Ogden council signals removal of Cesar E. Chavez commemorative signs pending review amid allegations

Chair Hyer raised recent community concerns about allegations connected to the Cesar E. Chavez commemorative street name and described speaking with former council member Jesse Garcia, who sponsored the designation. Council members discussed three options: remove signage immediately while leaving the commemorative designation on the books, rescind the designation through the legislative process, or rename the designation to honor the farm‑worker community more broadly.

Several council members said temporarily removing the physical signage would prevent triggering survivors while giving the council time to deliberate. Glenn (staff) explained the 2023 update to the city’s commemorative street name ordinance (the code now uses the term 'commemorative' rather than 'honorary') and noted that the mayor may order immediate sign removal by letter to council; any change to the ordinance or the recorded designation would require subsequent legislative action by the council.

With what staff described as a head‑nod consensus, Glenn said administration would proceed to remove the commemorative Cesar E. Chavez signage pending further outreach and internal follow‑up; staff also said they would draft a follow‑up public statement reflecting the council’s direction. Council members emphasized wanting to involve stakeholders, including the original sponsor, before taking permanent legislative steps.

(Reporting note: the work session produced staff direction to remove signs pending further conversation; no formal council vote on rescinding or renaming occurred during the meeting.)