“I think that fountain is a magnificent, magnificent statement of memory to those veterans - particularly those who gave their all.” That’s what Marine Corps veteran Patrick Hill told the Sandy Springs City Council this week.

Hill wasn’t the only veteran to speak up. So did Drew Early, an Army vet of 24 years: “A commitment has been made to the citizens of Sandy Springs for a veterans fountain.”

Following public comment and robust discussion among council members, a project to honor the city’s veterans will include a fountain. City Council approved construction of a $5.7 million memorial park to be located on a triangle across from City Springs.

The project’s green light came after objections from two council members over cost to keep the fountain as part of the plan.

“I support the veterans, I support a memorial...but I just cannot support spending millions of dollars on a fountain,” said Jody Reichel, District 4. She noted some of the city’s parks could use upgrades - like Hammond and Riverside Parks, and the Morgan Falls Athletic Fields.

District 6 colleague Andy Bauman agreed with Reichel on the need for park upgrades and detailed his concern with the fountain piece of the memorial project. “If we’re calling this into question it’s for good reason, and ultimately, this is a town also founded on fiscal responsibility,” said Bauman. “We’ve got like a Cadillac plan, that even if we don’t do the fountain or we do half a fountain, that we’re like turning into a gold-plated Bentley.”

Bauman introduced a motion for a memorial park that would cut the cost down to around $650,000. The council voted it down. Instead, an original plan years in the making - including the water feature - was approved.

“We need to finish it off like we started, because we felt at that time it was the right way to go. I still feel it’s the right way to go,” countered District 5 council member Tibby DeJulio.

The fountain comes with an estimated price tag of nearly $1.5 million, within an overall project cost of $5.7 million.

The construction firm handling the project said it needed council approval this week in order to keep things on track for a projected completion by Veterans Day in November.

Construction groundbreaking is expected March 20.

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