Getting in on the 1-cent proposition

The volunteer group working to establish a 9-11 memorial in Oconee County applied this week for a spot on the county’s 1-cent sales tax referendum. Assistant Chief Brandon Shirley of the Keowee Fire Department, 9-11 committee chairman, submitted the application that seeks $420 thousand to build what the group believes will be the “finest 9-11 memorial in the Southeastern U-S.” Oconee School District has agreed to provide just more than one acre on the west edge of the new Walhalla High property on which to build the memorial. A committee of volunteers has approved a design plan that includes memorials to the first responders and victims from all three attacks on September 11, 2001. It’s intended to honor the fallen, pay tribute to present-day heroes and serve as an ongoing source of remembrances and education for generations to come. The site also is expected to attract sightseers from across the Upstate and the Southeast. And Shirley said while some people might be surprised by the estimated cost of the memorial, it’s important to understand that nothing of this scope exists in the Southeast.