DAPHNE, Ala.—The City Council at its regular meeting Monday committed to financially supporting the South Alabama chapter of the Honor Flight Network, a charitable service that flies veterans to war memorials in Washington, D.C.

Mayor Fred Small offered to donate $550—the cost of flying one veteran round-trip—out of his training and travel budget to pay for one of 16 Daphne veterans who will make the May 6 journey.

Councilmen Greg Burnam and Bailey Yelding said they would also like to contribute, to help more veterans experience the memorials built in their honor.

Barry Booth, representing Honor Flight, in a presentation asked the council to designate May 6 as “World War II Honor Flight Day.”

Booth said that the commemoration will get Honor Flight exposure in the community and will help the network continue to perform this service.

“For a lot of them, this is their last hurrah,” he said of aging veterans. “If Daphne would consider this, we’d greatly appreciate it.”

A motion unanimously carried to add the proclamation to the April 6 agenda.

Resident Willie Robison, staving off tears, expressed appreciation for the council’s action.

“I would like to thank the council tonight for its commitment to the greatest generation,” he said.

“It’s the soldier that keeps us free,” he said. “We’re the land of the free because of the soldier. Freedom isn’t free; it’s very expensive.”

Council President John Lake and Councilmen August Palumbo and Derek Boulware—who were attending the National League of Cities Conference in Washington, D.C.—were absent from the meeting. The councilmen attended seminars and met with senators and congressmen on the city’s behalf. Also, they were to request financial support to help the city pay for proposed capital improvements such as road repairs.

In other business:

Small broached the matter, saying concerned residents have approached him about Hot Wheels skating rink’s appearance. The building—located at the intersection of Main Street and Whispering Pines Road—has drawn some criticism.

“It’s just an eyesore,” Marvin Ussery said during public participation.

Residents would like to see the creation of an architectural review to oversee regulations for developments in downtown Daphne, according to City Councilwoman Cathy Barnette.

Barnette said city attorney Jay Ross has completed the prerequisite work needed to establish an architectural committee.

“It’s just been tabled for some reason,” Barnette said. “It’s been discussed for several years.”

A motion carried unanimously to rezone property southwest of the U.S. Highway 31-Alabama Highway 181 intersection, directly behind Walgreens, from B-1, local business, to B-2, general business.

See the rest of this story in the March 18 Daphne Bulletin.