Back to Naming Policy Development Committee Meeting Minutes
January 12, 2010, Hingham Town Hall
Present: James Costello, Alexander Macmillan, Jane Malme, Edward Siegfried
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm by Chairman Jim Costello.
The minutes of the previous meeting on December 15, 2009 were approved.
The Chairman invited comments from the public. Marisa Costello, Hingham League of Women Voters observer and Hingham resident Barbara Hood were present. Draft texts of bylaw provisions were distributed and offered for discussion by Alex Macmillan and Ed Siegfried.
Members reviewed the discussion that took place at the meeting that the committee had requested with the Board of Selectmen, which was held on Thursday, January 7th. Four members of the committee, Costello, Macmillan, Malme and Siegfried, were present. Chairman Costello had presented a brief report on the committee’s progress and general consensus reached that the committee would present a bylaw proposing Annual Town Meeting approval for naming lands and buildings, and sought the guidance of the Selectmen in regard to their involvement and responsibility in the naming process. Committee members recalled that Selectmen were agreeable to taking responsibility for reviewing and recommending “Naming” articles for Town Meeting. If departments were given authority, after a public hearing, to name subareas of land and rooms and interior spaces of buildings over which the departments had jurisdiction, the Selectmen would receive, review and act upon objections to a department’s naming decision. Fire Chief Duff expressed his concern about the Selectman or other body having authority over plaques or facilities in Fire Houses, and to a public hearing requirement. The Selectman also discussed naming for fund-raising purposes, and encouraged establishing some parameters for incorporating revenue opportunities. They also were open to a role in establishing some standards and uniformity for signs, plaques and other markers on public property.
The Committee then reviewed the various sections and wording of proposed bylaw provisions, with particular attention to the definitions, granting authority and procedure for distinguishing categories of public property. The first category for naming public lands and buildings would require approval at an Annual Town Meeting, after submission of a proposed name or designation to the Board of Selectmen for their review and recommendation, a public hearing and advice from the Hingham Historical Commission. The second category for naming of rooms, areas and subareas by the responsible town department, after a public hearing, would be subject to an appeal to the Board of Selectmen. The third category for naming “features” defined as benches, bricks, flagpoles, plaques, parking spaces, trees, scoreboards, and signs or other markers located on public lands or within public buildings would be within the discretion of the departments with jurisdiction over these areas. Neither lands, buildings nor rooms, areas or subareas should be named for living persons, or bear the name of any commercial enterprise, but this prohibition need not apply to “Features” for which greater discretion may be permitted, as appropriate for fundraising purposes. The Selectmen, after a public hearing, will have the authority to establish standards for signs, plaques or markers erected on public property.
Members discussed whether a two-thirds or majority vote should be required for approval of the naming or re-naming of lands or buildings by Town Meeting. It was the consensus of those present that majority approval was consistent with the majority vote required to amend a Town bylaw.
After reviewing and comparing the decision “grid” with the bylaw provisions discussed during the meeting, Alex Macmillan offered to incorporate the committee’s discussions and draw up a revised draft bylaw for committee review at the next meeting, with the expectation that the Committee will
adopt a recommended bylaw at that meeting, and submit it to Selectmen for timely inclusion in the warrant for the 2010 Annual Town Meeting.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 9 p.m.
The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 14th at 7:30 pm in the Hingham Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane Malme, Clerk.