REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Oliver Chi, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Chris Slama, Director of Community Services
Subject:
title
Approve the design concept, wording and placement of a bronze monument plaque and pedestal at Prince Park in memory of Fallen Huntington Beach Officer Leslie J. Prince
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Statement of Issue:
At the request of the Huntington Beach Police Department, Fallen Officer Recognition Project, the Community Services Commission approved the design concept, wording and placement of a bronze monument plaque and pedestal adjacent to the standard park identification sign at Prince Park in honor of the park’s namesake Fallen Officer Leslie J. Prince.
There is a now a need for the City Council to review and approve the design concept, wording and placement of a bronze monument plaque and pedestal at Prince Park.
Financial Impact:
No public funds will be used. Funding for the plaque and monument base will be privately funded.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Approve the concept of placing a monument plaque and pedestal in Prince Park; and,
B) Approve the proposed design concept and wording for the plaque as recommended by the Community Services Commission.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the recommended actions and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
On April 6, 1979, Prince Park was dedicated and a wooden sign with attached monument plaques were erected to memorialize Fallen Huntington Beach Police Department Officer Leslie J. Prince who was killed in the line of duty on December 1, 1974. Over time, this wooden sign deteriorated beyond repair. On January 25, 2020, a new concrete standard park identification sign was erected in its place.
Over the last year, the Huntington Beach Police Department has been recognizing its fallen police officers and fallen K-9s in several ways. It started with the installation of a Fallen Officer Street Sign at the location where each of the two Huntington Beach Police Department officers were killed. It culminated with a memorial at the Police Department front desk where a picture and story of each fallen officer was prominently placed in the front lobby.
Every year on the anniversary of the fallen officer’s passing, the Department, its members, and the community, remember the sacrifice made by these valued employees.
Members of the community, the family of Fallen Officer Leslie Prince, and the Police Department, would like to erect a small plaque which will display a photograph of Officer Prince and a narrative describing his service and sacrifice to the Huntington Beach community.
The proposal is to have a steel framed pedestal, powder coated black, embedded in a small concrete footing between the newly erected Prince Park standard identification sign and the concrete sidewalk. Mounted to the angled portion of the pedestal, would be a 14 inch by 12 inch bronze plaque with an image of Officer Prince along with a narrative of his service and sacrifice as included in Attachment 1.
Environmental Status:
The project is classified as exempt under Section 15303 of CEQA guidelines.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Enhance and maintain infrastructure
Attachment(s):
1. Proposed Memorial Plaque and Placement
2. Resolution No 2017-25 Establishing a Policy for the naming of City Parks, Park Features and Community Facilities