"The Darke County Park District is governed by three park commissioners appointed by the probate judge. The Park District was formed in 1972. Park commissioners are volunteers and serve staggered three-year terms.”
Park Districts are created under the Ohio Revised Code, Section 1545, and are considered political subdivisions under the State of Ohio. Board meetings are held at the Shawnee Prairie Preserve Nature Center and Park Offices, 4267 OH-502 west, Greenville, Ohio, 45331, on the third Thursday of each month at 4:00 pm.
The Darke County Park District is governed by three park commissioners appointed by the probate judge. The Park District was formed in 1972. Park commissioners are volunteers and serve staggered three-year terms.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, park commissioners may “Acquire land for conversion into forest reserves and for the conservation of the natural resources of the state, including streams, lakes, submerged lands, and swamplands, and to those ends may create parks, parkways, forest reservations, and other reservations and afforest, develop, improve, protect, and promote the use of the same in such manner as the board deems conducive to the general welfare.”
The Park Commissioners have established monthly meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 4:00pm at the Shawnee Prairie Preserve Nature Center and Park Offices in Greenville. The public is welcome to attend. If you have questions, need special accommodations, or require more information, please email info@darkecountyparks.org or call (937) 548-0165.
*** For Notices of Park Board Meetings, both regularly scheduled and special, please visit this link: http://www.darkecountyparks.org/news ***
GUIDELINES FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN DARKE COUNTY PARK DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS
These Guidelines apply to regular and special meetings of the Park Commission - The President of the Park Board shall enforce them.
1. Commission work sessions (informal meetings) are primarily for the purpose of staff members or others briefing the Park Commission on matters upon which the Park Commission may later act. Comments will not be taken from the audience, unless the Park Commission suspends this guideline for a particular topic, as provided in guideline #11 below. When comments are allowed, they shall be limited to one comment per person, not exceeding 3 minutes per work session.
2. Citizens may be permitted to speak to any matters on the agenda. The President shall permit comments on matters on the agenda not scheduled to be voted upon at that meeting. Each Citizen may comment on no more than three agenda items at any one meeting. Each Citizen is limited to a total of three minutes of speaking time on all matters on the agenda.
3. Comments on matters not on the agenda may be permitted after all matters on the agenda have been completed. Non-agenda comments may not exceed three minutes. Topics should be limited to matters upon which the Park Commission has authority to act.
4. Citizens are asked to speak at the podium and give their names and addresses for the record. Citizens who indicate a desire to speak on the sign-in sheet in advance will be recognized first.
5. Citizens are expected to address the Commission in a courteous and respectful manner.
6. Citizens should make their comments as brief as possible. When a Citizen has consumed two and one-half minutes, the Citizen will be advised that thirty seconds remain. At the three-minute mark, the President shall direct the Citizen to stop. Citizens who fail to comply with the President’s direction are subject to removal from the meeting.
7. Citizens must recognize the role of the President as presiding officer. Citizens are to address their comments to the Park Commission through the President. Comments should not be directed at other citizens. Rude, vulgar, offensive, disrespectful or disparaging comments will not be permitted.
8. Citizens will not be allowed to speak to the same matter more than once at the same meeting.
The President will not recognize requests from citizens to poll the Park Commission prior to the time when an official vote will be taken. Citizens shall not ask for a show of hands or other expressions of support or opposition from those in attendance. Signs and banners are not permitted.
9. When citizens raise questions or complaints that can be dealt with best by staff members or are not scheduled for immediate action, arrangements will be made for discussion outside of Commission meetings.
10. Citizens can return to a later meeting of the Park Commission to speak to the subject if they are not satisfied with the response received.
11. The President may interpret these guidelines in order to best achieve the balance necessary between participation and responsibility. A majority of the Park Commissioners present must vote to suspend or waive these guidelines.
Current Park Board of Commissioners
Mike Henderson - President
Scott McAlpine - Vice-President
Tina White - Commissioner-at-Large
All photography provided and copyrighted by
Robb Clifford, Darke County Parks' Staff and/or Volunteers