This local law shall be known and may be cited as the "Recreation
and Parks Law of the Village of Liberty."
The Parks and Recreation Commission shall have jurisdiction
over the parks within the Village of Liberty and over the Joseph F.
Griebel Memorial Park located outside the Village of Liberty, but
such jurisdiction shall not extend over the premises belonging to
Central School District No. 1 of the Towns of Liberty, Bethel, Fallsburg,
Neversink, Rockland, and Thompson, in Sullivan County, New York.
There is hereby established a Recreation Commission for the
Village of Liberty, Sullivan County, New York, which shall have the
power to plan, equip, operate and maintain playgrounds, recreation
centers, open spaces and areas and youth and adult recreation programs
and facilities subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of
the Village of Liberty. No expenditures for capital improvements or
appropriation of land shall be made without the approval of the Board
of Trustees of the Village of Liberty.
The Commission shall consist of five persons who shall be residents
of the Village of Liberty and who shall be appointed by the Board
of Trustees and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board for terms
of five years or until their successors are appointed, except that
the members of such Commission first appointed shall be appointed
for such terms that the term of one Commission shall expire annually
thereafter. Members of such Commission shall serve without pay. Vacancies
in such Commission which may occur other than by the expiration of
a term shall be filled by the Village Board and shall be for the unexpired
term only. Likewise, the Village Manager shall serve as an ex officio
member of the Commission.
The following powers, subject to the reservation of powers set
forth hereinafter, are hereby delegated to the Recreation Commission:
A. The improvement and maintenance of all parks, playgrounds, recreational
centers and recreational facilities now located in the Village of
Liberty and the Joseph F. Griebel Memorial Park or properties to be
acquired only with the approval of the Board of Trustees or leased
by them in the future only with the approval of the Board of Trustees
with the power to improve or make additions to the same.
B. The power to use:
(1) Such property of the Village of Liberty as the Board of Trustees
may from time to time set apart therefor.
(2) With the consent of the owners and the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Liberty, such private property as may be suitable and desirable
therefor.
C. The power to adopt and continue rules and procedures for all business
conducted within its jurisdiction and such rules and regulations for
the operation and conduct of recreation facilities and the carrying
out of recreation programs as it may deem necessary and which shall
be fit and proper for the recreation and welfare of the residents
within the area of the jurisdiction of the Commission.
D. The power to equip, maintain and operate such playgrounds, community
recreational centers, public playfields, open spaces and areas, swimming
pools and other recreational facilities as may be authorized by law
subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Village of
Liberty.
E. Except as may be reserved hereinafter, the power to make such purchases
of materials, supplies and equipment as may be necessary to fulfill
its purposes and programs, provided that all such expenditures are
within the limits of its annual budget as hereinafter provided for
and within the limitations of the annual appropriations made for such
purchases and subject to the authorization and audit of the Village
Board of Trustees of the Village of Liberty.
F. The power to employ individuals from time to time with the consent
and approval of the Village Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Liberty expressly reserves
the following powers:
A. The power to take any steps deemed necessary in connection with the
finances of the Commission.
B. The power to lease, purchase or otherwise acquire additional real
property for use as parks.
C. The power to assign employees to the Commission from various departments
and agencies of the Village of Liberty and to assign employees of
the Commission to other departments of the Village.
D. The power of such general regulation as the Board of Trustees of
the Village of Liberty may from time to time deem expedient and necessary.
The Commission shall elect officers at their annual meeting
for terms of one year. The officers shall be Chairman, Vice Chairman
and Secretary.
Meetings shall be held on a monthly basis. Likewise, the annual
meeting shall be held in the month of April every year. A quorum shall
consist of three members. Also, special meetings may be called by
the Chairman from time to time or upon written request of any three
members. Meetings shall be conducted under the standard form as presented
in Robert's Rules of Order.
The Commission shall be authorized and empowered to arrange,
conduct and supervise sports, play, crafts, dramatics and any other
types of recreational and cultural programs, events and projects and
shall adopt rules and regulations for the safe and proper conduct
of such events and for the regulation of the qualifications and conduct
of those participating therein.
The Commission shall annually, prior to the time of the preparation
of the Village budget, prepare and submit to the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Liberty an appropriately drawn and detailed budget
of its estimated expenses for the next ensuing year. In addition,
it shall submit a detailed monthly report of its operations as well
as such other reports at such other times as the Village Board may
require.