Governor Polis Announces Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board

Thursday, July 2, 2020

DENVER - Gov. Polis today signed Executive Order B 2020 004, creating the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board. 

“This new board will play a critical role in the ongoing celebration of our Colorado history through place names and ensure that we have inclusivity and transparency around the naming process,” said Governor Jared Polis. “This bi-partisan board will ensure that a broad spectrum of Coloradans, local communities, and Colorado’s land-based Tribes can collaborate on any potential naming or renaming of Colorado geological points or landmarks.”

The Board’s mission is to evaluate proposals and submitted applications concerning name changes, new names, and name controversies of geographic features and certain public places in the State and make recommendations in a timely manner to the Governor.

“The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board (Board) will assist and cooperate with the United States Board on Geographic Names (USBGN) by evaluating all proposals concerning name changes, new names, and name controversies of geographic features and certain public places in the State of Colorado (State) and then making official recommendations to the Governor. The USBGN has final approval authority for place naming for federal maps and products,” the Executive Order reads. 

The Board shall consist of up to 15 members and may include:

  • The Executive Director of History Colorado or his or her designee;

  • Three representatives from the Colorado General Assembly, two of which must represent each of the major political parties;

  • Two representatives of local governments;

  • One representative from the Colorado Commission for Indian Affairs;

  • One representative from the Center of the American West;

  • One representative from the Colorado Geological Survey;

  • One representative from the tourism and outdoor recreation industry;

  • Two representatives who have a background in race or ethnic studies or who are from an institution of cultural learning that focuses on traditionally underrepresented or displaced communities; and

  • The Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources or his or her designee.

  • The Executive Director of the Department of Local Affairs or his or her designee.

  • The Director of the Colorado Tourism Office or his or her designee.

Initial appointments to the Board shall be for two-year or four-year terms, and thereafter members will serve four-year terms. In the event of a mid-term vacancy, the appointment will be for the remainder of that representative’s unexpired term.

Read the Governor’s Executive Order. 

 

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