Bedford County Bicentennial Organizing Committee has proposed placing a stone monument on the courthouse lawn which would commemorate last year's Bicentennial observance and which would display the county seal developed several years ago.

Funds remaining in the Bicentennial account would be sufficient to pay for the monument.

The committee considered the design of the monument during a meeting this morning at the Chamber of Commerce. The proposal presented by county historians Tim and Helen Marsh would be six feet wide by four feet high. A central section of the monument, bearing the county seal, would be black with white lettering, while shorter sections on either side would be gray with black lettering.

The monument would list bicentennial committee members, various county officials, and the committee which designed the county seal.

County Mayor Eugene Ray said the placement of the monument would need to be approved next month by the county commission's courthouse and county property committee.

Committee members discussed the possibility of holding a public event this summer to unveil the monument. The committee will meet again to discuss this once a possible delivery date for the monument has been identified.

The monument is expected to cost about $6,000 from a company in Georgia. Although treasurer Helen Garner was not present for today's meeting, Ray said he believes there is enough remaining in the account to pay for the project. Local funeral director Bill Doak has agreed to work with placing the monument.

Present for this morning's meeting were organizing committee chairman Dixie Parker, Ray, Tim and Helen Marsh, Geneva Smith, Nadine Hopkins, Garland King, Dawn Holley, Keith Cook, Walt Wood and John I. Carney.