Orleans Veterans Committee Reaffirms Barry Granite for Vietnam Memorial in 3-1 Vote

Other Committee · Meeting of July 7, 2026

Orleans Veterans Committee reaffirms Barry granite for Vietnam Veterans Memorial after brief reconsideration. The committee voted 3-1 at its July 7 meeting to retain the original material choice — light gray Barre, Vermont granite with dark lettering — reversing a procedural reconsideration it had opened at the same session in response to feedback from Vietnam veterans at the June 6 World War II monument rededication. Chair Kevin Higgins and committee members Cecil Newcomb and Melissa Phillips voted in favor; Andrew DeLore, attending remotely from California, dissented, saying he believed the darker honed black granite would make the memorial more visually distinct.

Fabricator Tom Blute of Crosby Monument told the committee that imported India black granite now carries significant tariff surcharges after "three price increases and two tariffs" in two years, and that dark-on-light lettering is "much more legible — there's no doubt." A representative of the committee's affiliated 501(c)3 noted the memorial will carry 144 confirmed veteran names, nearly twice the count anticipated when the design was first drawn up.

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Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.