NEW ORLEANS – Today, the City of New Orleans announced the schedule for public hearings about the proposed relocation of the Robert E Lee statue at Lee Circle; the Jefferson Davis statue on Jefferson Davis Parkway; the P.G.T. Beauregard statue on Esplanade Avenue at the entrance to City Park; and, the Battle of Liberty Place Monument at Iberville Street. The HDLC and HRC hearings are part of a 60-day period of discussions and public meetings outlined by Mayor Landrieu, which are taking place ahead of the City Council’s formal consideration of this issue. Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC) Public Hearing Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. 1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 City Council Chambers Human Relations Commission (HRC) Public Hearing Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, 6 p.m. 1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 City Council Chambers *Comment Cards must be received at the HRC meeting by 7 p.m. in order to speak. At the HDLC and HRC hearings, there will be a public comment period during which participants are encouraged to be civil and respectful of others. Similar to City Council meetings, comment cards will be distributed and participants will be called to the podium on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those who cannot attend either the HDLC or HRC meeting can submit a comment online at www.nola.gov/HDLC or www.nola.gov/HRC. Comments submitted online must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11 so that it can be shared with Commissioners in advance of the meetings on Aug.13 to be included as part of the official public record. The meetings will also be broadcast live from the City Council Chambers on the NOATV Government Channel 6. On July 9, 2015, Mayor Landrieu formally asked the City Council to begin the legal process to relocate four prominent Confederate monuments, as well as a 60-day public comment period. As per City Code Section 146-611, the City Council must receive comments and recommendations from the Human Relations Commission, the Historic District Landmarks Commission, the chief administrative officer, the City attorney, the superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, and the director of the Department of Property Management before taking action to relocate or remove a monument or structure. Following the required public hearings and receipt of recommendations, the City Council may hold its own public meeting and, by ordinance, declare a monument or structure a nuisance and start the process of its removal or relocation. Landrieu also asked that highly-facilitated discussions among residents take place as part of the City’s Welcome Table New Orleans (WTNO) initiative. The WTNO, which was launched in April 2014, regularly brings together diverse residents to have thoughtful, open, honest and civil discussion about important community issues. The WTNO process provides a safe space for neighborhood and community leaders, faith-based leaders and other engaged residents to learn, listen and consider the possibility of other perspectives on the monuments question. The roundtable discussions were facilitated by the William Winter Institute from the University of Mississippi. WTNO has also engaged young people on the monuments issue. ###