Civil War monument meeting postponed

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  • A monument to Confederate soldiers stands in front of the courthouse in downtown Lake City. A local resident seeks to have it relocated to either the cemetery where the soldiers are buried or the battlefield where they died. (STAFF)
    A monument to Confederate soldiers stands in front of the courthouse in downtown Lake City. A local resident seeks to have it relocated to either the cemetery where the soldiers are buried or the battlefield where they died. (STAFF)
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A Lake City Council meeting scheduled for Monday to hear public input on the possibility of removing a Confederate monument from Olustee Park downtown has been postponed.

“Due to the amount of attention the Olustee monument is getting, the discussion of this issue with be postponed,” according to a 5:23 p.m. Saturday tweet from the Lake City Police Department. "The topic will be scheduled for discussion when the city has face-to-face public meetings and an appropriate venue to allow for open conversation.”

The tweet was attributed to City Manager Joe Helfenberger.

Social media has lit up in recent days over the controversy.

However, due to concerns by some City Council members, the council is still holding virtual meetings only. It is not clear when regular, face-to-face meetings will resume.