It was such a contentious issue for the group's members that it took nearly an hour to chop, edit and rewrite minutes from the last meeting to get the details of the park debate just right, a process that usually occurs within blinks of the eye during what are normally quiet and civil meetings.

Clifton Romer wants to build the veterans memorial, a series of flagpoles and a marble marker, at Babbington Green for his Eagle Scout service project. However, his plans have brought forth dissension between two groups in the area - both of which believe they have the town's best interests in mind.

To make his project happen, Mr. Romer needs the county's approval. But so far, the county has decided to withhold its blessing, giving preference to a plan for the park created by Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails, a plan that does not include Mr. Romer's memorial.

Mr. Romer told The Capital in April that he wants to build the memorial at Babbington Green because it is a prominent place in town and along the Memorial Day Parade route. He has no veterans in his family, but has revered them by placing flags at a cemetery and playing music at airports for troops returning from combat.

Last month, GOIA's board voted to write to county officials and support Mr. Romer's plans for the memorial. But two GOIA board members, Nancy and Bob Morton, adamantly opposed.

Ms. Morton is also on Friends of the Trails' board and was by all accounts integral in creating Babbington Green, a project that took 20 hours every week for three years. Her efforts with the trails group eventually lead to the park's groundbreaking last year.

Ms. Morton said she believes it would be improper to change the park's plans to include a memorial. Donors decided to fund it with a certain vision in mind and they would lose confidence in Friends of the Trails if it was changed, she said.

"Our integrity and word is important. Those grants were given when using the landscape plans we proposed," she said.

The county Department of Recreation and Parks has sided with Ms. Morton for similar reasons and out of respect for Friends of the Trails' original vision.

But GOIA president David Tibbetts believes Odenton definitely needs a prominent veterans memorial like Mr. Romer's.

The town has a special place in its heart for the military - the barbed-wire fences at Fort George G. Meade make for great neighbors. And in local politics, veterans have a leg-up; Odenton has only sent men who have worn a uniform to represent them on the County Council.

The decision made by the GOIA board to write to county officials and support the memorial was a reflection of those sentiments, Mr. Tibbetts said.

Additionally, GOIA donated thousands to build the park and should have an influence on its plans, Mr. Tibbetts said.

But Ms. Morton said that GOIA acted inappropriately.

"The GOIA overstepped its bounds. It's a situation where they really have no say.... To be quite frank, I think that the behavior of the president has damaged the integrity of the GOIA," she said.

But Mr. Tibbetts said he was fulfilling his role as the group's president.

"I have the sworn duty to represent what my board wishes," he said.

Nor does he think he harmed GOIA's standing with the county. The board's decision had the town's interests in mind.

"Do I think that bureaucracy in Rec and Parks likes to be challenged? No. But our job as an improvement association is to be an advocate for our community," he said after the meeting.

GOIA board members made, and eventually withdrew, a motion to ask a county Recreation and Parks employee to be more explicit about how the civic group was also instrumental in creating Babbington Green, a move that could give the group more influence in creating the memorial.

However, protests by Ms. Morton and others brought it to an end before it could be brought to a vote.

"At this point, Dave, I think we really need to bring this to a rest. I really don't think that you realize the damage done to this organization because of the negative comments in the last 6 weeks," and "mea culpas" were due, said Ms, Morton.

Shortly thereafter, former GOIA president Bruce McPherson withdrew his motion.

"Let's put it behind and move on," he said.