Summer Chambers, Parks Director and Tourism Secretary, along with Veteran’s Memorial Committee members Hope City Director Mark Ross, Hempstead County Judge Jerry Crane, and Hempstead County Veterans Services Coordinator and Gold-Star Mother Donna Rosenbaum, presented the finalized vision for the project, which is slated for the property at the corner of Hervey and 2nd Street, adjacent to the Clinton Birthplace National Historic Site.
The commission was shown a new design that promises to be a striking addition to Hope. The centerpiece of the memorial will be an "Eternal Flame" surrounded by three-foot columns. "This is the vision that they have worked on and would like to see come to life," Chambers told the commission.
A key design element, suggested by Mark Ross, involves slanting the tops of the columns so that the insignias of each military branch are visible to visitors as they walk around the monument. The site will feature nine flags in total: the American flag (which will stand tallest), the POW/MIA flag, flags representing six military branches, including the Space Force, and the Arkansas flag.
"We want this to look nice year-round and get the respect it deserves," Chambers noted, emphasizing that the design includes low-maintenance landscaping and concrete work to ensure the site remains pristine. The memorial will also feature a significant tribute to Jay Kopecky. A large plaque on the walkway will display his rank and biography, honoring his driving force behind the project.
The commissioners approved the design and gave instructions for the committee to move forward with collecting bids.
Christy Burns, Executive Director of the Hope Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, addressed the commission to clarify the evolving relationship between the Chamber and the Tourism commission. Burns explained that with the new Main Street/Downtown Network position, the Chamber’s focus is broadening.
Burns announced a new Hope Holiday Market concept for 2026 to be held at Fair Park, featuring food trucks and vendors, while the Downtown Network will handle the traditional Christmas Open House. Burns also expressed a desire to create a new spring event, tentatively titled Hope on Hervey. "It gives me the opportunity to reach a little bit farther in the community," Burns said regarding the Chamber's expanded focus outside of just the downtown area.
The commission voted and approved on a contract renewal with the Chamber.
On another topic, a discussion was held regarding the HVAC system at the Fair Park Coliseum. The commission debated between repairing a heat exchanger on one of the units or replacing the entire unit. After discussing bids and weighing the price difference against warranty benefits, the commission discussed moving forward with the best long-term solution for the facility, acknowledging that maintaining the arena is vital for tourism events. They tabled the discussion for the next meeting when they will have more info regarding the warranties.
In other business, Chambers shared with the commission two new pieces of marketing material, designed by SWARK.Today, that will be placed in the upcoming Relocation & Tourism Guide and the Welcome to Hope Folder, publications which will be placed all around town. Also, Hope Mayor Don Still shared that the Hope City Board is currently looking at budgets for the Rec Center, with potential plans to expand swimming pool lanes to accommodate tournaments, which would serve as a major tourism draw for the city.