ROGERS — What’s in a name? Residents along Garrett Road say there's a lot in a name and it depends on where the resident lives whether changing the name of the road to Cross Creek Boulevard is a good or a bad thing.
A score of residents filled the council chambers Tuesday night to make their case for or against the name change.
At A Glance
Council Acton
Rogers' City Council met Tuesday and approved:
• A $158,962 contract with DECCO Inc. for the Dixieland Road and sidewalk improvement projects.
• A $434,461 contract with J&L Concrete for the Second Street drainage improvement project.
• A $4,455 contract with Fochtman Enterprises for clearing utility easements along the southern end of Monte Road in preparation a widening project.
• Renaming a portion of Amis Road to Pleasant Ridge Road.
• Amending City Code Section 16. Small word changes were made throughout the section to clarify definitions.
• Rezoned 103 N. B Street from residential duplex to light industrial.
Source: Staff Report
The planning staff presented two options to aldermen on Garrett Road issue. The first option was to change the name of a section of Garrett Road to Cross Creek Boulevard and the second option was to change Cross Creek Boulevard to Garrett Road, and rename a section of Garrett Road to Murfield Drive and 45th Street. However, a third option, do nothing and leave everything as it is, was offered during the council meeting, Aldermen split four and four on option three. Mayor Greg Hines voted in favor of option three to break the tie. Aldermen Gary Townzen, Clay Kendall, Bob Goodwin and Andrew Hatfield voted against the option with Aldermen Buddy Wright, Betsy Reithemeyer, Marge Wolf and Mark Kruger in favor of the option.
During the transportation committee meeting earlier in the evening a spokesman from each side of the issue was allowed to make a statement.
Bob Rogers, representing those wanting Cross Creek Boulevard to be changed to Garrett Road, said the Garrett name has been part of the area for many years.
“A Garrett has lived in on property for 85 years. We worked hard to get the road named after the Garrett family. When we annexed into the city our address was changed. Over the past decade our address had been changed five or six times. I would like to see Garrett Road remain Garrett Road,” Rogers said.
Jody Latham with Cooper Community Development, which built the subdivision Cross Creek, argued a section of Garrett Road should be renamed Cross Creek Boulevard.
“The road runs though the subdivision. Cross Creek Boulevard is an integral part of the subdivision and we should keep that name,” Latham said.
Committee members, on a split vote with Hatfield and Townzen if favor of option 2 and Kruger cast the only negative vote.
“The Police and Fire departments would like to see the name changed for safety reasons,” said Lance Jobe, city civil engineer.
Recent street improvement connected Cross Creek Boulevard and Garrett Road into a single road, Jobe said.
“It the aldermen’s job to make a decision on the name change. We selected Cross Creek Boulevard as the name rather than Garrett Road because it impacts the fewest residents,” Jobe said.
“It’s a public safety issue for us,” said Tom Jenkins, Rogers fire chief.
“If a street has two names it can be confusing. New development often competes with residents with a high tenure in a neighborhood, that’s why we have a city council so these issues can be worked out. It really doesn’t matter what the name of the street is, just so it’s consistent,” Jenkins added.
If leaving the street as they are become a serious public safety issue the council may revisit the issue, Hines said after the vote.