Item number two is a communications departments of parks and recreations and beaches submitting a memorial park bench and tree dedication program application for a bench and plaque to be located at Fort Tabor, replacing an existing bench in memory of Arthur C.

Burton Jr.

Item number two is before you.

Motion receiver Place of the Bible.

By Councillor Roy.

Second in by Councillor Oliver.

Um Miss Burton is in the audience if you would like to come to the podium.

All is in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Thank you.

Okay.

What do you want to do?

Know my story?

You gotta lift the name.

Yeah, name it, name an address for the record.

Okay.

My name is Shaling Burton.

I live at 318 Park Street, New Bedford.

And my story is that my brother and I were very, very close.

And I had left New Bedford.

I was gone for 45 years.

Actually, when I think when I left New Bedford, it was still Fort Rodman.

But anyway, when I got ready to retire, my brother said to me, if you want to come back home, the family home is as much yours as it is mine.

And I decided to come back home, and when I came back home, I said, Ah, let me go check out this Fort Tabor.

And I went to Fort Tabor and I walked around and I found a bench and that I loved the view.

And so every time that I would go to Fort Tabor, that would be the bench that I would sit on.

Anyway, I after I came back to New Bedford about six months later, my brother was diagnosed with lung cancer stage four.

Okay.

Um from March to November.

I don't think he ever bought a fish.

But I said, let me try Fort Tabor.

Let me see if I see his car.

And so I went to Fort Tabor and his car was there, so I put on my hat and my sunglasses and I went walking.

He was literally standing on the rocks in front of the bench that I love.

Okay.

And I couldn't believe it that we had the same exact spot.

And that's where I'm gonna want to put his bench.

But anyway, he was so busy fishing, he didn't see me, and I didn't say anything because I knew he was weaker.

I he used to be a good swimmer, but I was afraid if I startled him, he might fall in.

So I just walk he I walked right by him, he never even saw me.

Um but anyway, I still go back to that spot and you know, reflect.

So that's where um my brother, you know, he was a very humble guy and did things a lot of things for people in the city of New Bedford.

He was well known in the West End.

Um I still to this day have people walking up to me and telling me, you know, how he helped them and and different stories or whatever.

But anyway, so I would like to put a bench in that spot, hopefully.

And um so that I not only I can go sit on it, but people that we went to school with and everything can just go and reflect.

And that's my story.

Thank you, Miss Burton.

Any questions from any of the counselors?

Council Roy.

Um thank you for sharing.

Where where do you where is this bench?

Where where do you where was the bench that you walked by?

And I'm just curious the location.

Um if you like walk past that big long walkway and you kind of go up the hill.

Um and you go around the corner a little bit.

Okay.

Um it's where a lot of the boats come in and the boats go out, and that you know, you can still see the lighthouse and everything, but you can see the boats.

Um it's just beautiful.