The City Council is actively recruiting for residents to join the Community Services Commission. A lengthy discussion occurred during Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting about the struggles of maintaining commissioners and methods to improve the appointment process. The one issue for this commission in particular, however, is easy to understand when you read the commission’s duties…

1. Develop plans and recommendations for parks, playgrounds, recreational facilities and use of community buildings and advise the City Council with respect thereto.
2. Render assistance and support in the development and evaluation of recreational programs, the Cultural Festival, youth and senior services and other community service related activities.
3. Render assistance and support to community organizations such as cultural organizations, service organizations, etc. in the delivery of their programs and services within the community.
4. In cooperation with the Recreation and Community Services staff, make recommendations to the City Council with respect to priorities for recreation services expenditures in the City’s capital improvements program.
5. Review and comment on the annual operating and capital improvements budgets for the Recreation and Community Services Programs.
6. Render advice and assistance to the City Council with respect to human service needs such as childcare, youth summer employment and other related activities.
7. Review and make recommendations with respect to fees for the use of parks, playgrounds, recreational facilities and community buildings.
8. Such other duties relating to recreation activities and community human service needs as may be directed by the City Council.

Boring.

One seemingly (and apparently painless) quick-fix to this issue is to reduce the number of commissioners from seven to five (or even three). That makes sense, right? Why are there seven commissioners anyway? Seems like overkill.