Our Turn: It’s the end of Parks and Rec as we know it, and I don’t feel fine.
June 26, 2009 by SNEditor
Filed under Happening Now, Our Turn, Starkville
Robbie Coblentz
Starkville-Now.com
That’s great, it starts with an ordinance, lame ducks and snakes, a Sportsplex and Dan Moreland is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - mayor serves his own needs…
….It’s the end of Parks and Rec as we know it, and I don’t feel fine.
( with apologies to REM)
Traditionally, elected officials lay low the last few weeks of their terms. Those who were re-elected get to act on their agenda once the new term is underway. Those not coming back typically have the decency to not try to fill their last few days with sweeping changes that could resonate for years.
Guess what our soon-to-be-former-mayor is doing?
Tuesday, less than a week before their term is up, the current Mayor and Board of Alderman will take up a motion to abolish the Parks and Recreation Commission and create an advisory board to replace it.
Did I mention this is less than a week before their term is up?
The proposed ordinance that would create the advisory board states that this is “necessary for the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to have sufficient oversight to insure (sic) the harmonious and efficient operation for all of the functions and employees of the City of Starkville.”
The mayor is trying to take one of the best-run municipal services and place it under the direct control of the Board of Alderman. The aldermen are already responsible for the oversight of day-to-day activities of many departments; why add another one, especially one that seems to be operating so well. If it aint’ broke …
Did I mention this is less than a week before their term is up?
The next proposed ordinance goes a step further and abolishes the existing parks and rec commission and ends the term of all commissioners, including chairman Dan Moreland .
Actual wording: “The City of Starkville Ordinance 2008-5 and the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 2, Article VIII. Establishing a Park Commission of the City of Starkville are hereby abolished.”
The Parks Commission is one of the things we do right in Starkville. Thousands of kids and their parents pack the parks around the city to swim or play soccer, baseball or basketball. This department just opened a first-class facility for expanded programs at the Sportsplex.
That the aldermen are being asked to consider this is bad enough, but the fact that our out-going mayor has even brought it up less that a week before he leaves office is reprehensible.
If Parks and Rec is in such bad shape — which it is not — let the next Mayor and Board address it.
Why do this at all? Why now? What is the real reason?
Please contact your Alderman and let him or her know that the board has no business enacting such legislation when their term is this close to ending.
The city of Starkville deserves better. So does the next Mayor and Board.
Robbie Coblentz is the managing editor of Starkville-Now.com He can be reached at robbie@starkvillenow.com.
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As a summer softball player here in Starkville, I do not totally understand why this would even come up. Have they not seen the summer leagues that our parks commissions people have established? Varsity level competition during the summer has been a nice site to see as I walk to my softball game. This allows students to work on their skills while competing against varsity talent. This is also bringing neighboring town’s citizens to Starkville in which they will spend money in our town.
No matter how many bad calls are called in the softball games (going against my team, of course! hehe), the parks commission have done a fine job. I will be contacting both my current alderman and my future one. This is nonsense this close to the end of their term.
You know, an often used trick could be used in this instance- start a petition that would push this forward to a referendum- that is if enough votes could be gathered between now and Tuesday.
At the time you wrote this piece, you blamed Camp for something he did not initiate. Why didn’t you admit it? Especially after you were told the truth. A legitimate news source would have printed a correction.
I was at the board meeting also on Tuesday night. Neither the mayor or any board member was willing to answer the question as to why they wanted to do away with the park commission. About 20 individuals spoke in favor of keeping the Park Commission.
I still don’t know why the the board members voted this way. I have seen alot of good come from the commission over that past several years.