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Home My WebLink About09/21/2004 Adjourned Meeting 353 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 - 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL 1. Roll CaII Present: Council: Mayor Paul George, presiding, Council Members Ron Bonlender, Dave Edler, Neil McClure, Mary Place, and Susan Whitman Staff: Assistant City Manager Rice and City Clerk Roberts Absent: Council Member Bernard Sims (absent and excused) 2. Public Meeting on options for street name change requested to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mayor George opened the meeting and commented that since the receipt of this request in July, there have been many e- mails, letters, letters- to -the- editor, and radio talks on the subject. This is an issue of concern for both businesses and citizens. The purpose of this meeting is to gather information to determine the sense of the community. He advised that a decision would not be made tonight nor would the Council consider any other street name changes to honor other people. Reverend Trimble read his original request letter, which pointed out they have been attempting to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through a permanent memorial for several years. They would like a more lasting tribute than a park in Southeast Yakima, and suggested renaming a street. They proposed Arlington Avenue be renamed Martin Luther King Avenue because it travels from working class to wealthy communities, from old and new neighborhoods, crosses racial and ethnic boundaries, and is a discontinuing street symbolizing the continuing struggle for equality. He concluded that they are open to any proper and respectable street that would honor Dr. King. David Hawkins, 1223 North 1 Street, spoke about George Washington. Ray Stenberg, 602 Hillside Drive, spoke for honoring Martin Luther King but preferred B Street over Arlington as it would be Tess cost and disruption. Frank Showman, 1832 South 70 Ave, suggested changing the existing King Street to Martin Luther King Street. Bill Hambelton, 615 South 32 Avenue, was concerned with the cost of renaming a street and the cost of allowing the citizens to vote on whether they wanted a street name change. Jim Karstetter, 5701 West Arlington, spoke against renaming Arlington due to the cost to the City and the burden to the residents on the street. He suggested Council come up with a suitable alternative. • 354 SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 — ADJOURNED MEETING • Mike Noble, 5609 West Arlington, spoke against renaming Arlington because it was burdensome and suggested the City consider naming a new street after Dr. King. Michael Wadlow, 3608 West Arlington, was concerned whether there would be enough uproar from the businesses and residents on Arlington to stop the renaming and suggested Council members consider renaming their streets instead.. James Parks, 1119 Garfield Avenue, said the NAACP strongly supported any and all efforts to name an appropriate street for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Justin Alpoel, 4706 Richey Road, suggest a war memorial be built honoring all nationalities who have fought in wars rather than limiting it to Dr. King. Enrique Lopez, 613 North 4 Street, expressed concern on costs for a street name change and the impact it would have on other services suggesting the United Ministers Alliance pay the cost. He told of a successful rename in Portland, Oregon. Lynn Hardin, 913 Pleasant Avenue, was concerned about the inconvenience caused by a name change. Brian McKenna, 1522'/2 Folsom Avenue, said he thought a park or a baseball field named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be more fitting and less costly. Kurtis Johnson, 7403 Midvale Road, spoke in support of the idea of renaming Arlington. Rev. John Everhart, 1012 South 8 Street, and Vice President of the United Ministers Alliance, said he understands this will be a sacrifice but it doesn't compare to the sacrifices that Dr. King and others who joined him made. He would support B Street as an option to Arlington. He suggested Pacific Avenue, stretching around the fairgrounds could also be an alternative. Paul Schafer, 2606 Tieton Drive, said if there was renaming to be done it should be after distinguished people from our community, such as Ester Huey, Henry Beauchamp, or Delores Goodman. He suggested there be a Council Committee to look into the issue. Lynne Kittelson, 305 North 9 Street, was of the opinion that it's time for something to be done. She feels the costs should not be an issue and could be handled with contributions. Although she would prefer Lincoln or Yakima Avenue, she thinks Arlington is a good solution. Colleen Ellingsworth, Address Management Coordinator for the U.S. Postal Service, said B Street looks good because it doesn't impact a lot of people. Arlington will impact ten different carrier routes, and 125 different deliveries. She also suggested a new street as a way to minimize the impact in the community. James DeGrasse, owner of Triangle Auto Supply at 401 East Arlington Avenue, spoke in favor of renaming Arlington Avenue. He feels we should come to agreement to rename the street and then find a way to fund it. 2 355 SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 — ADJOURNED MEETING Mary Stensrood, referred to a section of town that has all Hawaiian names and suggested, as new parts.of town open up, use a group of names honoring civil rights activists or perhaps a group of Indian names. She was in favor of only naming new streets after people to avoid the expense of renaming. Mayor George shared some e-mails and letters the Council has received; one for a section of Yakima Avenue, and another suggesting renaming the Millennium Plaza to Martin Luther King, Jr. Millennium Plaza. Council Member Place offered a suggestion she had received to name the pathway after Dr. King. Because we are spending a lot of time and energy putting pathways across our community, they wouldn't require an address change plus they go through many types of neighborhoods, it may be appropriate to name it the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pathway. When she visualizes Dr. King it is always with a group following him and a walking pathway seems very appropriate. When asked whether a pathway would satisfy the United Ministers Alliance's intent, Rev. Trimble agreed it could be a possibility. Council Member Bonlender spoke in favor of the B Street suggestion. Mayor George concluded the meeting commenting that we will receive comments for the next two weeks during which time we will also look at how other cities have handled this type of change. The City Council will look at establishing a policy on naming and renaming streets, weigh the input received tonight and yet to come, and will plan to bring the item to a Council meeting in a few weeks to, hopefully, come to a conclusion. 3. Adjournment McCLURE MOVED AND PLACE SECONDED, TO ADJOURN TO SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 AT 5:30 P.M. FOR A STUDY SESSION IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON AN AMENDED CIVIL EMERGENCY ORDINANCE. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote; Sims absent. The meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY 72,5 OS COUN MEMBER • DATE /� l COUNCIL MEMBER DATE ATTEST: (IF.,Lap CITY CLERK PAUL P. GEORGE, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 3