Members of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission (SHPMC) and its professional Advisory Panel gathered in the Newtown High School Lecture Hall on the evenings of January 11 and 18 to continue Phase 1-A of its design evaluation process.commission's website.For more information on the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission, visit sandyhookpermanentmemorial.com or e-mail the commission at sandyhookpermanentmemorial@gmail.com.

During Phase 1-A, the commission and panel review each of the 188 submitted designs, knowing only the identification number for each designer. The commission then votes whether they would like to eliminate the design from the running or keep it for further consideration.

In addition to the commission and advisory panel members receiving the designs digitally to review beforehand, and receiving a large binder detailing each proposal, all the designs being reviewed were individually projected on a screen in the lecture hall for everyone to see.

On January 11, two dozen designs were unanimously voted for elimination, while three designs - labeled SH58, SH67, and SH76 - were eliminated from consideration, but not unanimously.

Out of the 31 total designs reviewed that night, the commission voted to keep four designs for consideration: SH66, SH81, SH102, and SH108.

On January 18, the commission unanimously eliminated more than 40 designs from consideration, with one design eliminated despite three commission members voting in favor to keep it.

That evening, four designs were voted through for further consideration. The commission favorably voted 6-4 for SH130, unanimously for SH141, 7-3 for SH147, and 8-2 for SH179.

Some design elements that were well received during the evening's discussion included the utilization of space between the two ponds already located on the permanent memorial property; the use of the sacred soil being integrated, but not a main focal point of the design; incorporating bells and chimes on the property; a covered shelter that can be utilized year-round; having metaphorical objects like empty shoes or an unfinished wall; creating a skywalk between the trees; and having high viewing points of the memorial.

Concerns that were brought up when reviewing recent designs were how to maintain fountains during the winter months; the constant upkeep for specific landscape choices like tulip flowers and apple trees; and the incorporation of large, imposing walls or enclosed structures.

So far none of the submitted designs have received a "passion vote," which was established during the January 10 meeting as a possible tool to help a commission member move a design to the next phase of evaluations if they felt strongly in favor of it.

SHPMC Chair Kyle Lyddy said commission members will still have the opportunity to use their passion vote in the upcoming meetings, scheduled for February 7 and 8.

Looking forward, he explained the current goal is to review 50 out of the 78 remaining designs at the next meeting, then finish the remaining designs the following meeting.

In addition, he says that on February 8, the commission will begin identifying its Phase 1-B plan, which includes discussing how families directly effected by 12/14 will be able to review the top designs.

"We want to make sure all 26 families have an equal opportunity to provide feedback," Mr Lyddy said, adding how that can mean reviewing the designs in person or digitally.

The public will soon be able to view all the SHPMC design proposals on the

The next SHPMC meeting, to continue Phase1-A of the design evaluation process, will be on Wednesday, February 7, at 7 pm, at the Newtown High School Lecture Hall.