Rathdrum council reopens park-naming process after public concern; plans new community survey

The Rathdrum City Council reopened discussion of the name for the park next to the new city hall after residents expressed disappointment that the council changed a recommended survey choice during a prior meeting.

Multiple residents and members of the parks commission spoke at council meetings and urged the city to honor the results of an earlier survey or to resurvey the community rather than adopt a name without broader public re-confirmation. Residents said the initial public outreach produced a clear winner in previous survey venues and that substituting a different name at the council dais eroded public trust.

Council and staff discussed options: (1) leave the name as previously adopted, (2) revert to the survey winner, or (3) reopen the public process. Council asked staff to run a renewed, multi-step engagement: collect write-in names from the community, identify the most commonly suggested names, then present a small shortlist (which would include the two previously considered names) for a final vote. Staff proposed using a combination of methods: posting the call for names on the city website and social media, distributing information on the back of mailed water bills, sending emails to customers who opted into paperless billing, and hosting in-person outreach at community events and the comprehensive-plan open house this fall. Staff noted that mailing on the back of the October water bills and following up with a final shortlist on the November bill would allow the council to consider a final adoption in December (the council indicated there is no secondary November meeting due to the Thanksgiving holiday).

Council also discussed alternatives such as naming a portion of the park or creating a memorial area, and agreed staff should assemble the community-submitted list, identify commonly proposed names, and return with proposed shortlist options. Staff said the prior survey collected 578 responses across three venues, with 355 votes for the top choice (Mark Worthen), 122 for the second (Vic Holmes) and 101 for a third (Lance Bridges); about 248 responses had been submitted online in the earlier process.

Why it matters: residents said the naming process affects community trust in city decision-making and the public's willingness to participate in future planning exercises such as the comprehensive plan. The council's decision to restart the process aims to rebuild trust by broadening outreach and offering a clear timeline for a final decision.

What happens next: staff will solicit write-in names beginning in October via the back of mailed water bills and online channels, compile results, propose a shortlist for the November outreach, and return to council for a final decision in December.