Chapter 2.70
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Sections:
2.70.030 Parks and recreation director designated.
2.70.040 Duties and responsibilities.
2.70.060 Staff for parks and recreation advisory board.
2.70.070 Parks and recreation advisory board – Created.
2.70.071 Parks and recreation advisory board – Terms – Vacancies – Removal.
2.70.072 Parks and recreation advisory board – Functions, powers and duties.
2.70.073 Parks and recreation advisory board – Officers – Quorum.
2.70.074 Parks and recreation advisory board – Meetings.
2.70.076 Parks and recreation advisory board – Annual reports of progress.
2.70.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide for a parks and recreation department, designate the parks and recreation director, establish the duties and responsibilities of the department, provide for a means of establishing user fees, and provide staff support for the parks and recreation advisory board. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.020 Created.
There is established in the city a department known as the parks and recreation department which shall be under the direction of the parks and recreation director. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.030 Parks and recreation director designated.
There shall be a parks and recreation director. The mayor of the city shall appoint and designate the person chosen through normal hiring procedures to serve as the parks and recreation director for the city. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.040 Duties and responsibilities.
A. The department is responsible for the management and operation of the city recreation program.
B. The department is responsible for coordination with the parks and recreation advisory board.
C. The department is responsible for managing the capital improvement plan for recreation and park development and overseeing development and construction in the parks and recreation facilities.
D. The department is responsible for the management and operation of park and recreational facilities including management, scheduling maintenance and improvement of such facilities.
E. The department is responsible for supervision of recreation and park staff. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.050 User fees.
Facility user fees and recreation program fees shall be charged in accordance with the city’s fee schedule adopted by the city council. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.060 Staff for parks and recreation advisory board.
The parks and recreation director shall provide staff support to the parks and recreation advisory board. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.070 Parks and recreation advisory board – Created.
A. There is created and established a parks and recreation advisory board, consisting of seven members. Four shall be residents of the city. Two members may be residents of the urban growth area for the city of Burlington as defined by Chapter 36.70A RCW. One member may be an owner or employee of a business in the city of Burlington that does not otherwise reside within the city or the urban growth area of the city of Burlington. Parks and recreation advisory board members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council.
B. Membership. The selection of the parks and recreation advisory board members shall be made from individuals who have an interest in parks and recreation as evidenced by training, experience or actions.
C. The mayor shall appoint one to three members of the city council to act as liaisons to the board in accordance with city council bylaws. These members shall be ex-officio nonvoting members of the board, except in absence of a quorum, as further defined by this chapter. The city parks and recreation director shall be responsible for providing adequate and appropriate staff support to the board. No member shall receive any compensation for services performed. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.071 Parks and recreation advisory board – Terms – Vacancies – Removal.
A. Terms of Members. The appointment of the members, by the mayor, shall be for three-year terms. Term limits shall not exceed three consecutive terms.
B. Vacancies. The mayor shall, as needed, appoint members to fill the vacancies caused by expiring terms. The mayor shall appoint members each year from a list to be presented to him by the board and shall also have authority to fill vacancies created by death or resignation in the board by appointing a member to fill the place consistent with the procedures of BMC 2.72.030.
C. Removal. Members of the board may be removed by the mayor, with concurrence of the city council, for neglect of duty, conflict of interest, malfeasance in office, or other just cause, or for unexcused absence from more than three consecutive regular meetings. The decision of the city council shall be final and there shall be no appeal therefrom. Members finding themselves unable to attend regular meetings are expected to tender their resignations. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.072 Parks and recreation advisory board – Functions, powers and duties.
The parks and recreation advisory board shall be a board functioning in an advisory capacity to the mayor, city council, department of parks and recreation and other city departments in respect to the following parks and recreation matters:
A. The acquisition or disposal of parks and recreation properties and facilities;
B. Long-range planning for parks and recreation properties, facilities and programs;
C. Facility use fees and procedures;
D. Capital improvements for parks and recreation properties or facilities;
E. Adoption of operating rules and regulations relating to parks and recreation properties and facilities;
F. A recommended annual budget for the acquisition, development and operation of parks and recreational facilities and programs; and
G. All matters as from time to time may be referred to the board by city council, the city administrator or parks and recreation staff. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.073 Parks and recreation advisory board – Officers – Quorum.
A chairperson and vice chairperson shall be annually elected from its parks and recreation board members for a term of one year at the first meeting of the parks and recreation advisory board following January 1st of each year. It shall be the duty of the chairman to preside at all meetings of the board. The parks and recreation director, or his/her designee, shall serve as the board’s secretary. The parks and recreation director shall prepare and record all proceedings of the board which shall be public record. A majority of the membership of the parks and recreation advisory board shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business and a majority vote of those present shall be necessary to carry any recommended action. If a quorum is not reached, as many councilmembers as appointed by the mayor to the parks and recreation advisory board as it takes to reach a quorum may be substituted as temporary voting members of the board. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.074 Parks and recreation advisory board – Meetings.1
The park and recreation advisory board shall meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Burlington Parks and Recreation Office, 900 East Fairhaven Ave., Burlington. Special meetings may be held as often as the board deems necessary. Notice of special meetings must be provided in accordance with the Washington State Open Public Meetings Act. All meetings shall be open to the public. (Ord. 1895, 2020; Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.075 Parks and recreation advisory board – Cooperation with individual citizens, groups and organizations.
The board will work with individual citizens, groups and organizations. At the discretion of the board, a study may be conducted by a task force composed of individual citizens and representatives of groups, schools or other organizations on an ad hoc basis to provide citizen views or special expertise relating to a specific topic or problem. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
2.70.076 Parks and recreation advisory board – Annual reports of progress.
The parks and recreation advisory board shall annually provide to the city council a report on progress made in carrying out the board’s duties and responsibilities. Reports may be submitted when deemed appropriate by the board or when requested by the city council. (Ord. 1879, 2019).
Code reviser’s note: Ord. 1895 amends BMC 2.72.034, as it existed before Chs. 2.70 and 2.72 were repealed and replaced by Ords. 1879 and 1880, respectively. As the meeting provisions for the parks and recreation advisory board are now in BMC 2.70.074, Ord. 1895 has been treated as amending this section.