Council moves forward on plan to relocate Monahan monument to Fairmont Memorial Cemetery

Spokane — City staff briefed councilors on plans to relocate the Monahan monument after traffic‑safety improvements required its removal from the public right‑of‑way. Staff said the monument had been privately funded and accepted by the city at dedication; after traffic work necessitated moving it, the city coordinated with the Monahan family and identified Fairmont Memorial Cemetery as a permanent, publicly accessible location for the monument.

Staff described outreach to family members (including expanded family participation), procurement steps (multiple RFPs to find a contractor to move the monument) and coordination with cemetery staff and engineers. Staff advised the council that Fairmont would assume ownership and maintenance following the transfer; the city would relinquish its ownership interest. Councilors asked about plaque disposition and public access; staff said the cemetery location is publicly accessible (gates locked at sundown) and that plaque details would be resolved as part of the transfer.

Council referenced a May 12, 2025 resolution that authorized relocation and transfer of the city’s interest in the monument; the council approved placing a modified item on next week’s final agenda to act on the relocation and transfer.