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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10c - Commemorative Naming of a City Facility DATE: October 20, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager By: Michael Bruckner, Deputy City Manager SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR COMMEMORATIVE NAMING OF A CITY FACILITY IN HONOR OF CAROL LIBBY Recommendation: Provide Direction SUMMARY Council Member Beck has submitted the attached request for the commemorative naming of the courtyard in front of the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage and Floretta K. Lauber Museum Education Center in honor of former resident Carol Libby. A $25,000 allocation from the General Fund Reserve is also requested. As an alternative, Mayor Chandler has suggested that a Memorial Wall to honor notable women, including Ms. Libby, could be established inside the Lauber Center. There is no budget currently available for either of these options; if the City Council wishes to proceed with this effort, a supplemental budget appropriation will be necessary. It is recommended that the City Council provide direction regarding the request for a commemorative dedication in honor of Carol Libby. DISCUSSION Public facilities are often dedicated in recognition of prominent members of a community whose generosity, contributions, or achievements created a permanent and lasting impact on the community. To that end, the City has a process to acknowledge and memorialize individuals that have advanced the values and heritage of Arcadia by naming a public facility or space in their honor (see attached City Administrative Policy). Council Member Beck has submitted the attached request for the commemorative naming of the courtyard in front of the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage and Floretta K. Lauber Museum Education Center in honor of Arcadia resident and local historian Carol Libby. This item was originally scheduled for the August 18, 2020, City Council, but Request for Naming a City Facility – Carol Libby October 20, 2020 Page 2 of 5 pulled at the request of Council Member Beck to obtain more information for his presentation. Council Member Beck has requested that the courtyard area be upgraded to include new drought tolerant landscaping, similar to the improvements done recently at the Arcadia Public Library (photos below). In addition, Council Member Beck has requested that additional bench seating be added to the single bench in the area, along with a monument or plaque commemorating the courtyard area in honor of Ms. Libby. Council Member Beck is requesting that the City Council allocate $25,000 from the General Fund Reserve for this project, partially offset by donations from the community or possibly grant funds that can be used for drought tolerant landscaping at public facilities. As an alternative, Mayor Chandler has expressed that a Memorial Wall to honor notable Arcadia women could be established inside the Floretta K. Lauber Museum Education Center. The Memorial Wall can include a photo and small plaque to memorialize their exceptional contributions to the Arcadia community. The cost for adding a name to the Memorial Wall is estimated at approximately $300 per photo and plaque. Should the City Council wish to proceed further with this concept, a list of names to be added to the initial memorial wall would need to be developed. Below are photos of the Courtyard area and the existing bench in addition to images of the landscaping at the Arcadia Public Library. MEC Courtyard: Request for Naming a City Facility – Carol Libby October 20, 2020 Page 3 of 5 Arcadia Public Library Landscaping: Request for Naming a City Facility – Carol Libby October 20, 2020 Page 4 of 5 On October 13, 2020, staff met with Armstrong & Walker Landscape Architecture (“Armstrong”) to discuss the proposal submitted by Council Member Beck. Those consultations are ongoing, but Armstrong will provide the City with proposals and cost estimates to upgrade the Courtyard as previously described. FISCAL IMPACT The cost of naming the courtyard and landscape improvements in honor of Carol Libby is currently undetermined. The City Council may elect to establish a not-to-exceed limit of $25,000, or any other amount for the proposed improvements, partially offset by donations from the community or grant funds that can be used for this purpose. It should be noted that there are no known drought tolerant grant offerings at this time, and they are made available on an irregular schedule. Depending on how quickly the City Council would like to see this project proceed, grants may not be a viable option. An alternative Arcadia Women’s Memorial Wall is unbudgeted and would also require funding. A supplemental budget appropriation would be necessary to accomplish this task. If approved, staff will return with a Resolution for the supplemental appropriation along with the final