WHEREAS, On June 19, 2008, Council adopted Resolution No. 080181 proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter (“the Charter Amendment”); and
WHEREAS, On November 4, 2008, the voters of Philadelphia approved the Charter Amendment; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Charter Amendment, effective July 1, 2009, a new unified Department of Parks and Recreation will be established; the Fairmount Park Commission will cease to exist; and a Commission on Parks and Recreation will be created, with new and substantial responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, The new Commission will be composed of 15 members: nine appointed by the Mayor from a list of nominations submitted by Council; and six ex officio members (the Commissioners of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Water, Streets, and Public Property; the Council President; and the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission); and
WHEREAS, The Charter Amendment requires that, no later than February 1, 2009, the Council President “shall, by public notice, solicit applicants to serve on the Commission”; that “[t]he application period shall be open for no less than thirty days, after which the Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed nominations”; and that “[n]o later than ninety days after the close of applications, the Council, by resolution, shall forward to the Mayor no fewer than 18 and no more than 25 nominations”; and
WHEREAS, The Council’s standing Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (“the Committee”) is authorized by the Rules of Council to consider all matters pertaining to the Department of Recreation and Fairmount Park; and
WHEREAS, It is intended by this Resolution to delegate to the Committee Council’s duty under the Charter Amendment to “hold a public hearing on the proposed nominations,” while preserving to Council the final responsibility for determining the list of nominees submitted to the Mayor; now, therefore,
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,
THAT Council’s Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (“The Committee”) is hereby authorized to hold the public hearing required by the Charter Amendment contained in Resolution No. 080181 (adopted June 19, 2008).
RESOLVED FURTHER THAT The Committee shall, no later than 60 days after the close of applications, submit a report to Council setting forth the Committee’s recommended list of nominations for submission to the Mayor.
End