Township of Hempfield, PA
Westmoreland County
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Chapter 17: PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Hempfield 2-10-1954 by resolution; amended in its entirety 3-8-1971 by resolution. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Planning Commission — See Ch. 20.
Parks — See Ch. 61.

§ 17-1 Purposes.

This chapter is adopted for the following purposes:
A. To update the former resolution Editor's Note: The resolution referred to established the Hempfield Township Recreation Commission and was adopted February 10, 1954. to conform to existing facts and present conditions.
B. To facilitate the work of the former Commission known as the "Hempfield Recreation Commission," hereafter to be known as the "Hempfield Township Park and Recreation Commission."

§ 17-2 Membership; terms of office.

[Amended 7-9-1990 by Res. No. 90-16]
The Hempfield Township Park and Recreation Commission shall consist of seven members, five of whom shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors and two of whom shall be members of the Hempfield Area School Board. The five members not members of the School Board shall be appointed by the Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors and shall serve for terms of five years or until their successors are appointed, except that the members of such Commission first appointed may be appointed for lesser terms, provided that the terms of not more than two members shall expire annually thereafter. Members of such Commission shall serve without pay. All persons previously or hereinafter appointed shall serve their full terms unless they voluntarily resign or are removed by the Supervisors for dereliction or neglect of duty. All members appointed by the Board of Supervisors of Hempfield Township shall be residents of Hempfield Township, and such members, in order to continue serving on such commission, shall, during the term or terms of their membership, remain residents of Hempfield Township.

§ 17-3 Authority of Commission.

Authority to equip, supervise and maintain parks, recreation areas and facilities and to conduct recreation programs is vested in the Hempfield Township Park and Recreation Commission, subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors.

§ 17-4 Employees.

The Hempfield Township Park and Recreation Commission shall exercise its powers and duties in establishing standards, qualifications and salary schedules for employees of the Commission as approved by the Board of Supervisors. Playground personnel shall be hired in compliance with the established employment policy now in effect with the Hempfield Area Board of Education and as may be further amended by the Board of Supervisors of Hempfield Township.

§ 17-5 Cooperative recreational services.

Whenever boroughs, cities, counties, townships or school districts develop a cooperative plan of recreation service with the township, the Hempfield Township Park and Recreation Commission shall request a joint meeting with the Supervisors for this purpose.

§ 17-6 Organization of Commission; annual report.

The members of the Hempfield Township Park and Recreation Commission, established pursuant to this chapter, shall elect their own President, Secretary and Treasurer and select all other necessary officers, to serve for a period of one year. Such Commission shall have power to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of all business within its jurisdiction. It shall be the duty of the Park and Recreation Commission and its executive to submit an annual report to the Township Supervisors, including an analysis of the community recreation areas, facilities and leadership, with particular reference to the extent and adequacy of the program and its effectiveness in view of the public expenditure involved and the public needs to be met.

§ 17-7 Annual budget.

Each year the Park and Recreation Commission shall submit to the Township Supervisors a written, typed or printed budget for the next fiscal year on or before November 1 of each year. This date may be changed by the Supervisors at their discretion, provided that it is done at a meeting and notice is given to the Park and Recreation Commission of said change. If no notice is given to the Park and Recreation Commission, it will be assumed that the established date for the previous year will be in effect.
A. The budget shall include all anticipated expenses for the fiscal year and shall be so itemized as to present a clear understanding of each and every item. Anticipated employees need not be listed but must be designated by job classification. Once the Board of Supervisors has approved the item in the total budget, it will not be necessary for the Commission to again seek approval of any item so listed so long as it is within the budgetary period.
B. Should the Board of Supervisors require more information on the budget or if the items are to be reduced, the Board of Supervisors shall so notify the Commission. Moneys appropriated in the budget but not expended will be returned to the Board of Supervisors.

§ 17-8 Rules and regulations.

The Commission shall be empowered to make and enforce all rules, regulations and policies governing the use of the parks or the sponsoring of any area or event which would come under its jurisdiction, subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

§ 17-9 Recreational facilities; real property.

A. The Board of Supervisors will, by ordinance, designate and set apart for use as parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools or indoor recreation centers, hereinafter called "public parks, recreation areas and facilities," any lands or buildings owned by such township and not dedicated or devoted to other public use. A copy of said ordinance shall be sent to the Park and Recreation Commission.
B. Any real property that should come into the hands of the Commission must immediately be turned over to the Township of Hempfield, along with all papers and other relevant data that may be involved.

§ 17-10 Legal counsel.

A. The Solicitor of the Supervisors shall be available to the Commission at times the Commission may deem it necessary.
B. In matters concerning the Hempfield Area School District, the Commission may also use the Solicitor of the School District, in which case the Commission will use the joint services of the Township Solicitor and the School District Solicitor where the interests of the township and School District are involved.

§ 17-11 Meetings and minutes thereof.

A. The Commission, at its first meeting of the new year, shall set the date, time and place of its regular meetings and shall notify the Supervisors of this in writing.
B. The Commission shall cause to be sent to each Supervisor a copy of the minutes of its last meeting, the Supervisors understanding that these minutes have not yet been approved.

§ 17-12 Cooperation with other agencies; segregation of funds.

A. The Supervisors shall empower the Commission to enter into negotiation and agreements with other agencies for the purpose of securing funds (i.e., United Fund, School District).
B. It is understood that these funds are separate from township funds and that the Commission will be accountable to these other agencies and to the township for these funds.
C. Funds not secured from the Supervisors shall be kept in a separate account and shall not be mixed with township funds.

§ 17-13 Effective date.

Section 17-7A is to be effective on January 1, 1972, and the remaining part of this chapter is to be effective immediately upon approval by the Board of Supervisors of Hempfield Township.