CITY OF BRENHAM TAKING STEPS TO CREATE FACILITY NAMING POLICY

  

The City of Brenham is moving forward with creating a facility naming policy.

At today’s (Wednesday) Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting, board members voted to send their recommendation to create a policy to the Brenham City Council.

Public Works Director Dane Rau said the policy is intended to move past the “handshake agreement” and formalize the process of recognizing people of significance while providing extra funding for projects through naming rights.

 

Deputy City Secretary Karen Stack explained that the naming policy would apply to all city facilities, including parks, and has separate categories that determine the criteria for appropriate naming, such as historical importance and community involvement.  It also lays out restrictions for names that would not be allowed, such as names of people currently in political office, names that advocate for a political affiliation or names that are considered derogatory or discriminatory.

The policy also details the process for purchasing naming rights.  According to Stack, as the draft policy stands, a contributor would either need to donate the land or 75 percent of the construction cost of a facility or amenity in order to secure the naming rights for the lifetime of the building or donated item.  Stack cited a sports field changing uses as a potential example as when a facility may be renamed.  Corporations would be allowed naming rights.

Stack said the policy would provide for a “significant vetting process” in order to reflect well on the city.  Renaming would be done “under extraordinary circumstance” by the city council, who would determine if a name is inappropriate.

Also during today’s meeting, Community Services Specialist Crystal Locke briefed the board on a mural wall project to be located behind the basketball court at Jerry Wilson Park.  Locke said the city worked with Brad Stufflebeam of the Texas Arts and Music Festival to use Texas artists for the wall.  Both of the proposed designs for the wall pay tribute to the historical community of Camptown, which was organized after the Civil War as a “freedom town” for former slaves.  Jerry Wilson was known in the community as a local grocery store owner and philanthropist.

Locke also provided brief updates on the progress of the Brenham Family Park and nature trail project at Hohlt Park.  She said the city is working through an environmental assessment for the Brenham Family Park, and expects to submit the Land and Water Conservation Fund application through the National Park Service in December before proceeding with a local park agreement in March 2022.  For the nature trail project, Locke said it has not yet cleared the environmental review stage, and she has not been given a timeline by the state for that process.