Citizen Advisory Board recommends denial of petition to rename Maxine Barrett Park

The Venice Citizen Advisory Board voted unanimously on Jan. 15 to recommend City Council deny an application to rename Maxine Barrett Park for Robert and Susan Vetter.

The board’s vote followed more than an hour of public comment and a detailed staff briefing. Chair Weade introduced the unfinished-business item, and staff summarized a memo that included the petitioners’ preferences and staff’s unanimous recommendation.

Dozens of residents told the board they opposed removing Maxine Barrett’s name. Jim Perry, a long-time Venice resident, said, “For the first time in my 20 years in Venice, I'm embarrassed to call myself a Venice citizen,” and argued Barrett was the principal proponent of the park’s establishment. Several other speakers—Dale Povenmere, a family member whose letter was read by Jack E. Mineo, and former Mayor Ed Martin—urged the board to keep Barrett’s name on the park. A letter from Barrett’s children was read into the record asking that the park name remain unchanged.

John Hollick and Mike Pechota, the original petitioners who asked that the park be renamed for Robert and Susan Vetter, told the board they had followed the city’s application process and suggested alternative parks (including Fountain Park and Michael Beal Park) that could honor the Vetters instead. Sue Vetter and Bob Vetter said they were “humbled” by the proposal and that they would be satisfied with another location.

Board members debated several amendment proposals during the meeting, including naming a gazebo within Centennial Park and renaming Centennial Park itself. The board paused to consult the city clerk and the city’s naming policy (codified at section 46-5) before removing earlier motions from the floor and reopening discussion.

After discussion, a motion to recommend denial of the application to rename Maxine Barrett Park was made, seconded, and approved by roll call, 9–0. The board’s recommendation goes to City Council, which holds the authority to approve or reject naming and renaming of city property.

The board’s action was procedural (a recommendation) and does not itself change park signage or records. City Clerk Kelly Michaels reminded the board that the city code’s naming-rights policy and the November 2024 ordinance that redefined this board’s responsibilities remain the governing references for park-naming requests.

The board then moved on to other business.