VFW Veterans Hall license

The VFW post commander said a $500 monthly fee would consume 60% of post donations and asked the city to honor the promise that veterans would always have a place at Veterans Hall.

A commander of another VFW post called the band of brothers 'a jewel' and urged the council to keep supporting them.

Yielded his speaking time to Commander McKinney.

The senior vice commander credited the post's claims assistance with catching his own aggressive cancer, saying there is 'no price tag on a life.'

A newer post member said he found a home and purpose there after taking over the recruiter position, and asked the council to weigh that in its decision.

A retired teacher and post member detailed the post's volunteer honor guard work across the region and asked the council to reconsider charging $500 a month.

The Army sergeant who led the pledge said the post gave her purpose after her third Iraq tour and asked the council to let the post continue serving.

Read a statement from Sherry Best endorsing the $1-per-year fee option and opposing the $500 monthly fee as harmful to nonprofits.

Called the $500 monthly fee 'insane' and quipped that the five council members could each donate the money themselves instead.

The former councilman recalled championing the Veterans Hall name in 1989 and said charging the veterans would be inconceivable.

The former mayor, a post member, called the city incredibly patriotic and urged the council to waive the fee entirely.