Hudson seeks to reset ties with veterans, put mic incident behind with new commission

The military community will now have a dedicated voice in Hudson's civic affairs.

Hudson City Council voted 5-2 last week to establish a military and veterans commission, following through on a step proposed by officials after organizers of the city's 2021 Memorial Day remembrance silenced the microphone during part of a speech.

The audio was cut off when retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter tried to share a story about Black slaves memorializing deceased soldiers at the end of the Civil War. The incident made national headlines, casting Hudson in a negative spotlight and causing upheaval in its American Legion chapter.

Councilman Chris Banweg, who introduced the legislation in November, said the Memorial Day incident was a wake-up call.

"It's what got my attention to how things were run, or how different organizations were doing from a health perspective, Banweg said. "So I got involved to try to understand the veterans community here in Hudson."

Upon exploring the issue, Banweg, a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves, found independent organizations struggling with the pressure of volunteering, the demanding nature of social media, public scrutiny and the weight of making operational decisions.

"Bringing those people — who maybe join different groups — together, I think, will be helpful," Banweg said. "It reaffirms, for me, a commitment from the city to engage and serve veterans and military in the community."

As adopted by the council, the commission will "act as a conduit of communication and coordination between the local military and veteran community and the city of Hudson."

More:Memorial Day mic cut: Hudson American Legion Post's charter suspended, leader resigns

More:What did he say? Read a draft of speech by veteran silenced at Hudson Memorial Day service

The road to passage

The Jan. 17 vote to establish the commission followed robust discussions across several meetings.

When Banweg introduced the legislation at a council workshop in November, Councilman Skylar Sutton expressed concerns about the number of commissions already created by the city, a condition he termed "commission bloat."

"A lot of times when you create a commission they need to justify their existence and so they create projects, and ask for funding, and invent reasons to continue to be a commission," Sutton said. "It seems like the only reason we're proposing this is the Memorial Day parade. Couldn't we handle that through some sort of ad-hoc committee each season for the Memorial Day parade?"

Banweg responded that a permanent commission would address a broader set of issues than just the parade — monuments and Veterans Day, for example.

Sutton also expressed concern that the pool of potential applicants would be too scarce to form such a commission. The dwindling membership of veterans organizations like the VFW in part fueled this worry.

Sutton and fellow council members Nicole Kowalski and Kate Schlademan expressed various concerns during discussions leading up to the vote — in some cases, offering suggestions on how to amend the legislation into a more palatable form.

When the legislation finally came up for a vote last Tuesday, Schlademan and Sutton both voted against it.

Banweg said he's pleased with the outcome.

"If I have an idea and it's not popular, great. I can walk away and live with that," he said. "I'm not surprised at the difference of opinion on some things. I believe we do have a lot of boards and commissions ... Councilor Sutton has a good point, but I don't think that should prevent this particular (commission) from being created because we may have done too many in the past. I still felt it stood on its own merit in the benefits that it will give the community."

Role of the commission

The ordinance lays out expectations for the new commission to advise the city on creating and preserving an "atmosphere of respect and appreciation for past and current members of the United States Armed Forces."

Primarily, the commission will make recommendations to City Council and the city manager regarding issues, ceremonies, events and activities occurring inside Hudson city limits.

Additionally, the commission can offer advice and assistance upon request to residents concerning resources available to members of the American armed forces, veterans and their families.

The council will appoint four to six people to the commission, with one member of City Council appointed as a non-voting liaison.

Initial members will be appointed for staggered terms of one, two, and three years, and members will serve no more than three consecutive full terms.

Commission members will serve a three-year term ending Dec. 31 of each year.

In order to serve on the commission, applicants must:

• Be a resident of Hudson for two years preceding appointment, and remain a resident for the duration of their term.

• Be a current or former member of the U.S. Armed Forces, with veterans having received an honorable or general discharge.

• Be able to prove active-duty service during hostilities.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson City council establishes military and veterans' commission