Shortly after posting new information on the town’s municipal website tracking survey responses, the chairman of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission visited with local selectmen to update the commission’s progress toward possibly establishing one or more memorials in recognition of the lives lost on 12/14.

Commission Chairman Kyle Lyddy circulated a short report and survey responses, reminding selectmen that his panel was in its very early stages the last time he appeared before the board.

“Over the past 21 months the 12 of us have been attempting to find what the best process is — and I think we’ve done a pretty good job benchmarking what has been done in other communities,” Mr Lyddy said. “We’re taking the time and due diligence to make sure what we are doing is relevant and appropriate for our community.”

He said the panel went beyond simply reviewing what had been done in communities like Columbine, Colo., and at Virginia Tech, by asking what those communities might have done differently as they moved to develop their own memorial projects.

Mr Lyddy said at first the local committee borrowed a pyramid illustration that had been adopted in Columbine, to ensure they were prioritizing the immediate survivors before all others when reaching out for feedback, or floating documents and information related to memorial developments.

“We reached out in May of 2014, and heard from 18 of the 26 families at that time,” he said. “Many of them had different opinions.”

He acknowledged that the panel is continuing to keep in regular contact with immediate survivors and victims’ families because opinions may have changed over the past year. He assured selectmen that those 26 families would also be given the last word once any recommendations are made and brought back to the board of selectmen.

Mr Lyddy said the next layer of contacts included both staff and family members of the Sandy Hook Elementary School community, as well as working with the school district to be sure the commission’s database was kept up to date for any staff or families who changed jobs or left the school or district.

The commission also included outreach to local and state police agencies, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association and Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company, and noted some of their feedback on the response document.

“The overwhelming response from emergency services is that they wanted to give the final word to the 26 families,” Mr Lyddy said. He also said the four victims’ family members on the commission had been a tremendous help, and the commission has kept in regular contact with those family members when they are not in attendance at regular meetings.

He then told selectmen that while community forums were sparsely attended, the commission still gleaned good information from community members who turned out.

“But we hadn’t given much output — much to react to, so we understand that it was probably the reason,” he said. “As we get into the locations and designs, we expect that community participation to grow.”

Nonetheless, Mr Lyddy said, there has been a variety of ideas and opinions for the commission to sort through.

Regarding communications, the commission issues a monthly e-mail blast with updates, along with releasing a second Q&A document that is posted on the panel’s Facebook page, other social media, and the town website. He said the final phase of information gathering will again turn first and foremost to the immediate victims’ families.

“In May of 2014, we had four families express that it was too soon — they didn’t want to communicate at that time. But a few of those families have hopped on board in the meantime,” He said. The commission also offers Skype accessibility for any family members who have left the community, as well as private or closed sessions for specific family members.

The commission has been busy recently walking some of the parcels being considered for the memorials, including Fairfield Hills. Mr Lyddy said by the fall, the commission hopes to offer two or three sites, while they continue exploring any remaining sites.

He said there is still the possibility a private landowner might offer a parcel that could be optimal for the memorial. In the meantime, location and design subcommittees are continuing their work.

Ultimately, Mr Lyddy said the memorial commissioners are not fixing an end date to their work yet, and that commissioners have halted outside input and presentations about possible designs until the panel “can figure out how to make that work in a fair fashion.”

He said there is $130,000 in a designated account for development of a memorial, as well as a number of community and other groups offering assistance once the design and location have been finalized.

All three members of the Board of Selectmen expressed their continued support, and reiterated there was no time pressure to complete the memorial commission’s charge.

First Selectman Pat Llodra said she was happy the commission halted the process of taking design presentations, while pledging continued support toward their goals.