Council asks staff to study scholarship and naming options; directs criteria research

The Thousand Oaks City Council unanimously directed staff to research and evaluate a possible scholarship program and to return with suggested policy options and qualifying criteria for limited naming recognitions and honors.

Deputy Cultural and Community Services Director Melissa Hurtado reviewed existing recognition mechanisms: seat dedications in the council chamber (a practice dating to 1984), philanthropic naming opportunities at the Civic Arts Plaza that fund the plaza endowment, certificates and commendations issued by the mayor and the city’s street-renaming process (which requires an application fee and signatures from 80 percent of affected properties). Hurtado and Cultural and Community Services Director Jonathan Sarat told the council that some past naming decisions outside formal policy were brought forward by council members and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Speakers including Sally Hibbetts, co‑president of AAUW Thousand Oaks, urged the council to adopt a formal recognition framework and to specifically support the Larry Horner legacy project. Staff noted that both Larry and Betty Horner already have seat dedications in the council chamber but that requests for other assets would require policy guidance and council direction.

Council members debated whether to formalize a broad naming policy or to keep existing practices with limited additions. Several councilors said they preferred not to create perpetual, in‑perpetuity namings without guardrails; others preferred retaining council discretion in rare cases. Council member Adam proposed using a scholarship or similar ongoing program — administered by an outside nonprofit or foundation (for example, Ventura County Community Foundation or a local group such as AAUW) — as a recognition vehicle that would create an enduring community benefit while honoring a person’s legacy. Council member Gutierrez urged an objective policy and stressed that any new pathway allow community nominations rather than only council‑sourced requests.

After extended discussion the council voted 5-0 to: (1) keep current naming programs in place; (2) direct staff to research and evaluate a scholarship program option and related policies; and (3) ask staff to consider the council’s discussion and present suggested criteria for qualifying individuals for rare, ad hoc honors and what it would mean to use a scholarship as a recognition asset. Staff said it could return with a report and options within roughly two months and would include sample criteria and examples from neighboring jurisdictions for council consideration.