Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 3.24 Recreation and Parks Commission

There is created a Recreation and Parks Commission consisting of nine members which shall be appointed by the mayor. All members shall be residents of the City of Richmond. The terms of office of each member of the commission shall be for three years. No member shall serve for more than three consecutive full terms. To aid the mayor in selecting members for appointment, the Recreation and Parks Commission may suggest qualified and interested persons eligible for appointment for each vacancy to be filled. The Director of Recreation and Parks shall serve as ex officio member of the commission.

The absence of any member of the commission from more than three regularly scheduled meetings of the commission within any twelve-consecutive-month period shall constitute an automatic resignation from the commission. Such a resignation shall not, however, disqualify an individual from subsequently being appointed to the same or any other city commission or board. In the event of any such resignation, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the appointee's predecessor in the manner provided for original appointments.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 112 N.S., 359 N.S., 15-71 N.S., 20-72 N.S., 56-74 N.S., 37-79 N.S., 34-82 N.S., 4-84 N.S. and 22-85 N.S.)

The members of the commission shall meet in regular session and elect from their members a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary. Their duties shall be such as are usually carried out by such officers. Officers shall hold office for one year, or until their successors are elected.

The commission shall adopt rules and regulations to govern procedure and shall set a time for regular meetings which will be held at least once each month and shall determine the manner in which special meetings may be held and the notice given. A majority of the regular members shall constitute a quorum. All meetings of the commission shall be open to the public.

Minutes of the commission shall be filed with the city clerk and the director of recreation and parks. Sufficient copies shall also be given to the city clerk for forwarding to the members of the city council.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 37-79 N.S.)

The duties of the recreation and park commission shall be as follows:

(a) To act in an advisory capacity to the city council and the director of recreation and parks in all matters pertaining to parks and public recreation and to cooperate with other governmental agencies and civic groups in the advancement of sound recreation and park planning and programming;

(b) To formulate policies on recreation services for approval by the city council;

(c) To consult on problems of administration, development of recreation areas, facilities, programs and improved recreation services with:

(1) The director of recreation and parks; and

(2) Committees which the commission may, at any time in its discretion, create to obtain further consultation on matters referred to in subsection (c). The members of such committees shall be residents of the city of Richmond and appointed by the commission. The number of members of each committee shall be determined by the commission, and the commission may remove and replace any of the members of the committees at any time in its discretion. Each committee shall elect officers and adopt rules and regulations to govern procedure.

(d) To recommend the adoption of standards on organization, personnel, areas and facilities, program and financial support;

(e) To make periodic inventories of recreation services that exist or may be needed and interpret the needs of the public to the city council and the director of recreation and parks;

(f) To aid in coordinating the recreation services with the program of other governmental agencies and voluntary organizations;

(g) To translate the policies and functions of the recreation and parks department to the public; and

(h) To advise the director of recreation and parks in the preparation of the annual budget and a long-range recreation capital improvements program.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 37-79 N.S.)

(Source: Ordinance No. 1621.)