Memorialization Committee Ordinance_FOR SUBMISSION — File 209711

CITY OF SOMERVILLE ORDINANCE Be it ordained by the City Council, in session assembled, that the Code of Ordinances of the City of Somerville is hereby amended by adding the following provisions: (1) There is hereby established a Memorialization Committee (“Committee”), consisting of seven voting members. The Committee is tasked with developing the policies and procedures for the naming of public buildings, spaces, and streets. In addition, the Committee shall develop a policy and procedure for the installation of memorial benches, art work, or other objects subject to the limitations set out in Section 5 of this ordinance. The Committee is responsible for naming public buildings, spaces, and streets and processing applications for the installation of other memorial objects in public spaces, with the exception of hero squares which shall be named by the Veterans Commission per City Ordinance Sec. 2-309.5. The naming of public buildings, spaces and streets shall be undertaken at the referral of the Administration. The commission may, by a two-thirds vote of the whole commission, dedicate any municipal building, park or property in the city provided that no deed or contractual restriction prohibits such dedication; and provided further, that whenever the commission intends to make such dedication it shall, before final action thereon, appoint a time and place for hearing all persons interested. A unanimous vote of the members of the commission present and voting on the proposed name is required to name a building, space, street, or part thereof for a person then living. The composition of the Committee, the appointment authority, and the term of office for the Committee members shall be as follows: a. Mayor or their designee for a term of two years b. Representative of the City Council or their designee for a term of two years c. Representative of the School Committee or their designee for a term of two years d. Representative from the Veterans Commission as designated by the Commission for a term of two years e. One representative of the Somerville Historical Society as designated by the board of the Society for a term of two years f. Two members of the general public appointed by the Mayor, subject to City Council confirmation, with a term of two years. g. In years where there is an active building committee formed to oversee the creation of a new school building, there will be a community representative from that building committee in an advisory role to the Committee. (2) Any vacancy on the Memorialization Committee shall be filled by the commission, board, Mayor, City Council, or School Committee that designated the member who creates the vacancy by designating another member for the unexpired term. A vacancy in any of the members appointed under section 1 (f) and (g) shall be filled by the Mayor, subject to City Council confirmation. (3) The committee shall annually elect one of its members to serve as chairperson and may elect such other officers, adopt procedural rules and regulations, and establish any subcommittees as it deems appropriate.

(4) The commission shall utilize the following criteria when determining whether an individual shall be honored: a. An individual must have made a valuable and substantive contribution to the city in an official, civic, or social capacity, which sets them apart from normal civic participation in the affairs of the city. The Committee will seek to ensure individuals honored represent the broad diversity of individuals who have contributed to the city. Examples of such contributions include as follows: i. Service in public office, in either an elected or appointed capacity; ii. Service as a leader of an active organization of the community, which contributes to the social well-being and fabric of their neighborhood or the city; iii. Meritorious and distinguished service as an employee of the city; and/or iv. Having performed a heroic or distinguished act completely without regard for personal safety or well-being. (5) The requestors for the installation of memorial objects in public spaces must pay a reasonable fee to cover all associated costs of the purchase, installation and maintenance of the object. Any proposed location for a memorial object must be approved by the division of Public Space and Urban Forestry, or its designee. (6) Municipal buildings, municipal parks, and all other municipal property in the city shall retain the names by which they are now known, and all buildings, parks, property, and any other part thereof hereafter to be named, shall be named by the commission, except that no name shall be given to the city hall or high school. The concourse shall be named Anthony Fedele Way, and the field at the Capuano School shall be named James F. McCarthy Field. The land at 59 Otis St., previously known at Otis Playground, is renamed Deanna Cremin Park as of October 13, 2016.