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ORD CC 06/09/70 - Creating Parks-Recreation BoardAN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, 'TEXAS, BY ADDING A SECTION CREATING A PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, DEFINING THE DUTIES OF THE BOARD, THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND CREATING A PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS, THAT THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS, IS HEREBY AMENDED BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER TO BE NUMBERED 13A, WHICH SAID CHAPTER SHALL READ AS FOLLOWS: CHAPTER 13A PARKS AND RECREATION Article I. In General, Section 13A -1 to 13A -9 SECTION 13A -1: Creation of Parks and Recreation Board (a) There is hereby created and established a Parks and Recreation Board for the City of Huntsville to be composed of 12 members. Such Board shall be offi- cially designated as the Parks and Re- creation Board of the City of Huntsville. (b) Each member shall be a resident of the City of Huntsville for at least one (1) year prior to his appointment and shall so serve without compensation. No member shall serve more than 5 consecutive years. (c) The Mayor and the City Council in making the appointments to the Board shall give due consideration to the recommendations of the Chamber of Commerce, planning and zoning commission, the Huntsville Indepen- dent School District, Sam Houston State University, and Texas Department of Corrections in order to obtain the services of the Board whose interest and qualifications are consistent with the development of a Parks and Recreation: Department for the City. SECTION 13A -2: Appointments, Tenure (a) The members of such Board shall be appointed by the Mayor by and with the advice and consent of the City Council. Each member shall hold his office for a term of 3 years, except that 4 of those first appointed shall hold office for a term of 1 year, and 4 of those first appointed shall hold office for a term of 2 years, and 4 other members shall hold office for a term of 3 years, -- the term of each to be determined by lot, and thereafter their successors shall hold office for 3 years and until their successors are appointed. (b) The City Council shall at its first official meeting in the month of July in each year act upon appointments made to the Board by the Mayor in filling expired terms of members of the Board. SECTION 13A-3: Vacancies; Removal (a) Upon the death, resignation, removal or expiration of the term of office of any member of the Board, the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the City Council, shall appoint a successor as a member of the Board, who shall hold his membership for the unexpired term of the member he is appointed to succeed. (b) Any member of the Board may be removed from office by the City Council for any cause deemed by the City Council sufficient for their removal in the interest of the public service. SECTION 13A-4: Election of Officers, Meetings (a) The Board shall elect a President, a Vice- President and a Secretary at its first regular meeting after appointment. Such terms shall be for one year. The Board shall meet at least once every other month and shall adopt such by-laws, rules and regulations as it deems best to govern its actions. The presence of any 7 members at a meeting of the Board shall constitute a quorum for conducting business. SECTION 13A-5: Powers and Duties of Board The Board shall: (a) Plan and recommend the location, develop- ment and creation of parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and other public recrea- tional areas and to recommend the acquisi- tion of land sites for such purpose to the City Council, and to otherwise develop a program for the long range capital improve- ment of parks and recreation for the City of Huntsville. (b) Subject to the approval of the City Council, have the power to employ a director and such other persons, on part or full time, together with recommended compensation and terms of service for such personnel as may be deemed necessary for the proper develop- ment and conduct of an adequate system of parks and recreation. The Board shall have the power to remove or dismiss the parks and recreation director and to define the duties and responsibilities of the director of parks and recreation subject to the approval of the City Council. (c) Authorize the parks and recreation director to direct and request maintenance and repair of the various parks, playgrounds, swimming -2- pools, athletic fields, tennis courts and community buildings to the Adminis- trative Assistant for the attention of the Mayor by the City Maintenance Department. (d) Act in an advisory capacity to the City Council and the parks and recreation director in all matters pertaining to parks and recreation and cooperate with other governmental agencies, civic groups and all citizens of the City in the advancement of sound parks and recreation planning and programming. (e) Recommend policies on recreation service for approval of the City Council. (f) Advise the parks and recreation director on problems of development of recreation areas, facilities, programs and improved recreation services. (g) Recommend the adoption of standards for recreational areas, facilities, programs and their financial support and have periodic inventories made of existing services and survey of services needed and interpret the needs of the public to the City Council and to the parks and recreation director. The Board shall also aid in coordinating the recreation services with the programs of other governmental agencies and interested groups. SECTION 13A -6: Budget (a) At least thirty (30) days prior to compila- tion of ddpartmental budgets for considera- tion by the City Council, the Board shall, with the assistance of the parks and re- creation director, prepare a budget which, in their opinion, is necessary for the proper development, equipment and conduct of an adequate system of public recreation. Such budget shall be submitted to the action of the City Council. SECTION 13A -7: Annual Reports; Recommendations (a) The Board and the parks and recreation director shall render to the City Council annual reports of their operations and shall render such other reports and recommendations to the City Council when required in further- ing the overall purpose of developing a parks and recreation program for the City of Huntsville. SECTION 13A -8: Creation of Parks and Recreation Department (a) There is hereby created and established a parks and recreation department for the City of Huntsville, which shall: SECTION 13A-9: (1) Operate and conduct an adequate and well rounded community wide recrea- tion program on the public parks, playgrounds and other public or privately owned properties under agreements between it and the agencies or individuals having jurisdiction over such properties. (2) Supervise the everyday operation and maintenance of the parks and recrea- tional facilities and areas of the City. (b) The department herein created shall not be- come operative as a department until the need therefor arises and upon recommendation by the Board or the Council at which time the Council by resolution duly passed, shall make operative the department created in Section (a) hereinabove. If any section, paragraph, subdivision and provision of this ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional the same shall not effect the validity of this ordinance as a whole or any part of the provision thereof other than the part to be invalid. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are repealed to the extent of the conflict only. APPROVED IN OPEN COUNCIL BY UNANIMOUS VOTE UPON FIRST READING, on this the 9th day of June, 1970. . BEN BLALOCK, JR MAYOR ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: MARTIN D. COLLEY; City At.rney