The Norfolk County Commissioners voted July 23 to send a letter of support to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for the town of Braintree’s request to name a previously unnamed channel flowing from Sunset Lake into the Manetquot River as "Sunset Stream."

Bill Buckley, a county staff member who presented the item, said the request was accompanied by documentation from Braintree’s mayor and by background on restoration work in the Manetquot River Basin, where dam removals and habitat restoration have re-established a continuous flow and returned river trout to the system. "The USGS needs a letter from you guys," Buckley said, describing the federal naming process and asking for the commission’s endorsement to help the town move the request forward.

Commissioners expressed support for the proposal and asked that the letter reflect the county’s endorsement of Braintree’s petition. One commissioner noted the request came with supporting materials from the town and partners who performed environmental work in the watershed.

The motion to send a letter of enthusiastic support to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in Reston, Virginia, passed on a voice vote with all commissioners in favor.

Why it matters: Geographic names are set at the federal level through the U.S. Board on Geographic Names; county endorsement is often requested to confirm local stakeholders’ agreement and to document community support for a name.

Additional details: The packet included letters from Braintree’s mayor and documentation of restoration activity in the Manetquot River watershed.