Draft Naming Policy

For the edification of the folks at home, this is the draft of the naming policy the selectmen will be discussing this evening...

Town of Falmouth

DRAFT NAMING POLICY

Policy:
This policy is adopted pursuant to the naming of landmarks in honor and/or in memory of those who served the greater Falmouth community.

Application:
All public facilities and places under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen and/or any of its direct and indirect appointees. These facilities and places include, but are not limited to: town buildings, undeveloped parcels of land, recreation areas, intersections, streets and roads, and other landmarks.

It is the policy of the Town of Falmouth:

That the naming of public facilities and places is a significant event and should done rarely, and only in accordance with the following guidelines:

Public facilities or places shall be considered for naming or renaming by written request to the Board of Selectman;

Said requests shall be accompanied by background information, rationale, and in consideration of the following;

In naming public facilities or places, the Board shall not be influenced in its decision by personal or collective prejudice, favoritism, political pressure and/or temporary popularity. The Board shall consider naming based upon:

Persons who were residents of excellent character and reputation, and that made significant contributions to the town. Attributes include:
Unusually effective and dedicated service to or on behalf of the town;
Efforts to sustain the high quality of life and service within the community;
Demonstrated understanding and activities within the essential functions of town government;
Service in the defense of freedom or other examples of effective citizenship;
A geographic or functional name related to the facility or area;
Names provided as part of trust arrangements, donations, bequests or other related activities;
Tradition*;
Some combination of the above mentioned attributes.

No public facility or place shall be named after any person until that person has been deceased for not less than five (5) years
OR
No public facility or place shall be named after any person until a waiting period of not less than five (5) years has passed;

Upon receipt of a written request to name a public facility or place, a subcommittee of selectmen shall seek the input and advice of whichever department, board, committee, or commission oversees the public facility or place to be named or renamed;

The recommendation of the subcommittee shall be considered and voted by the full Board of Selectmen in an open regular meeting. Naming the public facility or place shall require a super majority (four out of five) of selectmen;

Changing the name of a public facility or place already named shall require, in addition to a super majority vote of the Board of Selectmen, a two-thirds vote of Town Meeting.


* e.g., conservation lands are traditionally named after the party who donated or sold them to the town, such as Peterson Farm.