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Councilor Adam Pacino moves to rename Mary Morrison meadow for Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter
Summary
At a special Mary Morrison Meadows Committee meeting, Councilor Adam Pacino proposed renaming the roughly 2.4-acre meadow to the "Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Memorial Meadow" and asked that the Parks and Recreation Commission review naming and design ideas; the committee voted to forward the recommendation.
At a special meeting called to discuss uses for the Mary Morrison meadow, Councilor Adam Pacino proposed renaming the roughly 2.4-acre field the "Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Memorial Meadow" and asked the committee to forward the name and site ideas to the Parks and Recreation Commission for further review.
The meadow sits east of the Mary Morrison school and connects to nearby neighborhoods and Navy housing via existing paths. Director Mark Berry shared a GIS view of the property to orient members and described multiple access points; he also noted the Rotary Club had offered to fund a small Jimmy Carter Peace Garden on the site. Chair Dave Good said the recently signed five-year memorandum of understanding allowing town use and some maintenance of the property creates an opportunity to program the space. "I think it's a golden opportunity," Good said.
Pacino framed the renaming as complementary to a proposed peace garden: he asked the committee to recommend the name to the council and to refer the naming and site-use questions to the Parks and Recreation Commission for input. The committee put Pacino's motion to a vote and the motion carried; the transcript records the committee approving the recommendation and asking staff to seek Parks and Recreation Commission feedback. The meeting record does not include a detailed roll-call vote tally.
Members discussed practical constraints and next steps. Town Manager John Burt and others noted the Board of Education, which holds the property under the MOU, is open to town improvements but retains the option to reclaim the site if operational needs require it. Committee members flagged wetlands near the property and said any permanent work will require permitting; Berry advised the committee to be cognizant of distance to wetland areas and to follow permitting processes.
Design suggestions included modest accessibility improvements and features for community use. "At the minimum, I think you probably wanna put a pad up at the top of the bowl for, you know, wheelchairs to be parked," Director Mark Berry said, recommending an accessible pad and, if use grows, a ramp. Members also discussed small-stage or concert configurations, signage, and plaques noting Jimmy Carter's humanitarian work.
Staff outlined outreach options to let residents know the meadow is available, including adding the site to town GIS maps, a newsletter blurb and social posts. Committee members emphasized respecting MOU restrictions tied to school hours if Mary Morrison continues to be used for early education.
The committee voted to forward the proposed name and to request input from the Parks and Recreation Commission; staff will share the committee's ideas with the commission and follow up on permitting and design considerations. The meeting adjourned after the referral motion was approved.
