16-696. Board of park commissioners; appointment; number; qualifications; powers and duties; recreation board; board of park and recreation commissioners.

(1) In each city of the first class which acquires land for a park or parks, there may be a board of park commissioners, who shall have charge of all the parks belonging to the city, with power to establish rules for the management, care, and use of the same. The board of park commissioners shall be composed of not less than three members, but the total number shall be evenly divisible by three, who shall be residents of the city. In the event of a tie vote, the motion under consideration shall fail to be adopted. They shall be appointed by the mayor and city council at their first regular meeting in January each year except for the original board which may be appointed any time. At the time of the first appointment, one-third of the number to be appointed shall be appointed for a term of one year, one-third for a term of two years, and the rest shall be appointed for a term of three years, which term shall be computed from the first meeting in the preceding January. After the appointment of the original board it shall be the duty of the mayor and city council to appoint or reappoint one-third of the board each year for a term of three years to commence at the time of appointment at the first meeting in January. Each member shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. A vacancy occurring on such board by death, resignation, or disqualification of a member shall be filled for the remainder of such term at the next regular meeting of the city council. A majority of all the members of the board of park commissioners shall constitute a quorum. It shall be the duty of the board of park commissioners to lay out, improve, and beautify all grounds owned or acquired for public parks, and employ helpers and laborers as may be necessary for the proper care and maintenance of such parks, and the improvement and beautification thereof, to the extent that funds may be provided for such purposes. The members of the board, at its first meeting in each year, shall elect one of their own members as chairperson of such board. Before entering upon his or her duties each member of the board shall take an oath, to be filed with the city clerk, that he or she will faithfully perform the duties of the office and will not in any manner be actuated or influenced therein by personal or political motives.

(2) The board of park commissioners may also be constituted by the mayor and city council as an ex officio recreation board. When so constituted, such recreation board shall have the duty and authority to promote, manage, supervise, and control all recreation activities supported financially by such city to the extent funds are available.

(3) The mayor and city council may abolish the board of park commissioners, if one has been appointed as provided in this section, and may establish a board of park and recreation commissioners, who shall have charge of all parks belonging to the city and all recreational activities supported financially by the city, with power to establish rules for the management, care, supervision, and use of such parks. The board of park and recreation commissioners shall be appointed to such terms of office and in such numbers as provided in this section for appointment of a board of park commissioners. It shall be the duty of the board of park and recreation commissioners to lay out, improve, beautify, and design all grounds, bodies of water, and buildings owned or acquired for public parks and recreational facilities, and employ such persons as may be necessary for the proper direction, care, maintenance, improvement, and beautification thereof, and for program planning and leadership of recreational activities, to the extent that funds may be provided for such purposes. The board shall also have the duty of continued study and promotion of the needs of such city for additional park and recreational facilities. Members of the board of park and recreation commissioners at its first meeting in each year shall elect one of its own members as chairperson of the board. Before entering upon his or her duties each member of the board shall take an oath, to be filed with the city clerk, that he or she will faithfully perform the duties of the office and will not in any manner be actuated or influenced therein by personal or political motives.

Source