Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks and Recreation Department

TO:	Tom Markus, City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manger Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager
FROM:	Derek Rogers, Director Lawrence Parks and Recreation
DATE:	Thursday, May 17, 2018
RE:	Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Update

This memo serves to update the City Commission’s request from its Tuesday, March 6, meeting regarding the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board consideration of expanding the number of advisory board members and exploring a change in the meeting time.

The advisory board discussed the expansion of the number of board members and recommends the City Commission expand the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board from five members to seven members. It passed on a 3-0 vote. As staff was preparing the item for the City Commission agenda, it was discovered the Commission would first need to amend the ordinance that chartered the establishment of the advisory board. Because the ordinance was unknown to department staff, the City Clerk began research to find the ordinance that established the advisory board (see attached). It was located May 15. Staff is currently preparing the item for an upcoming City Commission agenda, along with an item to establish by-laws for the advisory board, as there were none that had ever been formally adopted.

The advisory board also discussed moving the meeting time during its March meeting and wanted further direction. Allen Humphrey, chair of the advisory board spoke to Mayor Boley to understand if there was a specific direction desired for the meeting time.  At the May advisory board meeting, it was further discussed. Because of schedules, especially for those who use Parks and Recreation services, some board members felt there was no “good” time for the meeting, as those with children have activities in the evening hours that would prevent attendance to serve. The suggestion of keeping the noon meeting except every quarter having an evening meeting was discussed. Moving the meeting to Mondays was also discussed. The board directed staff to draft a calendar showing what it would look like for discussion at the next advisory board meeting in June.  Members also felt the meeting time decision should be delayed until new members were seated. Plus, the by-laws (forthcoming to a future City Commission agenda) that were recently recommended for approval by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board state: “The Board shall meet regularly at a date, time, and place as determined by a simple majority vote of the Members” (Article III, Sec.1).

The board presently has four members with one open position due to the resignation of LaRisa Chambers on Jan. 21.