[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Lehighton 9-26-2016 by Ord. No. 633-2016. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "the Lehighton
Borough Parks and Recreation Board Ordinance."
A.
Creation of Borough Parks and Recreation Board. There is hereby created
a Parks and Recreation Board for the Borough of Lehighton (hereinafter
referred to as the "Parks and Recreation Board"). The Parks and Recreation
Board shall serve the Borough Council as an advisory board only; the
Parks and Recreation Board shall provide advice and recommendations
for consideration by the Borough Council relating to parks and recreation
facilities and organized recreation programs to enhance the quality
of life for the residents of Lehighton Borough, including but not
limited to community event planning and fund raiser. The Parks and
Recreation Board shall have no authority to make any expenditures
or incur any expense on behalf of the Borough without prior permission
from Borough Council and/or the Borough Manager.
B.
Goals of the Borough parks. The goals of the Borough's parks
shall be (which are not intended to be listed in any order of importance):
(1)
To maintain the beauty and character of the areas.
(2)
To provide clean park environments.
(3)
To provide well equipped parks.
(4)
To maintain full functioning park equipment and facilities.
(5)
To assist the community groups in recreation activities/events.
(6)
To maintain fiscally sound park operations and management.
A.
Members, qualifications and compensation.
(1)
The Parks and Recreation Board shall consist of seven members.
(2)
Each member of the Parks and Recreation Board shall be appointed
by Borough Council.
[Amended 11-21-2016 by Ord. No. 634-2016]
(3)
Members of the Parks and Recreation Board shall receive no compensation
for their services, but shall be reimbursed by the Borough for all
expenses incurred in performing their duties.
B.
Appointments and term lengths. At the time of creation of the Borough
Parks and Recreation Board, the Borough Council shall appoint one
of the members for a one-year term, a second member for a period of
two years, a third member for a period of three years, two members
for a period of four years and two members for a period of five years.
At the expiration of any initial member or successive member terms,
the successor member shall be appointed for a period of five years.
In no event shall any term be more than five years.
C.
Resignation and removal of members. Any member of the Parks and Recreation
Board may be removed by the Borough Council for dereliction or neglect
of duty. At any time, with written notice to the Borough Council,
any Parks and Recreation Board member may voluntarily resign. The
Borough Council shall fill the vacancies, which appointment shall
be for the remainder of the term of the former member whose office
has become vacant.
D.
Meetings and election of officers. At a minimum, the Parks and Recreation
Board shall meet on a quarterly basis each year. The officers of the
Parks and Recreation Board shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson
and Secretary, and such other officers as the Parks and Recreation
Board shall deem necessary or useful. All officers shall be members
of the Parks and Recreation Board. All officers of the Parks and Recreation
Board shall be elected by the Parks and Recreation Board at its first
meeting each year which shall serve as the Board's annual reorganizational
meeting. All such officers shall serve for a period of one year or
until their successor is elected. In the event of a vacancy in any
of the Board's offices, the members shall meet and elect members
to fill the remaining term of the vacancy. Meetings shall be conducted
in accordance with the policies and procedures as adopted by the Parks
and Recreation Board.
E.
Appointment of Board committees.
(1)
As necessary or convenient, the Parks and Recreation Board may create
and appoint committees, including but not limited to committees to
focus on the concerns of an individual Borough park. The Chairperson
of any committee shall be determined by the Board. Any other committee
officers may be determined by the committee members. Committees shall
meet on an as-needed basis, or regularly when event planning. Any
committee recommendations or activities shall be reviewed and approved
by the Board.
(2)
For special projects, as approved by the Borough Council, Parks and
Recreation Board committees may select, by majority vote, community
volunteers, outside of the Parks and Recreation Board, to assist,
as necessary, with the completion of tasks. However, in no event will
any such community volunteer serve as a voting member of the committee.
A.
Chairperson responsibilities. The Chairperson or, in the Chairperson's
absence, the Vice-Chairperson, shall preside at all meetings of the
Parks and Recreation Board and decide all points of order and procedure
and perform all other duties required by law and this ordinance. The
Chairperson shall serve as the Parks and Recreation Board's liaison
to the Borough Council.
B.
Order of business. The order of business to be implemented and followed
by the Chairperson at all Board meetings shall be as follows, or as
the Board shall determine:
C.
Secretary. The Parks and Recreation Board shall elect a Secretary.
The duties of the Secretary shall include keeping and maintaining
regular meeting minutes, including but not limited to recording the
presence or absence of each member at a Board meeting, recording the
vote of each member (including the abstention or failure to vote)
upon each question of the Board, carrying out all official correspondence
of the Board, and sending out all notices from the Board. The Secretary
shall prepare the proposed agenda for each Board meeting, in conjunction
with the Chairperson, and deliver a copy to members of the Board in
advance of each meeting.
