Title
Consideration of Renaming Minors A Field at Overlook Sports Complex to Hope Field, in Memory of Women's Softball Coach, Hope Jaramillo
Recommended Action
I move that Council rename Minors A to Hope Field at Overlook Sports Complex, and direct Staff to proceed with purchase of a memorial plaque and dedication ceremony.
Board, Commission or Committee Recommendation
Parks and Recreation Board considered this matter at the March 12, 2020 Board meeting and took action to support the renaming of Minors A Field to Hope Field and recommend this renaming to Council.
Body
On August 19, 2020, Robbie Harris submitted a petition of several hundred signatures, which at least 25 were verified with addresses to be registered voters of Los Alamos County, calling on the County Council to rename Minors A Field at the Overlook Sports Complex in White Rock as Hope Field in memory of Hope Jaramillo, local resident, women's softball coach and active member of the softball community. The petition language is contained in Attachment A. County Code Article V addresses "Special Recognition of Persons and Historical Events and Naming of Public Facilities." The specific sections (2-421 and 2-422) outline the process that may be used and are shown in Attachment B for reference. In the past, other softball fields at Overlook have been named in memory of individuals, and most recently, the Council approved the naming of a trail in memory of a citizen - a segment of the Pueblo Rim Trail was renamed in 2019 for local resident and trails enthusiast/trails builder Jim Billen.
Councilor Katrina Martin is sponsoring the citizen petition, which was previously brought forward to the Parks & Recreation Board on March 12, 2020 and endorsed; however, the Code requires six months to pass before a County facility (in this case, a softball field) can be considered for naming or renaming after the deceased person. The Code permits the Council to direct Staff to form a Naming Committee and hold a public hearing to consider the request of the petitioner. The Code dictates the composition of the membership. The Council authorized the forming of a Naming Committee at their Council meeting August 26, 2020. After a two week public comment period, which was advertised in local press through news releases, ads, newsletter, website posting and through social media, the County Public information Officer convened the required Public Hearing with Naming Committee members on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. using the Zoom video conference webinar platform online. Here are the Naming Committee members who were in attendance to consider the petition:
Kyle Wheeler, citizen
Dave Jolly, business owner
Beth Cortright, citizen
Terry Priestley, Planning & Zoning Commission member
Dina Pesenson, Parks & Recreation Board member
95 written comments of support were submitted through an online petition platform sponsored by the petitioner. 13 additional written emails of support were submitted to the PIO during the two week comment period. These were entered into the record at the public hearing and are shown in Attachment A. Members of the audience at the Public Hearing spoke in support of the request. There was no member of the public at the hearing who spoke against the request. Minutes of the meeting are shown in Attachment B. The Naming Committee voted unanimously to support the request to rename Minors A to Hope Field, and this recommendation is being sent to Council this evening for further action. If approved by Council, a plaque renaming the field would be placed at Minors A Field to memorialize Hope Jaramillo and rename the field as Hope Field, with a simple ceremony planned (if allowed under COVID-19 mass gathering restrictions.)
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Unplanned Item
A dedication plaque would be paid for by the Community Services Department, unless alternate direction is provided by Council and minimal time will be needed by Staff to order and install the plaque at the field.
Attachments
A - Comments Sent to County Regarding Hope Field
B - Minutes Hope Jaramillo Field Naming Public Hearing 9 15 20