COLUMBUS – Both the Polk County Board of Commissioners and Columbus Town Council have approved an encroachment and maintenance agreement to place a flagpole at the Doughboy statue on Courthouse Street.

Columbus Town Council met Nov. 17 and approved the agreement.

Polk County Commissioner Ted Owens and county economic development director Robert Williamson attended Columbus’ meeting. Williamson said he designed the layout for the flagpole, saying it will be lit with an LED light.

Owens said the U.S. flag will be the only flag flown there to start with.

Williamson also said it’s for the 100th anniversary of WWI and the Discover Columbus Committee started working on this a year ago.

Polk commissioners met on Nov. 21 and also approved the agreement. The county is paying for the flagpole and has agreed to maintain it.

The Doughboy statue was erected in 1920 and is dedicated to Polk County residents who died in WWI and for all who served from Polk County. Levi Butler, Jessie Lewis, Wallace Lankford, Zibo Wilson, Lawson Williams, Ralph Walker and Columbus Constant are named on the statue as soldiers from Polk County who didn’t make it home.