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City pulls proposal to place honorary markers for portion of Southern Boulevard after staff review; residents voice opposition
Summary
City staff removed from the agenda a proposed resolution to install honorary designation markers for a stretch of Southern Boulevard honoring President Donald J. Trump, and several residents used the public comment period to oppose renaming or honoring the road.
The West Palm Beach City Commission on Sept. 2 removed from its agenda a proposed resolution to place honorary designation markers on a portion of Southern Boulevard honoring President Donald J. Trump, citing the need for further staff analysis. City Administrator (unnamed in the record) told the commission, “Item 9.1, which is a resolution regarding the construction of the honorary designation markers on a portion of Southern Boulevard in honor of our current President, Donald J. Trump, is being pulled for further staff analysis.”
The proposal’s removal followed public comment during the general comment period, when multiple residents urged the commission not to rename or otherwise honor the road. Marie Louise Moronde Longzewicki said she “strongly oppose[d] renaming even a small part of Southern Boulevard after Trump.” Brenda Baum, who said she has lived in Palm Beach County her whole life, told the commission Southern Boulevard is “perfectly named” and urged the city to retain the long-standing name rather than honor a political figure. Mickey Royce called the idea “absurd” and referenced legal convictions of the president, saying the city should not honor “a convicted felon.”
Why it matters: Southern Boulevard is a major, century-old corridor through Palm Beach County; residents told the commission tonight that the road’s historic name should be preserved and that honoring a sitting or recently convicted political figure is inappropriate. The city administrator’s statement that staff requested more time for analysis means no formal action on the item occurred at this meeting.
What happened at the meeting: The city administrator announced the item was pulled early in the agenda. Later, during public comment, at least four speakers addressed the subject. Marie Louise Moronde Longzewicki, Brenda Baum, Mickey Royce and Lynn Irae explicitly told commissioners they opposed changing the road’s name or placing an honorary designation for the president. No motion to adopt or reject the resolution was taken; the only formal action recorded on the item was that staff pulled it for further review.
Context and next steps: The city administrator’s notice to pull the agenda item leaves the proposal in an administrative limbo; staff will need to complete whatever additional analysis they referenced before the commission can consider the resolution again. The transcript indicates county-level actions and Google recognition were mentioned by a speaker, but the commission took no vote and gave no timetable for returning the item to the agenda.
Public input and concerns raised: Speakers raised historic-preservation and cost concerns, including potential business costs to change addresses and the view that major corridors should not be named for political figures. One commenter framed the proposal as divisive and urged commissioners to oppose the change. The meeting record shows no commissioner votes on the substantive question at this time.
Ending: With the item pulled, the commission will not make a final decision until staff completes its additional analysis and the item is placed back on a future agenda.
