INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: April 8, 2023
Subject: POLICY ON MEMORIALS/DEDICATIONS ON COUNTY PROPERTY
Submitted For: Monica Nino
Department: County Administrator
Referral No: IOC 24/**
Referral Name: Memorials/Dedications Policy
Presenter: Julie Enea, County Administrator’s Office & Carrie Ricci, Public Works Dept.
Contact: julie.enea@cao.cccounty.us
Referral History:
During the February 2024 IOC planning meeting, Vice Chair Andersen asked staff to research policies on establishing memorials on County property other than County buildings and rooms in buildings, which are already governed by existing policy, such as public walkways, benches, trees or landscaped areas, etc., for possible future referral to the IOC.
Referral Update:
IOC Staff has begun working with Deputy Public Works Director Carrie Ricci to begin scoping a policy for possible referral to the IOC. Many agencies have well established policies and procedures for this purpose from which content can be drawn. A review of other agencies’ policies identified several policy areas that will need consideration in the drafting of a County policy:
Policy Questions for IOC:
• What types of amenities/fixtures should be offered for dedications? Benches only or also picnic tables, playground areas, drinking fountains, BBQ pits, bike racks, pergolas, walking paths / bridges or other fixtures?
o Should existing fixtures be made available for dedication or only newly installed fixtures?
o Should the County develop an inventory of eligible amenities at only pre-determined locations or consider any requests and determine feasibility on a case-by-case basis?
• Assuming a limited inventory eligible for dedication:
o Should original donors be offered a first option to renew a dedication at full replacement cost at the end of a donation period or should the opportunity be re-opened to all?
o Should a waiting list be established, or should inventory be considered on a first come, first served basis whenever a new or existing asset becomes available?
• Eligibility for Memorialization:
o To commemorate anyone or any event?, Or only a person, event or historical information relevant to a particular location or closely associated with the leadership, direct contributors, history, cultural and social development of the county?
o Anyone regardless of residency, or only current or past County residents?
o Deceased individuals only? Deceased for how long before consideration?
o Significance? Substantial contribution that extends beyond what might be reasonably expected through paid employment or voluntary contribution to the community? Significant historical or cultural event that has a profound resonance with the broader community or is of national or state significance?
o Any other criteria for approval (e.g. dignitary and significant service contributions?)/disapproval, (e.g., no criminal record, not a lightning rod/divisive personality)?
o Significant donation to infrastructure?
o Are organizations eligible? Any limit to organizations? E.g. Nonprofit organizations only?
• Approval process: If not clear-cut criteria, who should make eligibility determination: PW Director or designee? BOS Committee? BOS?
• Would we consider either a list of preferred vendors or designs for things like park benches or plaques so there would be consistency and quality?
• If we had preferred vendors would we be able to provide a general cost estimate for families/communities wishing to put it this type of memorial? I think it would be helpful for people to know what costs they would like be facing.
• The criterion for who qualifies for a memorial would need to be loosely interpreted since it is such a subjective determination as to what qualifies someone to be memorialized.
• I’d want us to come up with a “checklist” for people to follow if they plan to apply for some sort of a memorial so that they would need to appropriate answer relevant questions about why a person should be memorialized, why the location is appropriate, why the type of memorial is appropriate, etc.
Policy Recommendations for IOC:
§ What should be the maximum donation period? Staff suggests 10 years or useful life of amenity, whichever is shorter.
§ The County should determine the style/cost of memorial amenity based on character of location. An example is different types of benches in various County parks.
§ If organizations are to be eligible, then limit to only nonprofits community-based organizations.
§ No guarantee on location or duration should be made. Bench or other amenity may need to be relocated or removed during the 10 year donation period.
§ Donation should cover purchase, installation, and maintenance, but not vandalism and/or replacement, which would cost extra to remedy.
§ We don’t have a countywide tree inventory, so we recommend implementing a few amenities such as benches, picnic tables, and plaques, and then consider other items such as trees when we have an inventory.
§ Recommend that PW develop a cost range or set fee per type of fixture and ask the BOS to consider establishing those fees.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
REVIEW policy questions and recommendations of staff and provide direction towards the drafting of a policy on establishing memorials and dedications on County property.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
No fiscal impact.