Council takes further heat for Trump street renaming idea – former Mayor George Banks offered as alternative

The ghost of its January 19 work session discussion about renaming a Town street – Commerce Avenue seems a generally perceived contender – after twice-impeached former President Donald J. Trump by one of his former employees resurfaced at the Monday evening, February 8th meeting of the Front Royal Town Council. All 10 Public Concerns speakers addressed the matter from one angle or another, none with a favorable opinion of the proposition brought forward by first-term councilman and former Trump Administration Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Scott Lloyd.

Photo of Mayor George E. Banks, 1996-2000, on the wall in ‘Mayors Row’ of Town Hall meeting room. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

The major theme of nine speakers was: If you’re going to rename a local street for a political figure, why not do it for someone local who has done something unifying for this community, as opposed to a national political figure known more among a polled majority of the American public for their political divisiveness and perceived courting of extremist elements of society, including white supremacists. The consensus choice of those speakers over the meeting’s first 48 minutes was George Banks, Front Royal’s first black mayor, circa 1996-2000.

A tenth speaker, former county supervisor, and current on-duty local reporter Tom Sayre pivoted toward an alternate choice, Augustus Polton. Sayre identified Polton as an escaped slave who became the first black Catholic priest to say mass on American soil who is also a canonized Catholic saint. If stated, this reporter missed any connection Polton’s life had to the Town of Front Royal.

But to the speaker favorite if a town street is to be renamed, a line of significant figures in Front Royal’s black community, starting with Cornelia Banks, George Bank’s wife who introduced Gene Kilby one of the first black students to integrate Warren County Public Schools, spoke to the matter. Kilby was followed to the podium on George Banks behalf, not in order, by a local NAACP president, Suetta Freeman, the Reverend Al Woods, Noelle Williams, and another local NAACP figure A.D. Carter III. They were joined by Deborah Siksay, Stevi Hubbard and Bruce Rappaport, the latter who gave a nod of support former Mayor Banks way before addressing the subject he had signed in to address council on, its continued pursuit of a second, unilateral EDA that Rappaport has been a long-time critic of dating to his unsuccessful fall run for council.

Above, Gene Kilby was first to speak on George Banks behalf after being introduced by Banks’ wife Cornelia. Below, local NAACP officials Suetta Freeman and A.D. Carter III added their voices to support for Banks’ name if a town street is to be renamed for any political figure.

Later during council member reports, Lloyd addressed his broaching of the street-renaming topic at what he called “the most innocent place to put the idea forward” – that place being a council work session where no official action can be voted on. Of the firestorm of negative reaction, including from his fellow county Republican Committee member, Mayor Chris Holloway who issued a press release against the idea, Lloyd said, “It wasn’t entirely my fault, the Internet coverage and how that might go sideways.” Contacted later, Lloyd elaborated that he intended to say, “I wasn’t entirely mindful of how that might go sideways,” explaining it as a reference to the work session Internet broadcast.

Lloyd called the work session proposal “a thought project that I wanted to throw out there and get some feedback”. He pointed to other local streets bearing presidential names – “Adams, I think Madison and maybe one or two others. So, that was really the category it was in – here’s another president. So, I threw out an idea and it’s not a bad idea; it’s not my best idea,” Lloyd offered, adding the negative feedback gave him a better idea, in considering all potential variables involved before revisiting the street naming idea.

Scott Lloyd said he viewed his street-renaming initiative as a municipal governing learning experience, calling his proposal of Donald J. Trump Ave. ‘not my best idea’ but ‘not a bad idea’ either.

During the mayor’s report, Holloway noted that the Donald J. Trump Avenue matter was slated for further discussion at the work session on February 16, adding that he did not expect the initiative to “go anywhere” from that discussion.

See this and other business, as well as public comments addressed in related stories on the linked Town meeting video.