South Jersey Councilman Not Abandoning Idea Of Attaching President Obama's Name To Public Building
By Mark Abrams
WILLINGBORO, NJ. (CBS) -- The Willingboro Township, New Jersey councilman who stirred community controversy with an attempt to rename the former JFK High School in honor of President Barrack Obama says he hasn't given up on the idea of recognizing the sitting president.
Willingboro Councilman Christopher Walker says he never realized his idea - passed last month by council - would generate such community outrage.
Led by alumni of the former JFK High School, the community made it known to council that it was disrespectful to the late president to remove his name from the former school - which has been renovated and now serves as a community center.
Walker says he backed council's recent decision to rescind the name change vote, but was disappointed.
"This was simply about bringing two presidents together that made some major contributions in American history and bringing those two names together," he says, "and that's simply what it was."
Now, Walker says he's exploring the possibility of putting Barack Obama's name on a currently unnamed public building.
"We're looking at other possibilities down the road," he says, "The community has made suggestions and we're going to consider that, possibly at a later date."
He wouldn't identify that building at this point, saying he is soliciting community input and support before he formally introduces any measure to attach President Obama's name to it.
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