(Atlantic) Future plans for the Parks and Recreation Department were discussed at the Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Monday evening.
On Wednesday, the Atlantic City Council will take action on a resolution creating the position of Parks and Recreation Coordinator and setting a public hearing date of August 2nd regarding the dissolution of the Parks and Recreation Board. Three individuals spoke out against the changes, including Vicki Nordskog who stated that improvements to the City Parks went into overdrive with former Parks and Recreation Director Bryant Rasmussen.
Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett explained that some of the proposals going to the City Council are that the Director position would not be replaced and Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Christensen’s title would be changed to Coordinator and he will report to the Public Works Department Director.
Garrett said a reevaluation of the entire department is what has been happening, and will continue to happen. Garrett said the Parks and Recreation Board is the only elected Board within the City out of nine committees. She said in the very beginning the process and responsibilities of the Board were completely different than they are today.
Garrett said Atlantic will make sure that the parks are maintained and cared for because it really is a reflection of the city overall.
Board Member John Krogman said no matter what, he feels the Parks and Recreation Department needs some kind of representation.
If the City Council goes ahead with a public hearing on August 2nd, that would mean they couldn’t have the first reading on the ordinance until September 2nd, or later, and there will have to be three readings of the ordinance… putting the Park Board members up for election this fall in a bind. City Clerk Barb Barrick said she would contact the Auditor’s Office, but she thinks that they would want anyone to go ahead and file papers in case the ordinance to dissolve the board does not pass.
