Kansas Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
February 2, 2001, 10:00 a.m.
Kansas Historical Society,Topeka, Kansas

Present at the February 2, 2001, meeting were committee members: Chairman Chuck Sexson, KBI; Vice-chairman Bill Miskell, Department of Corrections; Colonel Don Brownlee, KHP; Director Ed Pavey, KLETC; Captain Ken Gorman, Fraternal Order of Police; Kenneth Roy, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police; Steve Starr, Attorney General’s Office; Gary Hibbs, Department of Administration, Division of Facilities Management and Matt Veatch, Kansas Historical Society. also was present at the meeting. Committee member Sheriff Janet Harrington, Kansas Sheriffs’ Association was not in attendance.

1. Approval of Minutes
1.1. Mr. Veatch distributed minutes of the December 19, 2000, meeting for the committee’s review.
1.2. Col. Brownlee moved approval of the minutes as submitted, Mr. Roy seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

2. Troopers Association Representative on the Committee
2.1. Col. Brownlee reported that he had talked with the president of the Kansas Troopers’ Association about the need for a replacement for Trooper Mark Deterding.
2.2. The Troopers’ Association will discuss the need to name a new representative for the Law Enforcement Memorial Advisory Committee at their board meeting next week.

3. Financial Report
3.1. Mr. Veatch distributed the financial report and described the limited activity during December 2000 and January 2001.
3.2. Capt. Gorman moved approval of the financial report as submitted. Col. Brownlee seconded and the motion was approved.

4. 2001 Additions to the Memorial
4.1. Chairman Sexson summarized the three proposed additions to the memorial:
4.1.1. Charles Joseph “Joey” Bohlender Jr.
4.1.2. Jeff William Howey
4.1.3. John E. “Jack” Galvin
4.2. Chairman Sexson asked for a motion to approve the addition of these three names to the memorial.
4.3. Capt. Gorman so moved, Mr. Starr seconded, and the motion to add the three names to the memorial passed unanimously.
4.4. Duane Winkelman
4.4.1. Chairman Sexson and Mr. Veatch provided background on Duane Winkelman, a railroad detective who had been suggested as a possible addition to the memorial.
4.4.1.1. Detective Winkelman is on the National Law Enforcement Memorial; he was added in 1991.
4.4.1.2. He was born and raised in Pratt, Kansas; graduated from Pratt HS in 1964; his wife, Connie, was a Topeka native.
4.4.1.3. He worked as a detective for the Illinois Central RR.
4.4.1.4. Detective Winkelman was killed in East St. Louis, IL in 1972.
4.4.1.5. He was not a Kansas law enforcement officer and was living in Illinois at the time of his death.
4.4.1.6. Detective Winkelman is buried in Topeka.
4.4.2. Chairman Sexson suggested, and the group agreed, that Detective Winkelman is not eligible for inclusion on the Kansas memorial.
4.5. F.W. Tierney
4.5.1. Mr. Veatch summarized the circumstances of Deputy Game Warden F.W. Tierney's death on January 12, 1925 in Wilburton, Kansas.
4.5.1.1. The Department of Wildlife and Parks had communicated with Col. Brownlee, suggesting that Warden Tierney should be considered for the memorial.
4.5.1.2. The facts of the case indicated that Warden Tierney was not killed during the performance of law enforcement duties.
4.5.2. The committee agreed that Warden Tierney did not meet the criteria for inclusion on the memorial.
4.5.3. Colonel Brownlee will discuss the issue with the Dept. of Wildlife and Parks.

