The Cortez Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department decided on Friday to begin the search for a new board member.
During the department’s morning meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Dean Palmquist said it was time to find a replacement for board member Brad Waltman, who, he said, hasn’t attended a meeting since early 2015. The board also has another position that has been vacant for several months, so they agreed to start seeking two new members.
Other topics of discussion during the meeting included early results from the community survey on tobacco-free zones and plans for the Arbor Day celebration on April 27.
“(Ask people to) send in a letter of interest, or attend a meeting,” Palmquist told his fellow board members. “It’s helpful to check out a meeting, just to see what this group’s about.”
According to its website, the Parks and Recreation board is supposed to have nine members appointed by the Cortez City Council, in addition to the department’s director and a member of the city council, currently filled by Bob Archibeque. Right now the board has seven people who regularly attend, including two youth members and Dan Wood, who also hasn’t attended a meeting for a while due to health issues, according to Palmquist.
Board member Tom Rennick suggested they visit classes at the Recreation Center, such as the Silver Sneakers senior group, to recruit new members. At the suggestion of chairman Paul Adams, the board also voted to reach out to Waltman and see if he’d be willing to return to his position.
Palmquist also said he plans to ask the city for permission to hire a part-time fitness instructor at the Recreation Center.
In the week since the department put up a community survey on potential tobacco-free zones near city buildings, Palmquist reported he had seen 134 responses from county residents. He hopes to hear from at least 500 different people before the survey ends.
The board also voted to move its planned Arbor Day celebration from April 26 to Thursday, April 27, in order to accommodate the schedule of participating elementary schools. The theme this year will be “celebrating trees in our community,” which will be reflected in the annual elementary school poster contest.