After public complaints, Rathdrum council to reopen park‑naming survey

Following public comment that council changed a previously surveyed choice for the new park adjacent to city hall, the Rathdrum City Council agreed to reopen community input on the park name.

Two residents at the meeting told the council they were upset that a name suggested by the public survey was effectively displaced when the council introduced and voted for an alternate name at the prior meeting. Staff presented the survey results in the packet: 578 total responses across three venues (community events and an online survey), with a clear plurality favoring Mark Worthen (about 61% of votes among the top options). Council members acknowledged the strong online showing but also noted roughly half of the total votes came online and that paperless water‑bill customers might not have received the notice.

The council directed staff to run a two‑step process starting with an open call for suggested names, then to narrow submissions to a manageable set (keeping the prior top two names and selecting a third via the open submissions). Staff will distribute the initial solicitation on the back of the October water bills, via email to paperless customers if possible, and on the city website and social platforms; the plan is to present finalists on the November bill and return a recommendation to council in December.

Council emphasized fairness in outreach so that all residents have an opportunity to participate and noted the city will use the water‑bill mailer, website and social channels to reach both paper and paperless customers. Staff noted there is no physical park signage yet, so any previous decision can be changed while the council completes the renewed outreach and final vote.