Link back to Naming Policy Development Committee page
October 14, 2009, Hingham Town Hall
Present:
James Costello, Philip Edmundson, Alexander Macmillan, Jane Malme, Edward Siegfried.
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm, by Jane Malme who, at the request of the Board of Selectman, convened the organizational meeting of the Committee.
The members of the Committee by unanimous vote elected James Costello as Chairman and Jane Malme as Clerk.
Members reviewed the Selectman’s charge to the Committee to recommend policies and procedures for naming public assets in Hingham, and to bring these recommendations for consideration by the April 2010 Town Meeting. The Selectman strongly recommended that the Committee’s proposals be in the form of a by-law.
A general discussion followed concerning the scope of the Committee’s work, the steps to be taken to accomplish it, and a schedule for its completion and presentation to the Selectman and Advisory Committee for their consideration prior to the 2010 Town Meeting.
Alex Macmillan reviewed some historical namings in Hingham. He also noted that naming of roadways is already governed by a town by-law, and there may be other entities that would not fall within the scope of a general by-law. Macmillan also provided the Committee with copies of excerpts of “Evolution of Governmental Naming Policies in the United States”, collected from the internet.
Phil Edmundson suggested the Committee develop an understanding of what property in Hingham has been named, and how it occurred, and he offered to gather information for the Committee. Ed Siegfried offered to explore naming policies and practices in other towns.
The consensus of the Committee was that the first step in the Committee’s deliberations is to hear the views and suggestions of Hingham citizens and of town committees. It was agreed that meetings for open discussion will be held on Tuesday evenings, November 10 and 24 at 7:30 pm in the Town Hall, to allow adequate time for advance notice in two issues of the Hingham Journal. Macmillan and Costello will provide the information to the Journal, and Malme will inform the Selectmen and Town Committees of the meetings, and see that the meetings are posted well in advance.
Subsequent meetings are scheduled for December 15, January 12, and January 26 to consider, draft, and vote on a proposed policy that will be presented to the Board of Selectmen for their consideration, and subsequently in February to the Advisory Committee so that their recommendation may appear in their written report prior to Town Meeting.
Two members of the public were welcomed, and invited to speak. A member of the Hingham League of Women Voters presented a letter notifying the Committee that there would be a League Observer at committee meetings to keep their members informed about the Committee’s deliberations and recommendations.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m.