Study Session October 10, 2023

Changing the name of the city park

A special study session was called on October 10th to review the name of the city park. The White House Municipal Park was renamed the Michael L. Arnold Municipal Park in 2022.

Alderman Matthews and Alderman Wall were absent from the meeting. Alderman Silver began the discussion. We need to change the name. I would prefer that we go back to the original name. That would cause the least amount of grief to the city. Some people didn’t even realize that the name had changed. There has been discussion of having the children or the citizens help change the name of the park. It really just needs to be changed back.

Alderman Spicer joined the conversation. Based on the feedback received, it needs to be changed. I too think that it should go back to the previous name. We need to look at how we name things in the city for the future. The new park will be named after the Byrum family since that was in the contract. However, the city might need to look at criteria on how we name properties etc.

City Administrator Herman added that there is a plaque at the trail head naming the former owners of the property. There was discussion between him and city attorney Webb about the previous owners and who they were related to. Much of that conversation was unintelligible from the gallery, but did not contain pertinent information to the discussion. The city can change the name back with a proclamation. I can have that ready for the next BOMA meeting. It can always be changed by the next board.

Mayor Corbitt spoke up. No one that contacted me wanted to keep the current name, everyone that spoke up wanted it changed. I don’t think it needs to be named after someone.

Derek Watson, administrative services director, said that it can be changed on Google easily. Herman replied that an updated sign for the park is about to be ordered so that this would be the time to change the name. He also added that White House won the MainStreet 2023 award for best community. Also, the cemetery board and the leisure services board will be recommending that the cemetery board be dissolved. That will be coming to the next BOMA meeting. Corbitt pulled the discussion back to the park and stated that he doesn’t think the city needs to set criteria about naming buildings etc. Herman added that the new memory garden at the library was named after Sherry Eden. However, that was done by the friends of the library, and not the city. The meeting was adjourned. It sounds as if there will be a proclamation next week to change the park’s name back to the White House Municipal Park.

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