JSU may have to deal with new state law in rebuilding plans
The Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017, passed amid a wave of efforts to remove Confederate-themed monuments around the nation, was broadened in scope as it made its way through the Legislature. Signed into law last summer, it protects public monuments, architecturally significant buildings and streets or buildings named for people from being "relocated, removed, altered, renamed, or otherwise disturbed."
That would seem to include at least one building at
"Our insurance people are involved, our architects and engineers are involved," Monk said. "We're still trying to determine if that building can be rebuilt."
Whatever the engineers and architects decide, a new state panel may also have a say in the building's fate. The monuments act set up a state committee with members appointed by the governor and top lawmakers.
One member appointed to the committee is the senator who sponsored the bill:
Allen agreed that the law will play a role in how JSU deals with the damaged building. He suggested, though, that as long as there's something called
"If they build a new building, then that name must stay with the building," Allen said. However, JSU could go to court to see if a judge would release the school from having to keep the name, he said.
"You can't please everyone," Allen said. "At the same time, the law was put into place to protect the historic value of the building, of the name of that building."
Figuring out exactly how the new law and the committee might affect JSU's situation is tough, because the committee has met only once, and is still figuring out its rules. Allen said no date has yet been set for the next meeting. Attempts to reach the chairwoman,
According to the text of the law, protected buildings older than 40 years on public property can't be disturbed. Protected structures between 20 and 40 years old can be disturbed if the public bodies that own them get a waiver from the committee after providing lots of paperwork and opportunities for public input. Agencies that violate the act can be fined
The law also says that public bodies that own the monuments or buildings can do whatever they need for the "protection, preservation, care, repair, or restoration" of protected structures. That's how the city of
"We're not making any changes whatsoever,"
But what if JSU decides it doesn't want to house its
"Quite frankly, it's not one of the priorities," Monk said of the monuments act. "We're just trying to figure out, structurally, if the building can even be resurrected."
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