Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Memorials topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cerritos council approves memorial bench for Chelsea Bankhead; applicant to cover installation costs
Summary
After public testimony from family and friends, the Cerritos City Council approved a request to install and name a bench in Friendship Park in memory of Chelsea Bankhead. The council voted to allow the dedication but declined to have the city pay for installation; the cost will be borne by the applicant.
The Cerritos City Council on Aug. 28 approved the installation and naming of a commemorative bench in Friendship Park in memory of Chelsea Bankhead, a longtime park visitor, with the cost of installation to be paid by the applicant.
Family members and friends described Chelsea’s daily presence at Friendship Park and urged the council to grant a visible memorial. “Friendship Park was her sanctuary,” applicant Courtney Bankhead said during public comment, describing Chelsea as “nonverbal, autistic, and later nonambulatory,” and noting the family already has an unmarked memorial tree at the park.
Deputy City Manager Ryan Carey reviewed the city’s naming policy (Policy 7.06) and noted the policy allows dedications for individuals who have made a “meaningful impact” on the community, provided at least one year has passed since their death. The staff report asked the council for direction; it did not specify who should pay for a bench when the policy is silent on cost allocation.
Council member Pulido moved to approve the request with the city covering associated costs; that motion failed on a tie vote. Council member Polito then moved to approve the bench with installation and associated costs to be covered by the applicant; that motion passed. The final recorded outcome was a 3–1 vote in favor of the Polito motion (one council member had recused themself earlier from the item because they live within 500 feet of the park). The minutes state the first motion failed “on a vote of 2 to 2 with 1 abstention and 1 recusal” and the subsequent motion passed 3 to 1.
Several supporters said a bench would be a public, visible recognition of Chelsea’s life and presence at the park. Teacher and friend Danielle Vela argued that commemorative benches can add “warmth and connection” to parks and do not turn a park into a “graveyard.” Courtney Bankhead said she was willing to work with the city on cost arrangements if needed and asked the council to approve the memorial.
City staff and the council discussed precedent. Mayor and Chair Yokoyama and staff noted that when the policy has been applied in the past the city has paid costs when it was explicitly part of the action, but the policy itself did not clearly assign responsibility for bench costs in every case. In the final motion the council made the applicant financially responsible for installation; staff were directed to work with the Bankhead family on next steps and to notify the family about permitting, placement, and timing.
The council member who recused themself did so at the start of the discussion because they live within 500 feet of Friendship Park. Council discussion also reflected differing views about the city’s memorial policy, long-term maintenance responsibilities for park benches (the city will continue routine maintenance of benches after installation), and how the city should balance memorial requests with limited park resources.
The council asked staff to return with the steps needed to implement the approved dedication and to coordinate with the Bankhead family about the bench’s text, location, and schedule for installation.
