(Atlantic) A public hearing was held at the Atlantic City Council meeting Wednesday evening on a proposal to discontinue the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board.
Former Parks and Recreation Director Roger Herring said in the time period of 2009 to present the Parks and Recreation Department has made great strides to improve the parks to draw people to the Atlantic area.
Herring said the real key to how Parks and Recreation got to where they are today is through leadership and vision and collaboration between the Parks and Recreation Board and the Director.
Parks and Recreation Board Member Jeremy Butler, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, spoke to what he sees the Park Board is as of now, not what is has been.
The Council also heard from Vicki Nordskog who is opposed to not hiring a Parks and Recreation Director and discontinuing the Board. Nordskog presented a petition to the Council against the change. The two other public comments came from Scott Bennett and Nick Hunt.
The City received one anonymous phone call in favor of keeping the Parks and Recreation Board and Mayor Grace Garrett and several City Council members also noted that they received comments from several individuals in favor of keeping the Board.
Now that the public hearing is completed, the Council must wait 30-days before acting on the first reading to repeal Chapter 24 of the Code and discontinue the Park Board.
