Orange County NC Website
8 <br /> 1 2. Oranqe County Property Naminq Policy <br /> 2 Bonnie Hammersley reviewed the background information below: <br /> 3 <br /> 4 BACKGROUND: <br /> 5 On March 1, 2016 Commissioner Bernadette Pelissier petitioned that the Orange County <br /> 6 Property Naming Policy be discussed at a BOCC work session. Specifically, Commissioner <br /> 7 Pelissier as well as other Commissioners have requested that the naming policy discussion <br /> 8 include clarification on the following issues: <br /> 9 <br /> 10 • Under what circumstances should a property be named? <br /> 11 • What can be named? <br /> 12 • Should a county property be named for a living person? <br /> 13 • Definition of renaming a property? <br /> 14 <br /> 15 She said attached to the abstract are the three (3) previous abstracts to amend the <br /> 16 policy, a list of County owned properties that have been named for an individual, and a <br /> 17 benchmark analysis of organizational naming policies in the area. <br /> 18 Commissioner Price said some schools were left off of the listing. <br /> 19 Jeff Thompson, Director of Asset Management Services, said these buildings are not <br /> 20 owned by Orange County. He said the facilities listed are ones that are deeded to the County. <br /> 21 Commissioner Pelissier said her main interest is on 2.1.3 on page 13 of attachment one, <br /> 22 which states: official names or titles for property belonging to the County shall only be changed <br /> 23 by the Board of County Commissioners as it deems appropriate. She said this should be more <br /> 24 thought out than "deems appropriate". She said the Board should be judicious in re-naming a <br /> 25 facility, and there should be concrete reasons that mean something. <br /> 26 Commissioner Pelissier said there should be a larger community consensus in re- <br /> 27 naming a facility, and a more inclusive process such as a public hearing. <br /> 28 Chair McKee agreed with Commissioner Pelissier as related to public input. He said the <br /> 29 issue of naming brings up other issues and it can get "sticky". He suggested the language of <br /> 30 "as it deems appropriate, after public input." <br /> 31 Commissioner Burroughs said, in her experience, a committee is appointed for new <br /> 32 buildings to address this process from the beginning. She said she preferred not naming a <br /> 33 building after a living person, unless there are extraordinary circumstances and a public <br /> 34 discussion is completed. <br /> 35 Commissioner Price said if the Board wants to honor someone, then do so and do not <br /> 36 wait until they pass away. She said she is in favor of naming buildings after living people. <br /> 37 Commissioner Jacobs agreed with Commissioner Price. He said Commissioner Dorosin <br /> 38 sent in an email, in which he also agreed. He said the recent re-naming of the farmer's market <br /> 39 after Congressman Price was a good example, as he was able to attend the ceremony and <br /> 40 appreciate the recognition. <br /> 41 Commissioner Jacobs said he would like to name buildings after things other than <br /> 42 people. <br /> 43 Commissioner Pelissier said people have approached her asking why the Board re- <br /> 44 named a facility after David Price, and she is adamant about re-naming a building without a <br /> 45 public process. <br /> 46 Commissioner Rich referred to page 13, section 2.1.2, and asked if rooms, within <br /> 47 buildings, are currently being named. <br /> 48 Commissioner Jacobs said yes, at the Orange County Library. He said a room was <br /> 49 added after the library was built, for a collection of books that a resident donated. <br />