There shall be a Department of Parks and Community Services, the head of which shall be the Director. The Director shall also supervise and be responsible for all Divisions and Offices within the Department. There shall be a Deputy Director who shall, during the absence or disability of the Director, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of the Director.
[Amended 12-21-2021 by Ord. No. 803-12-2021]
Within the Department there shall be a Division of Parks, the head of which shall be a Division Chief. Under the direction and supervision of the Director, the Division shall:
A.
Acquire, maintain, operate and develop, within the limits of available appropriations, public parks, playgrounds and recreation places within the County, including any such parks as may be voluntarily transferred from municipal control to the County and accepted by resolution of the Board of County Commissioners.
B.
Preserve, care for, lay out, construct, maintain and improve any parks or places singly or jointly with any municipality or other public body.
C.
Lay out, construct, maintain and improve sidewalks, roadways, boulevards, service ways, bridle paths, bike paths, footpaths, nature walks or other ways within any County park, playground or other places of public recreation.
D.
Construct, reconstruct, alter, provide, renew and maintain park recreation buildings or other structures and grounds.
E.
Provide for the care, cultivation, planting and replanting of trees, shrubs, flowers and lawns on County property; for the trimming of trees in the County parks, parkways and public greens; and may, upon any public street, exercise and discharge the functions, powers and duties of a County Shade Tree Commission as provided by law.
Within the Division of Parks there shall be an Office of Recreation. Under the direction and supervision of the Division Chief, the Office of Recreation shall:
A.
Develop and administer programs to facilitate public use and enjoyment of County parks, playgrounds and places of recreation;
B.
Operate and maintain County golf courses, tennis courts, boating facilities and other playing fields and facilities for other sports and recreation;
C.
Coordinate the use of the County parks with other public and private recreation recreational facilities within the County; and
D.
Establish and administer schedules of events at the facilities for which the Division is responsible.
The Division of Parks subject to procedures established by ordinance and/or prescribed by law, may lease or license to the highest responsible bidder, upon open competitive bids, parklands or concessions thereon to produce revenues from facilities required for or incidental to the operation of such public parks, playgrounds or recreational places. The period of any such leases shall be pursuant to time periods subscribed by state law.
The Division of Parks may charge and collect for the use of the County a reasonable fee for admission to or use of designated facilities, programs or activities provided under this article only as specifically authorized by resolution of the Board. All such fees shall be paid over to the County Treasurer for the general use of the County.