1 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUE AND DISCOVERY
PARK TASK FORCE
Meeting Minutes
October 20, 2022, 6:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA
Present: Member Conser, Member Denaro, Member Enriquez, Member Hernandez, Member Kean-Ayub, Member Maynard, Vice Chair Zamora, Chair Medina
Absent: Member Elliott-Santos, Member Kohse, Member Pinto
Also Present: Secretary Hernandez, Communications and Marketing Manager Anne Steinberger
Member Hernandez arrived at 6:33 p.m.
Member Hernandez departed at 8:55 p.m.
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1. CALL TO ORDER
A special meeting of the Christopher Columbus Statue and Discovery Park Task Force of the City Council of the City of Chula Vista was called to order at 6:05 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located at 276 Fourth Ave Chula Vista, CA 91910.
2. ROLL CALL
Secretary Hernandez called the roll.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
No public comment.
2 4. ACTION ITEMS
4.1 Approval of Meeting Minutes
Moved by Vice Chair Zamora
Seconded by Member Maynard
Task Force approve minutes.
Yes (7): Member Conser, Member Denaro, Member Enriquez, Member Kean- Ayub, Member Maynard, Vice Chair Zamora, Chair Medina
Result: Carried (7 to 0)
4.2 Consideration of Statements of Interest for Acquisition of the Columbus Statue Including Action to Determine Recommended Disposition Chair Medina introduced the item and discussion ensued.
Moved by Vice Chair Zamora
Seconded by Chair Medina
Reject proposal from Sons and Daughters of Italy based on lack of permanent location and lack of contextualizing of statue and defer disposition of statue to an agreed upon recommended framework.
Yes (6): Member Conser, Member Enriquez, Member Hernandez, Member Maynard, Vice Chair Zamora, Chair Medina
Abstain (2): Member Kean-Ayub, and Member Denaro
Result: Carried (6 to 0)
4.3 Consideration of a Framework for Monument Installation or Removal and City Asset Naming or Renaming
Chair Medina introduced the item and discussion ensued including Task Force edits to the proposed framework.
Moved by Member Kean-Ayub
Seconded by Member Maynard
Task Force approve proposed Framework as amended by Task Force for recommendation to City Council.
3 Yes (8): Member Conser, Member Denaro, Member Enriquez, Member Hernandez, Member Kean-Ayub, Member Maynard, Vice Chair Zamora, Chair Medina
Result: Carried (8 to 0)
4.4 Consideration and Possible Action Regarding Proposals for the Renaming of Discovery Park and Proposals for Marker Language
Chair Medina introduced the item and discussion ensued. Task Force drafted the following:
Option 1: Marker language without new monument
This park lies on the land of the Kumeyaay, the original caretakers of the territories extending from present-day Ensenada to Oceanside and from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River.
[Park Name] honors the ______. [Elaborate on new name]
On this site, previously named Discovery Park upon its founding in 1990 as part of the commemoration of the quincentennial of the so-called “discovery of the new land”—stood a statue of Christopher Columbus.
After years of protests by local Kumeyaay, other Indigenous peoples, supporters, and city residents, in 2021 the Chula Vista City Council voted to remove the statue and rename the park.
We offer this in the spirit of not “erasing history” but rather as a necessary and reciprocal healing of the harms and injustice of colonial erasure and the distortion of history.
Option 2: Marker language with new monument:
This park lies on the land of the Kumeyaay, the original caretakers of the territories extending from present-day Ensenada to Oceanside and from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River.
[Park Name] honors the ______. The monument _____ points to ______. [Elaborate on the monument and new name]
* * * * * On this site, previously named Discovery Park-- upon its founding in 1990, as part of the commemoration of the quincentennial of the so called “discovery of the new land”-- stood a statue of Christopher Columbus.
4 After years of protests by local Kumeyaay, other indigenous peoples, supporters and city residents, in 2021 the Chula Vista City Council voted to remove the statue.
We offer this in the spirit of not “erasing history” but rather as a necessary and reciprocal healing of the harms and injustice of colonial erasure and the distortion of history.
Park Name Recommendations:
In order of priority:
1. Name: Kuskilly/ Kuuskilsh
Rationale: Definition: means "thick lipped" from the giant face in the landscape starting at the Kuchamaa mountain as the forehead, Otay mountain as the nose and San Diego Bay the mouth. It is a Kumeyaay honoring of geographic locations and topography of the area.
Nominated by: Mike Connolly Miskwish, Kumeyaay tribal member and adjunct professor at San Diego State University
2. Name: Mat Tipaay “The Peoples Land”
Rationale: Honoring the original peoples and acknowledging their presence.
Nominated by: Dr. Stan Rodriguez, member of Santa Ysabel Band of the Iipay Nation, Tribal Councilman, Director of Kumeyaay Community College
3. Name: Kanap Uuyaw “Telling Knowledge”
Rationale: Correcting falsehoods of the past.
Nominated by: Martha Rodriguez, member of the Kumiay Nation from San Jose de las Zorras, known as Mat’perhaw, located in Baja California, Mexico
4. Name: Kumeyaay Park of Chula Vista
Rationale: Original peoples or the first people.
Nominated by: Lorise Maynard, Chula Vista Cultural Arts Commission & Task Force Member
Moved by Member Medina
Seconded by Nadia Kean-Ayub
Task Force approve the drafted marker language and four park names to be submitted through the framework process previously approved by Task Force.
5 Yes (7): Member Conser, Member Denaro, Member Enriquez, Member Kean- Ayub, Member Maynard, Vice Chair Zamora, Chair Medina
Result: Carried (7 to 0)
4.5 Authorizing the Chair to Work With Staff to Present Task Force Recommendations to City Council
Moved by Member Enriquez
Seconded by Member Maynard
Approval of authorization of Chair Medina to work with City staff to finalize recommendations.
Yes (7): Member Conser, Member Denaro, Member Enriquez, Member Kean- Ayub, Member Maynard, Vice Chair Zamora, Chair Medina
Result: Carried (7 to 0)
OTHER BUSINESS
5. STAFF COMMENTS
6. CHAIR'S COMMENTS
Chair Medina expressed his gratitude to City staff, Attorney Simon Silva and City Attorney Glen Googins and Task Force members for all their hard work and dedication. Future generations will benefit from this process.
7. TASK FORCE MEMBER COMMENTS
Vice Chair Zamora expressed appreciation for Chair Medina's leadership, other Task Force members, Member Denaro and City Staff.
Member Enriquez thanked everyone and acknowledged City staff's effort.
8. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:04 p.m.
Minutes prepared by: Adrianna Hernandez, Secretary
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Adrianna Hernandez, Commission Secretary