I would like to address the issues hindering the progress of the Danville Boyle County Parks and Recreation Department.

The current Danville Boyle County Parks and Rec Board consists of a CPA, a former executive vice president of a bank, the director of the Wellness Center, a realtor, and an assistant operations manager, with a background in human resources. We are volunteers very much capable of hiring and overseeing a strong director who can work with the board, the staff, and community leaders to manage a million-dollar budget or any amount for that matter.  We are no more “lay” people, as suggested in recent meetings, than those that serve on our local city commission and our local county fiscal court. We bring a diverse assembly of professionals appointed by both the city and county who are more than capable of organizing and meeting the goals set forth in the park’s master plan.

With this said, the major park we oversee, Millennium Park, is owned jointly by the city and county and funded by both city and county taxpayers. Therefore, it baffles me why either of these governmental bodies should have proprietary and solitary reign over the decisions made to continue and improve the system.

I would expect that each of the elected officials that make decisions for their constituents would understand that because neither governmental body “owns” the parks system, the taxpayers do, the most ethical form of parks management is to operate as intended through the original ordinance that established the current standard of board management. Anyone truly vested in the best interest of the people of this community and the parks system, would end these unnecessary debates and negotiations so this “COMMUNITY” can move forward using the current and most practical form of management.

As a tax paying citizen, I am asking that both the city and county fulfill their obligation to appoint a member from our community to fill the vacancies on the board so that it can move forward in the process of hiring a director. You owe it not only to the citizens, but to the commendable employees that have been managing without a director since August. It is an injustice and has in my opinion been stalled due to nothing more than politics.

Jo Marie Lammy

Danville/Boyle County Parks and Recreation Board Member

Danville