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Residents urge council to reconsider renaming park and street for Johnny Isbell amid allegations
Summary
Multiple residents told the council they oppose renaming a park and street for Johnny Isbell, alleging past removal of family memorials, unfulfilled court-ordered replacements, and suggesting Isbell's record and conduct make him an unsuitable namesake.
Several residents used the public‑comment period at the May 19 Pasadena City Council meeting to urge the council to reconsider renaming a park and a street for a person identified as Johnny Isbell (also transcribed as 'Isabelle' in places).
Janet Elaine Harris, who introduced herself as a long‑time Pasadena resident and property owner, said that in 1998 'Johnny Isabelle removed and destroyed our family memorial bench' and several bricks and a brass plaque in Bernco's Memorial Garden. Harris said her family sued, won, and the city was court‑ordered to replace the removed memorials, but that 'to this date, none of those things have been replaced.' She asked the council to reconsider the renaming and requested that her court documents be submitted into the public record.
Other public commenters amplified similar objections. Eric Sanchez said he had publicly shared documents and videos and questioned what Johnny Isbell had done to deserve memorialization; Sanchez described Isbell as 'wealthy' and argued the city should not name the park and street for him. Ty Smith criticized council decorum and alleged prior open‑meetings issues related to applause and interruptions; he also raised unrelated enforcement complaints about parking enforcement. Clarence Michael McNatt and others raised allegations about police conduct and evidence handling in separate public comments, underscoring mistrust among some speakers.
Council did not take formal action on the renaming during the meeting and no council motion to approve the name change is recorded in the transcript. Several residents specifically requested that documentation (court papers and other records) be placed in the public record and distributed to council members.
Ending At the close of the public‑comment period, the council proceeded to agenda business; any formal vote or next step on the renaming was not recorded during this meeting.
