A revival of the Pierce County Recreation Board is still in the works, but commissioners took no official action on the matter at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
Commissioners were presented with an ordinance creating the recreation board and giving an effective date for it.
County attorney Franklin Rozier Jr. was to review the proposal and report back to commissioners.
The initial plan calls for six members, but commissioners said they need either five or seven to eliminate the possibility of a tie.
Commissioners agreed to have a called meeting in coming weeks to finalize plans for the newly revived recreation board.
Third district commissioner Randy Dixon said he wants to proceed as soon as possible.
The commission agreed to resurrect the board at its August meeting after local attorney Johnny Thigpen Jr. requested it be done.
Thipgen especially stressed the need for an advisory board — to include parents of children participating in the recreation department’s programs. He asked that the board answer directly to the county commission and bypass County Manager Jason Rubenbauer.
Thigpen said the committee should have a leading role in the hiring of a new director.
Rubenbauer has hired the last three recreation directors. The longest tenure among them has been the most recent director, Will Watson. Watson resigned citing the need to take care of his ailing father. The county is currently seeking applicants for a new director of the department, but the position has still not been filled.
Commissioners abolished the recreation board in 2011 after Blackshear withdrew from a jointly operated recreation department.
The recreation board at that time had the right to hire and fire and make binding personnel, operation and regulation decisions.
Even then, the board went through a succession of short-termed recreation directors and held hours long meetings, including many featuring long closed sessions.
