

Thanks for joining us tonight -- i'm dan shaffer.

And i'm najahe sherman.

This monument has been a hot topic of conversation for months now.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live in front of the monument with what council members and residents are saying about the latest development.

Near the beginning of tonight's meeting -- council president devyn keith read out loud madison county commission chair dale strong's response to the city's proposition about letting the city be the one to move the monument to maple hill cemetary.

No one spoke in favor of keeping the monument, and residents in favor of the move say they're tired of hearing what they describe as excuses.

Danielle knight, calling for monument removal we don't want it taken down months from now, we don't want it taken down weeks from now.

We want it taken down now and there's no reason that it should still be out there.

A notable part of thursday's council meeting was once again used to call on city leaders to remove the confederate monument that stands in front of the madison county courthouse.

Karina escobar, calling for monument removal taking it down is necessary to heal our state's long and continuous history of violence towards black people.

So many huntsville citizens are asking, meeting after meeting, for this healing and compassion.

Council president devyn keith read into the city record the response he received from madison county commission chairman dale strong, which argues that gifting the land on which the monument stands to the city would be illegal.

Devyn keith, president, huntsville city council in closing, i appreciate your continued efforts in conjunction with the madison county commission to relocate the confederate monument that has been located on the grounds of the madison county courthouse for the past 115 years and respectively decline your request to transfer ownership to the city of huntsville that would create potential concerns of other legalities.

Councilman bill kling pointed to a possible loophole that could result in the statue's removal since the committee on alabama monument preservation never held a meeting about it.

Bill kling, huntsville city councilman, district 4 if there's no meeting or no denial within a certain period of time, then that may mean that an argument could be made that the waiver has been granted.

All i know is at the end of the month, that could be a very interesting time.

As councilman kling mentioned -- the city and county commission would have to have their legal departments look over this -- but he is correct on that statement.

According to the alabama monument preservation act of 2017 -- quote "if the committee fails to act on a completed application for a waiver within 90 days after the application is submitted to the committee, the waiver shall be deemed granted."

The committee for alabama monument preservation was scheduled to meet regarding the madison monument on july 9 -- which means that 90 day marker is indeed coming up at the end of this month.

Reporting live in huntsville -- will robinson-smith -- waay 31 news.