The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission received a substantial gift as City Councilors last night received an update on the status of the construction of the memorial at Mill Brook Park.
Commission Chairman Ralph T. Basiliere said the group is in phase two of the project now, as they have finished installing a large amount of granite curbing, planted 17 new trees and completed $65,000 worth of landscaping in the area.
Basiliere said the group has raised more than $95,000 to date and plan to complete the project in 2020.
The group also received some additional funds at that meeting in the form of a donation from the Haverhill High School class of 1969 who used its recent 50th reunion to raise money for the project. two city councilors, Joseph J. Bevilacqua and William J. Macek were members of that class and they, along with their class president Ted Xenakis, presented Basiliere with a check for $2,110.
In other Council news, Bevilacqua submitted a proposal to eliminate $3,000 from the Council president’s annual paycheck in order to make his compensation equal to that of the other councilors. That plan, like his proposal last week to have the president vote first, did not receive a second and didn’t advance.
And, this was also the last Council meeting where John Michitson presides as president. His fellow councilors took the opportunity to laud him for his work over the last nine years and thank him for his service.