design. Request for Naming a City Facility – Carol Libby October 20, 2020 Page 5 of 5 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council provide direction regarding the request for commemorative naming of a City facility in honor of Carol Libby. Attachments: Request for Commemorative Naming of a City Facility Naming of City Facilities Policy Carol Libby Eulogy August 26, 1929 - June 24, 2020 Carol G. Libby passed away on June 24, 2020, at the City of Hope in Duarte, California, where she was undergoing treatment for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Carol was born in Holland, Michigan, on August 26, 1929 to Dr. Jacob F. and L. Ruby Geerlings. She grew up in Salt Lake City where her father held a professorship at the University of Utah. Carol moved to California, where she earned a B.A. degree in Education from the California State University at Los Angeles in 1950 and then taught elementary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She earned a Masters Degree in Child Development from the University of La Verne in 1987. In 1956 she married Harold Dean Libby of Arcadia, CA, where they continued to live for the rest of their lives. Carol and her husband "Hal" purchased the Libby family home in 1956, the home Hal's parents bought in 1938, so that another generation could enjoy the benefits of living in Arcadia and attend its outstanding schools. Carol's passionate interest in the history of Arcadia began while listening to stories told by her father-in- law, Philip A. Libby, who was a member of Arcadia's City Council for several years in the 1940s. She often stated, "Historic preservation is right on the top of my list." She became active in the Arcadia Historical Society in 1986, eventually becoming President for many years and acting as curator of the Society's Historical Museum from 1995 to 2001. She served as chairman of the city's history committee of the Arcadia Centennial Commission in 2003 and served on the Historical Museum Commission from 2000 to 2008. Carol served on the Society's Historical Marker Committee since its inception in 2008 and was a driving force behind the placement of eleven markers located throughout Arcadia and representing significant landmarks in Arcadia's history. Carol also authored "Faces and Footprints in Arcadia's History" in 2014, "Chronicles of Arcadia" in 2012, and co-authored the Arcadia edition of the national book series "Images of America" in 2008. She wrote and created short theatrical skits, historical fashion shows, and programs for the members of the Arcadia Historical Society. She was so enthusiastic about co-authoring the weekly "Historical Tidbits" e-newsletter, featuring snippets of Arcadia's history, photographs and facts, that she continued to submit new entries from her hospital bed in recent weeks. Carol was active in numerous Arcadia organizations, including as a volunteer for more than 25 years at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, and as President of First Avenue PTA, Baldwin Stocker PTA, and Arcadia Council PTA. She was also one of the founding officers of the non-profit community events group Arcadia's Best Foundation, was past program chairwoman and vice president with the Arcadia Friends of the Library, and past President/Advisor of Alpha Auxiliary of the Methodist Hospital Foundation. Other memberships in associations and foundations include: Sister City Commission; Help Our Youth; Arcadia's Best Foundation; Arcadia Historical Society, and the Friends of the Society; Arcadia Police Foundation; and Arcadia Community Coordinating Council. In recognition of her devotion and dedication to maintain and preserve the City of Arcadia, Carol was named Arcadia Citizen of the year by the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce in 1978 and 2018, and was the recipient of the City of Arcadia's Senior Citizen Award in 2001 and 2016. She received the Arcadia Chinese Association Award in 2002, the City of Arcadia Mayor's Certificate of Commendation in February 2017, and Congresswoman Judy Chu's Woman of the Year Award in April 2017. She also received a Golden Apple Award, an Honorary Service Award and Continuing Service Award from Baldwin Stocker School PTA, and Arcadia's City Appreciation Award for her work in the relocation and restoration of the Hugo Reid Family statue in 2003. Carol is preceded in death by her husband Hal and her son James C. Libby. She is survived by her three other children, Melanie Libby-Brown of Santa Rosa, CA; Dr. Richard A. Libby of Richmond, CA; and Annie Libby of San Diego, CA. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law Susan Libby of Sebastopol, CA, and by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The Libby family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Stephen J. Forman, M.D., and the wonderful staff at City of Hope. Contributions in memory of Carol may be made to the City of Hope in Duarte, California.