To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Jeff Brauer, Director of Parks and Recreation
Title
Resolution Redefining Membership of the Parks and Recreation Commission
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The Parks and Recreation Commission advises staff and Town Council concerning the care, use, control, planning and development of Town parks, open space and trails, golf course and recreational facilities and programs.
Similar to other Town board and commissions, the Parks and Recreation Commission was historically composed of seven appointed members. In 2006, the commission’s membership changed to incorporate the addition of a Teen Advisory Group representative, who would also be appointed by Town Council. The Parks and Recreation Commission’s current bylaws define its organization as:
“The Parks and Recreation Commission shall consist of seven members, one of whom shall be a
member from the Teen Advisory Group, to be selected by the Teen Advisory Group, subject to
Town Council approval for a one-year term…”
The purpose of the Teen Advisory Group is to advise the Parks and Recreation Department on issues in the community as they relate to youth and provide feedback on programs to improve the quality of life for teens in Town. The group organizes and plans a minimum of four community-service and outreach projects each year while working with the department.
The Teen Advisory Group role was incorporated into the membership of the commission to further engage youth participation and fill an existing vacancy (see Resolution 2005-38 and its supporting memorandum). While youth participation is essential in creating an engaged and active community, filling this role on the Parks and Recreation commission, especially with volunteers who demonstrate consistent attendance, has proven to be challenging. Part of this difficulty is the timing of annual Commission appointments, which typically occur in May when school lets out. Students in the Teen Advisory Group do not consistently meet when school is out, making it hard to obtain interest in applications. In addition, teens involved in the group tend to be very active and have demanding schedules. This has also made it challenging to find a student representative who is available for approximately two hours in the evenings on the third Wednesday of every month when the Parks and Recreation Commission regularly meets. The commission has not had an appointed Teen Advisory Group member since 2016.
Furthermore, there is significant community interest in serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission. In 2022, staff turned down eight interested applicants who participated in the annual board and commission recruitment and interview process. The Teen Advisory Group position has prevented staff from being able to appoint additional and interested community members, despite remaining vacant for years, limiting potential civic engagement.
Due to the timing of updating commission bylaws and Section 2.14 of the Municipal Code defining Town boards and commissions, staff now recommend removing the Teen Advisory Group member from its bylaws and redefining and reverting the organization of the Parks and Recreation Commission to consist of seven members.
History of Past Town Council, Boards & Commissions, or Other Discussions
In May 2022, the Parks and Recreation Commission expressed support in changing its organizational structure to remove the Teen Advisory Group position and to update its composition to include an additional and interested community member to be appointed by Town Council. Pending the approval of this resolution, the Commission will vote to approve new bylaws to reflect its organizational changes in June 2022.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the resolution as introduced by title.”
Attachments
Resolution
Attachment A - Resolution 2005-38 and Memorandum