Parks and Recreation Commission

9 Members - 3 Year Terms

DUTIES :

The Parks and Recreation Commission studies, reviews, evaluates and makes recommendations to the City Council, the City Manager and other department heads regarding existing and/or proposed parks, recreation and community services, facilities and programs, their use and operation, the extent and nature of services to be rendered to the public, and the financing, operations and services of such facilities. The Commission makes studies and submits to the City Council reports or recommendations as the City Council may from time to time require or request.

RELATIONSHIPS:

The City Council is the final decision-making body. The Commission acts in an advisory capacity on all matters referred to it by the Council. In addition, the Commission acts as a conduit for community input to both the Council and the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Members should have an awareness and sensitivity to community needs, and any background in recreation or leisure studies, planning or landscape architecture would be helpful. Commission members must live in San Jose.

MEETINGS:

The Parks and Recreation Commission meets once a month: on the 1 st Wednesday of the month at 5:00 P.M., the location varies - check with staff. Commissioners spend 4-6 hours each month preparing for and attending the regular meeting. In addition, Commissioners spend 2-15 hours a month on activities such as attending community, City Council and Staff meetings, evaluating the physical location and condition of parks facilities, and acquiring additional resource information.

BENEFITS:

There is no compensation for Parks and Recreation Commissioners. However, from time to time, Commissioners may be reimbursed for some expenses incurred on City business.

POLITICAL REFORM ACT OF 1974 AS AMENDED:

The Conflicts of Interest section of the Political Reform Act applies to the Parks and Recreation Commission; however, Commission Members are not required to file a Statement of Economic Interests.

APPOINTMENT PROCESS :

All applications received are submitted to the Project Diversity Screening Committee for review according to the needs of the Commission as specified in a Needs Assessment Memo. Applications will be forwarded to the City Attorney for a Conflict of Interest review and thereafter, the applicants will be asked to appear before the Screening Committee Members for an interview. Following interviews, the Screening Committee will develop a list of applicants which will be submitted to the Council Member Liaison to the Commission. The Liaison will forward the list to the Rules Committee of Council either with or without a supplemental recommendation. The City Council makes the final appointment to the Commission based on Rules Committee recommendations.

ATTENDANCE :

Commissioners are expected to attend all Commission meetings. San Jose Municipal Code Section 2.08.060 specifies that a Commissioner who has unexcused absences from any three consecutive regular meetings, or 20% of the meetings in a calendar year, is deemed to have resigned from the Commission.

For further information about the Commission, please contact the Commission Staff at 408-535-3570.