[HISTORY: Adopted by the City of Norwalk Common Council as indicated in article histories.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks and recreation — See Ch. 74.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Ch. 73, Parking Commission, adopted 6-14-1977, was repealed 6-12-1979 by an ordinance establishing a Department of Traffic and Parking. Said ordinance was subsequently repealed 5-10-1988.
[Adopted 2-25-1997; amended in its entirety 4-25-2023]
A. 
There is hereby created, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 7-130a through 7-130w of the Connecticut General Statutes, an authority known as the "Oak Hills Park Authority," with a principal office located at Oak Hills Park, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, operating, maintaining and managing the Oak Hills Park, including the golf course, tennis courts and related recreational facilities currently located therein and any related project or projects as defined in such enabling acts and as further defined herein.
B. 
The Oak Hills Park Authority is created for the purposes stated in Section 7-130a(d) as they relate specifically to public golf courses, including restaurants and driving range and the maintenance and protection of the Oak Hills Park. Nothing herein shall preclude the Authority from providing for other forms of public recreation listed in such Subsection (d) on any land which may be acquired for the primary purpose of golf, and the Authority shall seek to maximize the recreation and park use of Oak Hills Park.
A. 
The powers of the Oak Hills Park Authority shall be exercised by an Authority consisting of nine members. Eight members shall be electors of the City of Norwalk, who shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council. The ninth member shall be the Director of Recreation and Parks for the City of Norwalk, or their designee. Except for the Director of Recreation and Parks, who shall be a permanent member, members shall be appointed to serve for terms of three years or until their successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy shall be filled by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council for the unexpired portion of the term of the member whose place shall become vacant. No member, other than the Director of Recreation and Parks, shall serve more than two consecutive terms, and, after serving on the Authority for two consecutive terms, no member shall be reappointed to the Authority for at least two years.
B. 
The Common Council shall have the power to remove a member of the Authority for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, after an investigation, notice and public hearing.
C. 
No member of the Authority shall receive any preferences, benefits or compensation, including preferences for golf or other recreational activities, from the Authority or any person or entity contracting with the Authority.
D. 
No action of the Authority shall be lawful and binding unless approved by not less than five members of the Authority.
E. 
The names, addresses and terms of office of the first members of the Authority shall be as follows:[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said names, addresses and terms of office are on file in the office of the City Clerk.
A. 
A. The Oak Hills Park Authority shall organize and operate in conformity with the provisions of Section 7-130a of the Connecticut General Statutes.
B. 
B. The Authority shall perform such duties and have such powers and privileges as are or may be imposed by such statutes and shall encompass all powers as set forth in Section 7-130d of the Connecticut General Statutes.
The Oak Hills Park Authority shall file a written report of its doings, its income and expenditures monthly, on or about the 15th of the month, with the Mayor, Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Common Council. The Authority shall provide for an annual independent audit and shall provide a copy of said audit to the Mayor, Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Common Council. The Authority shall be subject to and shall comply with all of the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Section 1-200 et seq. of the Connecticut General Statutes.
A. 
A. The Authority shall annually elect one of its members as Chairman and shall elect one of its members as Vice Chairman. The Authority may also appoint an Executive Director (who shall not be a member of the Authority), who shall serve at the pleasure of the Authority and have such duties and receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the Authority. The Executive Director shall be professionally qualified to carry out the purposes enumerated in § 73-1.
B. 
B. The Authority or its Executive Director, as authorized by the Authority, shall have the sole right to employ, direct and control such persons as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the Authority. The selection, appointment, assignment of duties, amount of compensation, termination of service, status and other terms and conditions of employment of its employees shall be under the sole jurisdiction of the Authority or the Executive Director, as authorized by the Authority.
A. 
In its capacity as a tenant of the park on or before the first day of January in each year, the Authority shall submit its proposed annual budget to the Mayor, Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Common Council.
B. 
The Authority shall adopt an annual budget on or before the first day of June in each year for the ensuing fiscal year commencing July 1.
A. 
No member of the Oak Hills Park Authority or any immediate family member thereof shall apply for or accept employment at the Oak Hills Park or any of the facilities or operations located at the Oak Hills Park, including, but not limited to, the driving range, tennis courts and restaurant. This restriction shall apply during the time that said member is serving on the Authority and for a period of two years after the member ceases to be a member of the Authority.
B. 
No immediate family member of the Executive Director shall accept employment or contract with the Oak Hills Park Authority or any facilities or operations located at the park, including, but not limited to, any retail (pro) shop, restaurant, the driving range, golf or tennis lessons or golf carts.
C. 
For the purposes of this section, the term "immediate family" shall be defined as including spouses, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers and in-laws thereof.
D. 
The Executive Director may, at the discretion of the Authority, be the golf professional.
E. 
The Authority shall have the right to grant to the golf professional such control over any retail (pro) shop as it deems appropriate and may grant the golf professional the right to provide golf lessons at Oak Hills Park on such terms as it deems appropriate. Except for such arrangements with the golf professional for a retail (pro) shop and/or lessons the Authority shall not permit the golf professional to provide any other services or equipment at Oak Hills Park.
A. 
The Authority shall create no rules or regulations which will mandate, coerce or require golfers to rent golf carts in order to play golf at the Oak Hills Park. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on or after October 31, 2000, the Authority may mandate the use of golf carts for tournament play.
B. 
The golf course shall not be closed for public use because of tournament play for more than 50 days, or any part thereof, per year.
C. 
The Authority shall not discriminate among golfers based on their playing ability.
D. 
No free or discounted rounds of golf shall be allowed except for rounds charged at $2 per round for all Authority employees. The rounds for employees are only allowed on weekdays, excluding holidays. Golf professionals and superintendents who are members of a professional golf organization may be allowed to play at no charge. The Executive Director of the Authority shall be allowed to play free of charge. The members and coaches of the golf program at the Norwalk high schools and their opponents from visiting schools are not covered by this section. They may conduct organized practices and hold their matches at Oak Hills Golf Course free of charge. Everyone playing under the above-referenced exceptions must be registered by name. The information shall be certified by the Authority's Chairman and included in the Authority's Annual Report.
A. 
The Authority is authorized to enter into a lease agreement with the City of Norwalk. The Common Council may charge the Authority such annual rent for the use of the Oak Hills Park as the Council may set in said lease.
B. 
Any and all contracts entered into by the Authority shall be subordinate to the lease between the Authority and the City.
C. 
The Authority shall take custody of and take control over the Oak Hills Park on the date specified and under the terms provided in the lease.
Before any fee schedule for the use of any facilities at the Oak Hills Park is enacted or modified, the Authority shall hold a public hearing in the City of Norwalk. The Authority shall provide legal notice of such public hearing not more than 14 and not fewer than seven days prior to the hearing.
The definitions in Section 7-130a, Connecticut General Statutes, shall, so far as applicable, govern the construction of the provisions of § 73-1 through 73-7 of this article.