5. Annual Memorial Ceremony
5.1. Director Pavey proposed that the U.S. Attorney's Law Enforcement Conference end with the memorial ceremony in hopes of getting many of the 150 conference attendees to come to the ceremony.
5.2. He suggested that the ceremony take place on Wednesday, April 25, 2001.
5.2.1. Vice-chairman Miskell reported that the April 25th would be the legislature's first day back for the veto session, thus, some legislators would be likely to attend.
5.2.2. Vice-chairman Miskell suggested that the Governor likely would be in town on the 25th because of the veto session.
5.3. Capt. Gorman commented that the families of the law enforcement officers will be in Washington in mid-May and wondered whether holding the ceremony in April would be too much for them.
5.3.1. Chairman Sexson and others felt that the April 25th date would not place too great a burden on the families.
5.4. Several members observed that the April 25th date means that more attention will need to be paid to the inclement weather contingency plan.
5.4.1. Vice-chairman Miskell suggested that the 2nd floor of the Capitol would work well for the ceremony in the case of bad weather.
5.4.2. Capt. Gorman commented that it might even make sense to plan to hold the ceremony inside rather than outside.
5.4.3. Director Pavey and Vice-chairman Miskell both felt it would be better to be outside.
5.4.4. The committee agreed to try to hold the ceremony outside.
5.5. The committee set the date for the 2001 ceremony for Wednesday, April 25, 2001, at 12:00 p.m.
5.5.1. Vice-chairman Miskell will check on this date with the Division of Facilities Management while Mr. Starr will check on the Governor’s and Attorney General’s schedule.
5.5.2. Capt. Gorman will check on availability of the church for the reception.
5.6. Notification flyer
5.6.1. Col. Brownlee agreed to have the KHP create the flyer announcing the ceremony and Vice-chairman Miskell agreed to have DOC print it.
5.6.2. Director Pavey indicated that he needed 550 flyers for mailing and an additional 150 to put in U.S. Attorneys Law Enforcement conference packets
5.6.3. Members agreed that flyers (accompanied by a letter from KBI Director Welch) should be sent to legislators.
5.6.4. Vice-chairman Miskell suggested that he would have 1000 copies of the flyer produced.
5.7. Ceremony program
5.7.1. Vice-chairman Miskell indicated that DOC would put the ceremony program together and reproduce 300 copies of it.
5.8. Invitations to departments and families of 2001 additions
5.8.1. Chairman Sexson suggested that formal invitations be issued to the families and departments.
5.8.2. He proposed that Director Welch could send a formal letter of invitation to the families and the department chiefs.
5.8.3. The committee agreed that this was a good idea and Chairman Sexson agreed to coordinate this effort.
5.9. Engraving
5.9.1. Mr. Veatch will coordinate the engraving of the names with the Division of Facilities Management.
5.10. News release
5.10.1. Mr. Starr agreed to coordinate the news release.
5.11. Capt. Gorman agreed to be master of ceremonies
5.12. Still photos
5.12.1. Mr. Veatch will arrange the KSHS photography staff to take still photos of the ceremony.

6. Repairs/Enhancements to the memorial
6.1. Mr. Hibbs reported that a bill will be introduced to add a firefighters memorial and a bill concerning new memorials on capitol grounds also will be reintroduced.
6.1.1. He recommended that the committee wait to take any action on expansion.
6.2. Mr. Hibbs distributed cost estimates for repairs and expansion that he had prepared.
6.2.1. Repairs
6.2.1.1. He estimated $50,000 for repairs
6.2.1.2. This would involve replacing the existing 40 limestone caps with granite caps and re-engraving the names.
6.2.1.3. Mr. Hibbs also suggested a possible immediate remediation plan in which paint/stain would be applied to the flat surface of the engraving to visually make the names appear sharper.
6.2.2. Expansion
6.2.2.1. Mr. Hibbs estimated $175,000 for expansion
6.2.2.2. His plan would create a rectangular concrete plaza approximately 50 ft. by 60 ft. surrounding existing monument.
6.2.2.3. It would provide approximately 90 linear ft. of granite vertical walls (space for approx. 270 names).
6.2.2.4. The plan also would provide approximately 32 linear ft. of benches.
6.2.2.5. The cost estimate did not include engraving costs.
6.2.3. Chairman Sexson suggested that the committee consider addressing the repair issue in the short term.
6.2.3.1. Mr. Hibbs indicated that "painting" or "staining" the names would essentially "trick" the eye into seeing the names more effectively.
6.2.3.2. Col. Brownlee asked whether the Division of Facilities Management could do the painting.
6.2.3.3. Mr. Hibbs said it depended on how many person-hours would be required to accomplish the task.
6.2.3.3.1. He said he would have one of the DFM painters take a look at it and assess the time it would take to paint.
6.2.3.4. Chairman Sexson suggested that the committee could also look at contracting with a private firm to do the painting.
6.2.3.5. Vice-chairman Miskell will check into using inmate labor for the painting.
6.2.3.6. Mr. Hibbs commented that individuals who enjoy detail work would be needed for the job.
6.2.3.7. He also observed that the stone would need to be cleaned with a power washer and then with an air compressor each day before painting could begin; and commented that the stone would need to be very dry before painting, thus, summer would be the best time to do the work.
6.2.3.8. Mr. Hibbs and Vice-chairman Miskell will work on the painting/staining project proposal and report back at the next meeting
6.2.4. Director Pavey asked Mr. Hibbs to put together an estimate for adding an additional ring to the area at the base of the existing memorial as an alternative expansion plan.

7. Fund raising
7.1. Capt. Gorman and Vice-chairman Miskell suggested that the committee should consider beginning a fund raising campaign for repairs and expansion.
7.2. Capt. Gorman suggested that even a partial expansion could be considered.
7.3. Mr. Veatch distributed a list of donors to the original memorial to the committee.
7.3.1. Members observed that this list would be a good starting point for a fund raising campaign.

8. Meeting schedule
8.1. Next meeting - Friday, April 6, 2001, DOC, LSOB, 4th floor
8.2. Future meetings:
8.2.1. Friday, June 22, 2001, KHP
8.2.2. Friday, Sept. 21, 2001, KSHS
8.2.3. Friday, Dec. 7, 2001, AG's office

9. The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Mr. Veatch took the minutes.