An effort to name the Broadway roundabout in honor of the late brewer and community organizer Tommy Keegan is on hold after lawmakers said they wanted to see a more thorough process, including a public hearing, before formalizing what began as an unofficial tribute.

At a Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Kingston Common Council lawmakers voted 7-0 to table the renaming resolution pending further discussion.

Keegan, who died in 2021 at age 50, was the founder of the Keegan Ales brewery and taproom on St. James Street. In addition to turning out award-winning beers, Keegan helped turn the brewery into a community hub featuring live music and hosting special events and fundraisers. Keegan also founded the Keegan Army, a nonprofit running and cycling club that raises money for local charities.

At a Monday Caucus meeting, Common Council President Andrea Shaut told lawmakers the resolution to name the traffic circle for Keegan came after a city resident, whom she did not name, commissioned and installed a sign reading “Tommy Keegan Traffic Circle” at the roundabout. The project was undertaken without the city’s knowledge or authorization. Shaut said that the sign was brought to her attention by community members who wanted to know when and how the sign was approved.

“There were concerns within the community about how a person gets to have something named after them,” said Shaut, who added that at least one community member brought up the fact that a statue of champion boxer and Kingston native the late Billy Costello had previously been removed from the site of the roundabout. “And I think that’s a legitimate and worthy conversation that we should be having.”

Last month, Shaut brought the issue to the council’s Public Safety and General Government Committee, which approved a resolution formalizing the renaming and passed it on to the full council for approval. Meanwhile, Shaut said, she and Mayor Steve Noble agreed that the sign should remain in place while the legislative process played out. But at Monday’s caucus meeting, several lawmakers said that they wanted a more extensive process, including a public hearing before approving the renaming. Alderwoman Teryl Mickens (D-Ward 5) compared the process to the one that accompanied the renaming of a stretch of Greenkill Avenue in honor of longtime Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Joe Fay.

“That was a whole process, that was talking to neighbors, that was getting [the Department of Public Works] involved,” said Mickens. “I think for the renaming of a roundabout, which is an essential feature in the City of Kingston, we need to slow down.”

Other lawmakers expressed concern that formalizing the renaming and allowing the sign to remain in place would set a bad precedent opening the door to all manner of guerilla memorializing efforts without public discussion or city authorization. Currently there is a formal process for naming city parks, trees, benches and buildings that includes review by the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission and public hearings. No such process exists for street renaming.

“I have no problem naming it the Tommy Keegan roundabout,” said Alderman Mike Ham (D-Ward 7). “My question would be how many other people throughout the city of Kingston get to put up any sign they want to and then come to this council to ask for forgiveness; that’s what we should be talking about.”

In response to Monday’s discussion, Shaut said that she had asked the Department of Public Works to take down the sign and place it in storage, pending formal approval by the council. The resolution will now go back to committee for further discussion and scheduling of a public hearing on the renaming.

There was also support on the council for developing a more formal process for naming streets.

“It just seems like there could be more of a process otherwise people could name their buddies and it could be willy-nilly,” said Alderwoman Ruth Katz (D-Ward 8) who said she was unfamiliar with Keegan’s legacy. “There’s a lot of people doing really good things in the city and [the question is] how does all that get prioritized?”