Marinette County panel discusses naming rights

MARINETTE — Don’t look for the John Doe Ski Trail or Jane Doe Park any time soon in Marinette County.

The Executive Committee last week decided to clean up language regarding naming rights of county-owned facilities and property. The panel approved wording that will be used in an ordinance to be approved by the full County Board.

The wording, “Naming rights sponsorship of any county-owned facilities and/or property are discouraged and will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the County Board only in unique circumstances. Lessees of county facilities and/or property shall not have naming right authority over the leased facilities or property unless approved by the County Board.”

“There is no formal policy,” County Administer John Lefebvre told the committee. “This is, in essence, how we’ve always administered it.”

He said in the lease between the county and UW-Green Bay, there is county board action from long ago giving the UW System naming rights to the buildings and other items in the buildings.

“That was given by the County Board many years ago,” Lefebvre said. “That’s how they have the authority to do the seat names (in the Herbert L. Williams Theatre) that they are currently doing.”

Lefebvre said the wording presented is what he has followed.

“We discourage anyone coming forward with, “I want to name this the John Lefebvre Memorial Building or something like that,” he said. “We don’t do that. We don’t normally look at those type of requests.”

He said it was put on the agenda in case the county board wanted something in writing.

“I feel it should be in the policy some place,” Supervisor Robert Holley said, adding that it will give some direction to future boards or administrators.

Supervisor Al Sauld asked how often this comes up.

Lefebvre said there was request a few years ago regarding the late Kathy Just, a former supervisor who worked closely with the Health and Human Services Department. He said there was a request to name a conference room after her, but instead a plaque was placed in the room with her picture, years of service. etc.

“I’m more comfortable with that than naming a whole building after someone,” supervisor Tom Mandli said.

Lefebvre said an existing county board can do whatever they want. “Do we encourage it? Discourage it?” he said. “Do we create a policy for it?”

The committee decided to forward the matter to the county board, but Lefebvre asked that he and Corporation Counsel Rebecca Lindner have time to determine which ordinance or what chapter it will fit in the Code of Ordinances. It might go to the Executive Committee again before going to the County Board.