The proposed memorial plaza honoring General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. continues to face hurdles, with Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves outlining the ongoing challenges during his press conference on Sept. 9.
The memorial project, championed by the Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Memorial Foundation, has been stalled for months. The original stewardship agreement between the city and foundation expired on June 30, and Mayor Reeves explained that the gap between what was required and what was provided was too substantial to simply modify the existing document.
“The agreement as written required showing proof of funding and plans,” Mayor Reeves stated. “The delta was so wide that we can’t just redline that or change the date. We felt it would be more necessary to wait until the funding’s there and the plan’s there.”
County Liability Concerns
Another sticking point regards financial liability. Escambia County has requested that the City of Pensacola assume responsibility for any funding sources that might later be deemed non-compliant, such as Tourist Development Taxes. Mayor Reeves has rejected this arrangement, explaining that city taxpayers shouldn’t bear the risk if county funding streams are later found to be inappropriate.
He said, “We are absolutely not going to sign something that says no matter where the source of funding comes from the county’s coffers, we now take responsibility if they end up being non-compliant.”
Mayor Reeves clarified his previous suggestion about Veterans Memorial Park as an alternative location, noting it wasn’t meant to replace the current proposal but rather offer a solution if funding challenges persist. The park location would be closer to James’ original Pensacola house and already serves as a veterans’ memorial area.
Foundation Must Show Progress
The mayor made it clear that the foundation needs to demonstrate concrete progress before the city will commit resources to negotiations. Outstanding issues include the foundation’s financial transparency.
“The ball’s in the foundation’s court,” Mayor Reeves stated definitively. “We’re happy to make it work, but we aren’t signing for risk obligation on $750,000, and we aren’t going to enter into an agreement without knowing that it’s going to happen.”
The city remains open to discussions once the foundation provides proof of funding and detailed project plans but won’t move forward without explicit assurances that the memorial can actually be completed.
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Rick Outzen is the publisher/owner of Pensacola Inweekly. He has been profiled in The New York Times and featured in several True Crime documentaries. Rick also is the author of the award-winning Walker Holmes thrillers. His latest nonfiction book is “Right Idea, Right Time: The Fight for Pensacola’s Maritime Park.”
