Deteriorating Sept. 11 memorial with inaccurate flight numbers removed in Green Bay

GREEN BAY — A memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is being torn down in Wisconsin after a failed fundraising effort to repair it.

The memorial was donated to Green Bay in 2005 and featured a piece of steel from the World Trade Center in New York.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports the memorial also contained inaccurate flight numbers for the downed planes and deteriorated in part because it was clad in indoor marble.

Outgoing Mayor Jim Schmitt says the deterioration wasn't respectful to the victims. The City Council authorized a fundraiser about a year ago to raise $100,000 for repairs. But Schmitt says no money was raised.

The city began taking down the memorial this week. The steel beam has been on display in the local fire and police stations, with the hope of constructing a replacement memorial.