WILMINGTON — After receiving nearly a dozen petitions, the City of Wilmington will consider renaming a portion of 3rd Street after Retired U.S. Air Force Major General Joseph A. McNeil.
If approved, the name of 3rd Street would be changed from Market Street to Davis Street in Downtown. After that vote, City Council will promptly vote on issuing a moratorium on any street renamings.
The vote was supposed to happen Sept. 3, however, Hurricane Dorian forced the city to cancel its meeting, thus, postponing the vote. The next City Council meeting will be held on Sept. 17.
Since 2002, the city has adhered to a policy that allows City Council the chance, from time to time, to “… honor persons who have made significant contributions to local, state and/or national affairs.”
According to City Manager Sterling Cheatham, “Numerous individuals wrote in support of the City Council taking action to recognize Wilmington native Retired U.S. Air Force Major General Joseph A. McNeil, a Wilmington native, one who meets clearly recognition for distinction.”
“[The] Designation of Third Street to honor Mr. McNeil for his contributions to society is a similar practice followed by many communities. He is credited widely with helping spur the Civil Rights Movement in North Carolina and beyond. As a North Carolina A&T State University student, McNeil joined three other persons to stage a peaceful protest at Greensboro downtown Woolworth Department store’s segregated lunch counter by refusing to leave on February 1, 1960,” Cheatham said in his summary to City Council.
It is not uncommon for a city to name a street or building after important members of the community but changing the name of an already named street is somewhat more challenging than naming a new road.
The impact of the changing of the name would apparently not have any impact on official addresses of locations along 3rd Street, but new signage would be installed.
“If approved, the official name and addresses on North 3rd Street will not change. However, unique signage would be erected to recognize and honor Maj. Gen. McNeil. The resolution also requests that the NC DOT similarly designate 3rd Street from Market Street to Burnett Street,” according to City of Wilmington Spokeswoman Malissa Talbert.
The changing of the street name is not cheap, it will cost the city roughly $20,000.
According to the agenda, the costs include:
- Authorize staff to erect street name sign blades and materials – $4,000. Funds are available in the General Fund budget.
- Authorize staff to install new signage on the N. Third Street wayfinding signs not to exceed $1,000, funds are available in the General Fund budget.
- Authorize staff to erect one historic designed pole-mounted sign $5,000. Funds for item C [this item] have are not budgeted. Staff recommends Council approve the use of FY 2019/2020 Council Contingency Funds.
- Authorize staff to erect two Major General Joseph McNeil entrance/gateway signs. The costs would be in the range of $10,000 (two historic designed pole-mounted signs). Authorize staff to move forward with the ground-mounted sign installation and Council approve the use of FY 2019/2020 Council Contingency Funds.
One more, for now
During the process of going through the process of changing the street name, city staff decided it was time to review the policy for naming roads — so City Council will also vote on a moratorium for one year on street namings.
“In preparing to designate Third Street in honor Major General Joseph McNeil, staff discovered the existing City naming policies needed to be reviewed and updated to reflect best practices in particular as it relates to street designation in honor of a person or organization. To that end, a moratorium on naming/ renaming City streets, facilities, and assets for one year will enable staff to complete that work, including community and Council engagement in the process,” Cheatham said.
This moratorium will not apply to new streets in need of names or new subdivisions.
What exactly staff hopes to review in that year’s time is not explained in the City Council agenda.
