Powell City Council unanimously approved a veterans memorial at Powell Cemetery on July 21, acting on input from the city's resident-run Veterans Advisory Committee.

The "Unmarked but Unforgotten" memorial will honor veterans with unknown or unmarked graves at the cemetery, located at 78 N. Liberty St. As Delaware Source reported, the back of the monument will carry engraved names of the fallen. The countywide initiative is coordinated by Delaware County Veteran Services and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

The 6-0 vote on Resolution 2026-34 authorized an intergovernmental agreement with the Delaware County Veterans Service Commission. William Piwtorak, deputy director of Delaware County Veterans Services, told council members the commission is authorized to spend up to $125,000 on the project. The commission will also provide an annual stipend for cemetery maintenance.

Committee Chair Jon Bennehoof, a former Powell mayor and U.S. Navy veteran who served three tours in Vietnam, told council the cemetery holds veterans from every American conflict, from the Revolutionary War through the Vietnam War. Bennehoof also sits on the Unmarked but Unforgotten Committee and is working with other municipalities on similar memorials.

The Veterans Advisory Committee was formed in 2025 to give City Council and staff a direct line to the veteran community. According to a city of Powell news release, the group educates the public about veterans' issues and connects veterans with resources. It also plans Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies, conducts flag refreshes at Powell Cemetery on both holidays and recommends speakers for those events.

The committee's advisory reach extends beyond the cemetery memorial. At the Aug. 4 Development Committee meeting, Bennehoof spoke on behalf of the group in support of a separate proposal to relocate the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial as part of the Scioto Street Extension project. He called the cemetery area "a place of reverence and memorializing our heroes."

Assistant City Manager Jeffrey Tyler, a U.S. Air Force veteran who serves as the committee's staff representative, said the group fills a gap in how the city hears from veteran residents.

"As a fellow veteran, I believe that they are invaluable to the City and Council, in particular, as a voice to address veteran's concerns within the community," Tyler said in the city news release.

Other known committee members include Ryan Holdren, a Marine Corps veteran, and Kaitlyn Burkley, an Air Force veteran. Both spoke at the Aug. 4 meeting.

The Veterans Advisory Committee meets at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at City Hall, 47 Hall St. Meetings are open to the public. Residents interested in joining can email Bennehoof at [email protected].