By Talaina Kor The Holbrook Chamber of Commerce met last week and discussed the removal and possible relocation of the marquee sign located at Gillespie Park at the intersection of Hopi Drive and Navajo Blvd. The intent would be to replace it with a statue commemorating the Hashknife Posse. The marquee was installed in 2009 in a partnership effort between the chamber, Holbrook Unified School District and Navajo County, with the chamber paying a majority of the cost. Tafoya had reached out to the HUSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich to determine what he felt and said he would like to see it relocated if it had to be removed as it was informative for the public. Holbrook and Sun Valley residents Ofelia Lange and Mildred Foutz are heading up the fundraising for the monument. Foutz was contacted following the meeting and stated they had met with City Manager Ted Soltis to see where a Hashknife Posse monument could be placed. “After talking with posse members, they really desired for it to be on the corner of Navajo and Hopi in the park,” explained Foutz. Although it has not been discussed in a public council meeting, Foutz said that Soltis informed her he had discussed the location with the city council individually who all agreed the monument should go where the marquee is currently located. Foutz said the removal of the marquee does not have to be immediate but that they have a potential financier that is willing to pay a large undisclosed amount to erect the statue, on the terms that they had location and rendering of the statue by the end of the month of August. “The marquee can stay there for another year and a half as long as its functioning. But after that it must be moved or done away with,” stated Foutz. Another reason to remove the marquee is that the contract for maintenance expired two years ago and new parts are no longer being made for that particular marquee. The goal is for the monument to be up in time for the Hashknife Posse’s 65th ride, which is in two years. The contract with sculpture Scott Rogers has been signed to create a seven by eight-foot statue of a man on a horse and they are currently working with the high school art department to create a rendering of the monument. The funding for the statue is up to $14,000 of the $80,000 needed. At the chamber meeting, board member Colleen Marsh said that she can see both sides of the matter. “I agree that the community needs to be informed and marquees are a nice way to do that.” She also added that while traveling through various historic towns she noticed that none of them had marquees and maintained the more historic, rustic feel. “So, if there’s something that could enhance the themes of our town, like an Old West piece pairing right there with the Route 66, I think that could look nice.” In other business, the chamber discussed the drone video, pilot program “Holbrook Ambassadors” and the Holbrook Revitalization and Recovery Project. The chamber re-elected all board officers to serve one more year term, with Daniella Day as president, Shar Gillespie as vice president, and Janet Dean as treasurer. The chamber listed their events schedule which is tentative depending on COVID-19. Healthy Holbrook Community Clean Up Day, Sept. 11; Old West Fest with Park and Watch Movie, Oct. 1-2; Holbrook Parade of Lights, Dec. 4; 12 Days of Christmas Shop Local Campaign, Dec. 14-25; and Festival of Trees, Dec. 2-4.
