This chapter shall be cited and may be referred
to hereinafter as the "Department of Parks and Recreation Law of the
Town of Ramapo."
The Town Board of the Town of Ramapo concurs
with the recommendations of the Government Operations Committee Report,
dated August 1967, in relation to the formation of a Department of
Parks and Recreation. The Committee's findings stated: "Various municipal
government experts consider the single department head a better form
of administering Town recreation and parks programs in order to administer
and make decisions with dispatch, better coordinate with all other
Town agencies and be directly responsible to the elected Town executive
and, therefore, to all of the community." The Committee recommended
that a Department of Parks and Recreation should be created with a
single department head assisted by a board to advise him on overall
long-term planning.
The Department of Parks and Recreation be and
hereby is created as a separate department of Town government of the
Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York.
The Director of Parks and Recreation shall be
responsible to the Supervisor as the chief executive officer of the
Town pursuant to the Suburban Town Law and shall have the following
duties. He shall:
A. Exercise those powers and duties necessary for the
general supervision of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
B. Plan, organize, direct and review administrative procedures
necessary to the operation of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
C. Supervise and review the work of the departmental
subordinates and report periodically to the Supervisor concerning
the operation, financial condition and future needs of his Department
and further recommend to the Supervisor requests for employment of
such play leaders, playground directors, supervisors, clerical or
secretarial help or such other officers and/or employees as he deems
necessary for the proper operation of the Department of Parks and
Recreation.
D. Coordinate with the appropriate Town agencies or departments
for the planning, establishment and improvement of new and existing
park and recreation sites.
E. Coordinate with the Purchasing Agent of the Town of
Ramapo with regard to specifications for playground and recreational
equipment, supplies, furnishings and all other items necessary for
the operation of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
F. Organize and conduct a Town-wide recreational program
for all age groups, as approved by the Town Board.
G. Prepare rules and regulations, including fees and
charges, governing the conduct of persons and use of all Town park
and recreational areas and facilities, which rules and regulations
shall not become effective until approved by the Town Board.
H. Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the
Supervisor, the Town Board or other local ordinances or local laws.
I. Subject to appropriations made for the Department
by the Town Board and to all applicable provisions of law relating
thereto, the Director shall have power and authority to appoint and
remove all employees of the Department subject to the approval of
the Town Board.
All parks and recreation areas owned or leased
by the Town of Ramapo shall be maintained by the Department of Parks
and Recreation.
[Amended 6-14-1995 by L.L. No. 7-1995; 3-10-1999 by L.L. No.
4-1999]
The Town Board of the Town of Ramapo shall appoint
a twelve-member Department of Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Such members shall be residents of the Town of Ramapo. The members
of such Advisory Board first appointed shall be appointed for such
terms that the term of at least four Board members shall expire annually
thereafter, and their successors shall thereafter be appointed to
serve a term of three years. The Town Board shall designate annually
from the membership of the Advisory Board the Chairman thereof. The
Town Board may provide for reimbursement for such expenses which may
be reasonable, necessary and proper. The Department of Parks and Recreation
Advisory Board shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary
to arrange for the time of its meetings and conduct of its business.
Failure of any member to comply with the rules and regulations may
result in removal from his/her position by the Town Board. The Director
of Parks and Recreation shall be an ex officio member of the Board
and shall be responsible to see that full and complete minutes of
the meetings are kept and distributed to the members thereof. In addition,
the Board shall have three additional nonvoting members as follows:
one senior citizen representative and two student representatives,
each one representing a school district. The Town Board shall fill
all vacancies caused by expiration, resignation, removal or otherwise.
It shall be the duty of the Parks and Recreation
Advisory Board to recommend to the Director of Parks and Recreation
for submission to the Town Board with respect to the following:
A. All matters relating to planning, policy formation,
programming, legislation and use of park and recreation facilities
and areas.
B. Acquisition of lands for park and recreation purposes,
including coordination with other Town boards, agencies and officials.
C. Such recommendations as, in the opinion of the Board,
will improve the effectiveness of the parks and recreation programs
or facilities, including annual budgetary recommendations.
D. Such other duties as may be assigned by the Director
of Parks and Recreation, Supervisor and/or Town Board.
Lost articles or money which is found in Town
parks and recreation areas shall be turned over to the park personnel
or the Town police. A record will be kept of the receipt and disposition
of such articles. If the lawful owner of any article or money does
not claim the same, said property shall be disposed of in accordance
with the Abandoned Property Law of the State of New York.
Equipment and facilities designed for obvious and common usage shall be put to such commonly intended use and none other. Benches are for sitting and resting, tables are for eating or game playing, tennis courts for tennis, golf courses for golf, etc. Nonintended uses are prohibited if they may occasion damage or excessive wear or inhibit others from using the facility as intended. Violation of this rule constitutes a Class 1 violation as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
II.
The parks and park facilities shall be available for use, transit and convenience of the public from dawn to dusk unless otherwise extended by posting. Remaining in the park or any facility after dusk, or after the posted hours, shall constitute a Class 3 violation as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
II.
Picnicking without fire may be done in any area not otherwise prohibited where it will not interfere with other recreational activities. Violation of this rule constitutes a Class 1 violation as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
II.
Golfing, golf practice and the hitting or driving of golf balls are prohibited in all parks other than the Town golf course. Violation of this rule constitutes a Class 1 violation as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
II.
No team games or any kind of organized athletics is permitted except in areas provided for the same. Violation of this rule constitutes a Class 1 violation as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
II.
[Amended 1-9-1985 by L.L. No. 1-1985]
A. No person shall do any of the following within a park:
discharge household refuse in litter receptacles; leave glass, cans
or broken crockery or any material with sharp projections in any place
where it creates a danger to others; discharge litter, garbage, glass,
cans, oil, dye, chemicals or other objects or substances into park
lakes or waters; or do any other act which would endanger or disturb
the animal life therein except by fishing where fishing is authorized.
B. Violation of Subsection
A shall constitute a Class 3 violation as set forth in Chapter
1, Article
II.