By Megan Wehring
KYLE — With a limited timeline to find a new name for West Ranch to Market 150, the committee encouraged more Kyle residents to attend the open meetings to provide public input or personally reach out to committee members for name suggestions.
“We are representing our neighbors,” Chair Vanessa Westbrook told the committee. “We are diversly spread all over the city of Kyle. You are going to have this interaction with your neighbors. You are going to figure out how you are going to make that connection with people.”
Aside from simply not understanding the Kyle City Council’s original decision, many residents were outspoken about their disbelief that the public was not involved in renaming Rebel Drive to Fajita Drive back in August. All 15 applicants were appointed to the ad hoc naming committee in hopes to provide a diverse group while still allowing the public to provide citizen comments at each meeting.
Laura McMahon, president of Kyle Cultural Awareness, was the first to step forward to bring her own suggestion for the road name on Monday, Nov. 9.
“The name Rebel Road has a very controversial connotation, it’s not welcoming to the city of Kyle and the diverse community,” McMahon told the committee. “Changing the name to Dr. Martin Luther King would be symbolic to the existing name and it would bring the community together. Dr. King was a minister; an advocate for equality, inclusion, justice and non-violent peaceful protest.”
After receiving some feedback from the public, Westbrook said the committee is working to remain transparent with updated information for the community.
“We heard strongly that we need to provide as many opportunities and information out to the public that this process is going on,” Westbrook said. “We will use every type of portal that the city has in order to make sure that happens.”
According to Section 38, Article 7 of the Code of Ordinances, the committee will need to follow criteria for the new road name to align with specific categories. Westbrook also explained the committee will have until the end of the scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2 for name suggestions to give time for discussion.