A.
Maintenance of official meeting minutes. The Park and Recreation
Board shall keep minutes of each of its meetings. The minutes of each
meeting shall be forwarded to the Borough Manager.
A.
Additional assistance from the Borough Council. The Borough Council
may provide suitable and convenient meeting space, stationary, postage,
printing and supplies as may be necessary for the work of the Parks
and Recreation Board, as determined by Borough Council.
B.
Additional assistance for professional service from Borough Council.
The Borough Council shall engage the services of such professionals,
consultants and other experts which are necessary for the work of
the Parks and Recreation Board, as determined by the Borough Council.
C.
Designation of lands. The Borough Council shall be responsible for
any and all master plans to be prepared by a designated surveyor(s),
planner(s), engineer(s), and architect(s). The Borough Council may,
at its discretion, acquire other parks and recreational areas and
facilities. In the event that new recreational areas and facilities
are acquired, the Borough Council will file official land plans with
the Borough Secretary. Each official plan will indicate the lands
to be administered by the Parks and Recreation Board.
A.
Compliance with Sunshine Act. All regular and special meetings of
the Park and Recreation Board shall be scheduled, advertised and held
and conducted in accordance with the requirements, of the provisions
of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701, ("Sunshine
Act"). The schedule of the monthly Board meetings shall be advertised
annually by the Borough Secretary in accordance with the Sunshine
Act and, until and unless changed by written notice by the Board to
the Borough Secretary and in accordance with the public notice requirements
of the Sunshine Act, shall be held monthly at the Lehighton Borough
Municipal Building, 1 Constitution Avenue, Lehighton, Pennsylvania
beginning at 7:00 p.m. or at such other time and place as may be deemed
convenient by the Parks and Recreation Board. At the direction of
the Chairperson, or the request of two or more members of the Board,
special meetings shall be scheduled, advertised, held and conducted
in accordance with the foregoing.
B.
Quorum. A majority of the members of the Parks and Recreation Board
then in office shall constitute a quorum of the Board. If less than
a majority is present at any meeting, no official action may be taken
at such meeting. A simple majority vote of those present at a duly
convened meeting shall be sufficient for Board action.
C.
Public participation. The public shall have the right to comment
on matters which are or may come before the Parks and Recreation Board
at public meetings as provided by Section 710.1 of the Sunshine Act.
Any request by any person to be placed on the agenda of any meeting
of the Parks and Recreation Board for formal consideration and action
on any matter shall be submitted in writing to the Borough not later
than 12:00 noon, seven days prior to the meeting at which such person
desires to be heard. The Parks and Recreation Board shall not be required
to take action on any matter for which a timely request for agenda
consideration and action has not been made. Late requests shall be
rescheduled by the Chairperson for the next regular meeting.
D.
Fundraising. As necessary or convenient, various fundraising events
for one or more of the Borough's parks may take place with the
approval of the Borough Council. Funds raised for a specific park
or parks shall be turned over and entrusted to the Borough Treasurer
for future use and expenditure at the park or parks for which the
fundraising event(s) took place. The Parks and Recreation Board shall
provide specific recommendations to the Borough Council for such expenditures
of funds. However, the Borough Council will have final oversight of
all expenditures.
E.
Donations. Any individual, group, or organization wishing to donate
money, tangible or intangible items to a park or parks shall make
such donations to the Borough Council accompanied by a letter stating
and describing the specific donation or donations and the park or
parks for which the items are intended or donated.
A.
Responsibilities. The Parks and Recreation Board is to be an advisory
body to the Borough Council. The Borough Council will have final oversight
of, and responsibility over, the management and operation of the Parks
and Recreation Board. The responsibilities, more specifically, of
the Parks and Recreation Board shall be as follows:
(1)
To provide advice and recommendations for consideration by the Borough
Council with respect to capital planning, and capital and general
fund budgeting, for parks and recreation purposes.
(2)
To recommend to the Borough Council proposed hours of operation for
parks and recreational facilities and events.
(3)
To submit to the Borough Council, by October 1 of each year, an annual
inventory and assessment of the parks conditions, equipment and sites,
including a recommendation regarding the repair and replacement needs
of park and recreation facilities.
(4)
To submit an annual report to the Borough Council, including an analysis
of the adequacy and effectiveness of community recreation areas, facilities
and leadership.
(5)
To recommend for adoption rules and regulations for the Borough parks
and recreational facilities to the Borough Council.
