Council declines action on proposed Sid Goldstein Park plaque, asks staff to develop plaque policy

The Westminster City Council on Jan. 14 declined to take action on a request to install an 8‑by‑9 bronze plaque at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park honoring Lieutenant Thanh Phat Nguyen, while directing staff to draft a formal plaque policy for future memorial requests.

Parks and Recreation staff told the council the request had been reviewed by the Parks and Recreation Commission and that the family — who would fund and coordinate installation — attended the meeting to answer questions. Staff said the proposed plaque would be installed near the rear of the existing memorial and that the requesters would be responsible for the plaque’s cost and installation, while the city would maintain it if installed.

A family member addressed the council: “My brother… he fought for freedom. His body never recover. He fought for freedom. His credits should be remembered,” they said, asking the council to consider the request.

Several councilmembers questioned whether the honoree’s connection to Westminster merited a permanent plaque and raised concerns about plaque size and consistency with existing memorials. Public Works staff said the proposed location would fit the plaque and that this would likely be the last available spot behind the memorial.

Mayor Wynne moved to take no action pending additional information; the motion carried 3–0 with Councilmember Fan West recorded as abstaining. Separately, Councilmember Manzo successfully moved to agendize the creation of a plaque policy and bring it back to a future meeting; that motion carried 4–0.

The council stressed the need for an objective city policy so future memorial requests are consistent in size, placement and eligibility criteria. The family and veterans in the audience thanked the council for considering the request.