AGENDA #14
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on the Implementation of Recommendations of Special Committee to Consider Renaming Airport Road
DATE: January 10, 2005
This report recommends a process for the Council’s consideration 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. Adoption of the attached four resolutions 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.
BACKGROUND
On June 14, 2004, 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. The Committee included members of the Council, the NAACP, residents and business owners of Airport Road, a diverse group of citizens at large, and persons familiar with the history of the community, the facilities involved, the person(s) being honored, and other contextual issues. In late September, OpenSource Leadership Strategies, Inc. was engaged to facilitate an intensive seven-week process that included interviews with members of the committee, a two-day workshop and discussion session, and a half-day follow-up discussion.
A formal report of the Committee
was presented to the Council on December 6, 2004, following which the Council resolved to change the name of Airport Road to “Martin Luther King, Jr.
Blvd.” with a separate sign mounted underneath with the designation “Historic
Airport Road;” and to implement the change six (6) months from the date of
approval by the Town Council, or no later than July 4, 2005. The Committee also recommended a series of actions that would further honor Dr. King’s legacy as
well as actions related to the changing of the street’s name.
DISCUSSION
Changing the Name of Airport Road
Changing the name of Airport Road will involve working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Postal Service, businesses, and residents to inform all involved of the change and to seek the necessary formal actions to effect the change. We will need to design, fabricate and install new street name signs. The address of Town Hall will change from 306 North Columbia Street to an appropriately numbered address on the newly named Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. The address change will require phasing in a change of Town stationery, business cards and other print materials and electronic materials.
Some of the necessary changes will have costs associated with them. We will develop a cost estimate and provide that information to the Council at a future meeting. We will continue to report to the Council on the various steps being taken to implement the name change and related activities.
Adoption of Resolution A would authorize the staff 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, Post Office, businesses, citizens, and others impacted by road name changes; 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.
Staff would also 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, staff would develop a plan to notify all parties affected by the Town Hall address change and, to the extent practical, utilize all existing stationary, envelopes, etc. to mitigate the cost of the change.
Support for Individuals Affected by Address Change
The Committee recommended that:
“The Town should support individuals impacted by the renaming, possibly including money, technical support, time to adjust, publicity campaign, and an information meeting with the U.S. Postal Service. The Town should look for funds/resources to help Airport Road residents/owners with transition issues (addresses, labels, web pages).”
We have reviewed this matter with the Town Attorney and have reached certain conclusions about what the relevant laws might prohibit or permit.
The key underlying principle that guides consideration of this proposal is the State Constitutional provision which provides that the power of taxation and the expenditure of public money must be for public purposes only. What constitutes a public purpose is determined on a case-by-case basis, but it is clear that the benefit must be in common and not for particular persons or interests. Direct assistance to private entities has been found by our Courts to not be an acceptable means to affect a public purpose.
In light of this basic legal principle, we believe that there are steps the Town could take that would reduce some of the impacts of the address change on residents and businesses located along now-Airport Road. We believe the Town could engage in a general campaign using local media, the Town’s cable channel and the Town’s website to inform the public of the upcoming street renaming and address changes. This could include display advertisements that might include a listing of old and new addresses. Providing this information at public expense would be for the purpose of informing citizens of Chapel Hill and visitors to our community of the change in street name to facilitate their locating residences and businesses. Signage calling attention to the name change could be installed to call attention to the change and aid motorists with the transition. Town staff could facilitate information meetings with the Postal Service. There may be other steps that could be considered and, if they are proposed, we are prepared to evaluate them. However, the direct provision of public funds to private parties to purchase advertising or new stationary, for example, would go beyond what we believe would be permissible as an expenditure of public money.
Resolution A includes language that would authorize the Manager to take such actions as are allowed by law and within the Town’s available resources to support and assist those affected by the renaming.
Ceremony
We understand that the Council wishes to plan appropriate observances and ceremonies to mark the changing of the name of Airport Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. We recommend that the Council appoint a citizens’ committee to plan and implement appropriate events, assisted by staff.
Adoption of Resolution B would authorize and support the formation of an Observances Committee to organize appropriate observances and ceremonies to celebrate the road name change. The committee would be composed of Council member(s), interested citizens and others as determined the Council. The Observances Committee would prepare specific recommendations and schedules for consideration by the Council.
Additional Committee Recommendations
In addition to recommending the changing of the name of Airport Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, the Committee made a number of other recommendations listed below:
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.
We recommend that the Council establish a Continuing Concerns Committee to address each of these matters, working with appropriate existing advisory boards and agencies.
Adoption of Resolution C would authorize and support the formation of a Continuing Concerns Committee.
For example, we believe the Continuing Concerns Committee should work with the Library Board regarding proposals involving library matters; with the Chapel Hill Museum Board regarding a possible museum display; with the Orange County Human Rights and Relations Commission regarding support for the work of the Commission; with the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission regarding public arts; and others as necessary. The Continuing Concerns Committee would include Council members, citizens and others as determined by the Council.
Progress reports of the Committee’s work and proposed actions would be presented to the Council for consideration at future meetings.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Street
The Town street now named Martin Luther King, Jr. Street will need to be renamed. We recommend that the Council refer this matter to the Council’s Naming Committee for appropriate follow up action. The Naming Committee, with staff support, would conduct a process to solicit proposals from residents of the present Martin Luther King, Jr. Street and others interested and would make a recommendation to the Council. Changing of the present street name should be coordinated with other related work and observances.
Adoption of Resolution D would authorize this process.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend enactment of the attached resolutions that would: authorize the staff to effect the name change of Airport Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and assist those affected by the name change to the extent allowed by law and within the Town’s available resources; begin efforts through appointment of a committee to organize a celebration of the road name change; form a citizens’ committee to consider the additional recommendations of the Special Committee to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and begin a process to change the name of the existing Martin Luther King, Jr. Street.
Resolution A
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.
Resolution B
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 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.
Resolution C
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:
h) An annual weekend meeting similar to this forum for a committee of unlimited size to address and discuss race issues in Chapel Hill.
i) A Town proclamation of “Racial Justice Week.”
j) An annual publication on the state of Black Chapel Hill that includes indicators of housing, jobs, education, political power, social issues, health status, etc.
k) A seminar series.
l) Public Arts.
m) Oral history.
n) 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.
Resolution D
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.