Excerpt of the Minutes from the January 10, 2005 Business Meeting
Item 14 – Proposed Actions in Response to Recommendations of
the Special Committee to Consider Renaming Airport Road
Public Works Director Bill Letteri stated the staff was recommending a process that would follow up on the recommendations of the Special Committee to Rename Airport Road and would address the need to rename the Town street now named Martin Luther King, Jr. Street. Mr. Letteri said there were four resolutions provided and were recommended for adoption, which would:
· authorize the Manager to begin implementing certain recommendations and take such actions as are necessary to change Airport Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; authorize the Manager to provide help to citizens and businesses with the transition, as allowed by law and within the Town’s available resources;
· establish a citizens’ committee to plan appropriate observances and ceremonies to create the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard;
· establish a second committee to consider the additional proposals of the Special Committee and recommend future actions to the Council; and
· authorize the Council’s Naming Committee, with staff support provided by the Manager, to conduct a process that would result in the renaming of Martin Luther King, Jr. Street.
Charles Wolfe noted he had lived on Airport Road as a student and now managed property on Airport Road, and lived on property adjoining the airport. He said he had a great deal of respect for Dr. King and did not want anyone to take his remarks inappropriately, adding that he was not opposed to having a major road in Chapel Hill named for Dr. King.
Mr. Wolfe stated that the Committee had made its report to the Council on December 6, outlining its recommendations. He said he was somewhat surprised that once the report was released, that an opportunity was not provided for the public to comment on those recommendations. Mr. Wolfe said that he was surprised that there were no roadways named for John Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, or more importantly for George Washington Carver or Rosa Parks. He asked why we don’t recognize others who were instrumental in the Civil Rights movement. Mr. Wolfe asked if there would be any opportunity to discuss this.
Mayor Foy responded that the decision had been made, and what the Council was now considering was how to implement it. He thanked Mr. Wolfe for his comments.
COUNCIL MEMBER WARD MOVED RESOLUTION R-16a, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VERKERK. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH WORK NECESSARY TO CHANGE “AIRPORT ROAD” TO “MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD.” AND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE (2005-01-10/R-16a)
WHEREAS, the Council created a Special Committee to Consider Renaming Airport Road and to develop recommendations for appropriate memorials to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, the Council received the Committee’s report and recommendations on December 6, 2004; and
WHEREAS, the Council resolved to change the name of Airport Road to “Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. with a separate sign with the designation “Historic Airport Road”;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Manager is hereby authorized to proceed with all necessary communications, design, fabrication, estimation and other steps necessary to effect the renaming of Airport Road, to include: communications with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, U. S. Postal Service, businesses, citizens and others affected by the road name change; to design and fabricate prototypes of proposed signs; to estimate all costs and time necessary to make proposed changes; to prepare a report to the Council at a future meeting to present a proposed street name sign design, costs and schedule.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is also authorized to take the necessary steps to change the address of Town Hall from 306 N. Columbia Street to the appropriately numbered Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. address. Further, the Manager is directed to develop a plan to notify all parties affected by the Town Hall address change and, to the extent practical, utilize all existing stationary, envelops, etc. to mitigate the cost of the change.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is authorized to assist those affected by the change to the extent allowed by law and within available Town resources.
This the 10th day of January, 2005.
COUNCIL MEMBER GREENE MOVED RESOLUTION R-16b, AMENDED TO INCLUDE MAY 8 AS THE CELEBRATION DATE.
Council Member Greene said that May 8 was the date that Dr. King has visited and spoke in Chapel Hill 45 years ago, and she had submitted for the record three news articles about that event to be included in the record.
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WARD. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF AN OBSERVANCES COMMITTEE TO ORGANIZE A ROAD NAME CHANGE CELEBRATION (2005-01-10/R-16b)
WHEREAS, the Council created a Special Committee to Consider Renaming Airport Road and to develop recommendations for appropriate memorials to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, the Council received the Committee’s report and recommendations on December 6, 2004; and
WHEREAS, the Council desires to recognize and celebrate the renaming of the road on May 8, 2005, in an appropriate fashion that would involve the community;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby authorizes the formation of an observances committee to organize and develop the logistics of appropriate observances and ceremonies to recognize the road name change. Said committee will be composed of one or more Council member(s), interested citizens and others as determined by the Council.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is authorized to solicit applications for appointment to the committee and schedule the nomination and appointment process as soon as practical.
This the 10th day of January, 2005.
COUNCIL MEMBER WARD MOVED RESOLUTION R-16c, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GREENE. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF A COMMITTEE TO ADDRESSING RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE DECEMBER 6, 2004 REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER RENAMING AIRPORT ROAD (2005-01-10/R-16c)
WHEREAS, the Council created a Special Committee to Consider Renaming Airport Road and to develop recommendations for appropriate memorials to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, the Council received the Committee’s report and recommendations on December 6, 2004; and
WHEREAS, the Committee’s report included a number of recommendations for honoring the legacy of Dr. King; and
WHEREAS the Council wishes to consider these recommendations and to receive additional information about them from citizens and affected advisory boards and agencies;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby authorizes the formation of a Continuing Concerns Committee composed of one or more Town Council members, citizens and others as determined by the Council to address recommendations contained in the December 6, 2004 report as follows:
a) An annual weekend meeting similar to this forum for a committee of unlimited size to address and discuss race issues in Chapel Hill.
b) A Town proclamation of “Racial Justice Week.”
c) An annual publication on the state of Black Chapel Hill that includes indicators of housing, jobs, education, political power, social issues, health status, etc.
d) A seminar series.
e) Public Arts.
f) Oral history.
g) Annual Brown vs. Board of Education forum.
Said committee will coordinate its work with Town staff, the Library Board of Trustees, the Museum Board of Directors and the Orange County Human Rights and Relations Commission and others as appropriate. Recommendations of the Committee will be reported to Council at a future Council meeting.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is authorized to solicit application for appointment to the committee and schedule the nomination and appointment process as soon as possible.
This the 10th day of January, 2005.
COUNCIL MEMBER VERKERK MOVED RESOLUTION R-15, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STROM. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).
A RESOLUTION REFERRING THE RENAMING OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. STREET TO THE TOWN COUNCIL’S NAMING COMMITTEE (2005-01-10/R-16d)
WHEREAS, the Council has decided to change the name of Airport Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; and
WHEREAS, there is now a street in Chapel Hill named Martin Luther King, Jr. Street that will need to be renamed, and the Council desires to proceed with a process for the renaming;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council’s Naming Committee with staff support will develop and conduct a process to solicit proposals from residents of the present Martin Luther King, Jr. Street and others interested for the renaming and will report their recommendations to the Council at a future Council meeting.
This the 10th day of January, 2005.