Detroit Lakes council approves relocating 10 Commandments monument to Larry’s Pathway after public comment

The Detroit Lakes City Council voted to relocate the city’s 10 Commandments monument from the pavilion area to a site off Larry’s Pathway in City Park after staff presented an amended master plan and after public comment.

Mayor Mary Brink opened the public forum by asking city administrator Kelsey Clem to summarize the master plan changes; Clem said the consultant had been directed to show the monument near Larry’s Pathway after the park board agreed that location would be appropriate and would allow the monument to be moved once rather than put into storage.

Pastor Tim Rice of Christian Fellowship Church thanked the council for addressing the issue and urged that the new location be “high traffic,” accessible by sidewalk or pavers, well lit and, if possible, include a meditation bench; Rice offered that his church could help fund a bench. “It’s a beautiful monument, and we really appreciate the city placing that down here,” Rice said.

Several other residents spoke. Celeste, a city resident, urged the council to consider whether park features and use of public tax dollars are “welcoming to everyone” and asked the council to think about how decisions will affect the city in coming decades. Nick Pache, a professional landscape architect, recommended against siting the monument directly on Larry’s Pathway because it is only about 10 feet wide and could create congestion; he proposed alternative locations within the restoration area that would better support a contemplative setting.

Council members debated procedure and placement. One council member expressed concern about adding the item to the agenda at the meeting itself; that amendment passed with one recorded no vote. After the public comment period concluded and council discussion on design details and whether to study the setting further, the motion to relocate the monument as shown in the amended master plan passed on a voice vote.

City administrator Clem said the plan anticipates a number of relocations within the park in the coming weeks and that staff will follow the master plan unless the council directs otherwise. Clem also noted the master plan has been submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office for comment but that the Larry’s Pathway location was not included in the version sent to SHPO and will need follow-up.

What’s next: the council referred bench, lighting and final siting details to the Public Works Committee for design and implementation recommendations; staff will confirm any necessary state historic-review steps before the physical relocation.