Members of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors expressed their frustration and concerns with a recommendation the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee made during their meeting October 24th, with regard to proposed changes to the City’s Code of Ordinances that would affect the Board’s Powers and Duties. The first reading of the Ordinance will take place during the Atlantic City Council meeting Wednesday evening.

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board (11-18-19)

Most of the Board members were particularly annoyed by having read about the proposal in the local paper and/or hearing about it on KJAN, instead of being notified directly. City Administrator John Lund said had spoken about the matter with Parks & Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen and intended to talk with the Board and considered sending out an e-mail. He admitted would have been considered dismissive or disrespectful, but in retrospect, “Maybe that would have been helpful.”

Lund said there are some aspects of the Board that will change, while other aspects would not change, such as the Board being elected, as opposed to be appointed. He explained what responsibilities would be shifted to the City Council. They include bills and Human Resources matters, which will be shifted to the City Administrator’s Office.

Lund said the changes were based off of what West Des Moines is doing. That City has a Parks and Rec Advisory Board. Lund said he “Always looks to West Des Moines as a role model for the best practices for government management.” In response, Parks Board member and former Atlantic Mayor John Krogman asked Lund, “What’s driving all this?” He said “The City may have the right to do this, but I just don’t think it’s right. This is an elected Board, and it’s elected for a reason.

Parks member Jolene Smith felt the same way. Board Chair Stuart Dusenberry said it would have been nice to have received a “heads-up” on the matter.Instead, he said, he was essentially blind-sided by the proposal. Dusenberry said he is not in favor of making the change. Smith said she too first heard about it Monday afternoon. She questioned why even have a Board if the City is going to take away their financial and human resources oversight.

Newly elected Board member Ashley Hayes said as a former Councilperson, she had concerns when she sat on the Council, about the Parks & Rec Board’s oversight. She said on the flip-side of coin, she understands where there would be conflicting views. The only possible solution, she said, would be to discuss some HR roles as far as the Board’s concerned. She asked Lund if West Des Moines’ Parks Advisory Board was elected. He said he wasn’t sure.