Depoe Bay parks commissioners begin bylaws review, appoint interim vice president

Depoe Bay Parks & Recreation Committee members opened a wide-ranging discussion Sept. 17 about their governing rules, outreach duties and internal leadership, and named an interim vice president to serve through January.

Committee members said the document labeled as the commission’s bylaws appears in city code as an ordinance (exhibit A) and that some provisions are not being followed or widely known. “Our purpose is to enhance the quality of life of Depoe Bay… and I would love to see us really focus and move in that direction,” one commissioner said, urging members to read the full ordinance and come to the next meeting with one to three program ideas.

The commission discussed specific housekeeping items in the ordinance — attendance expectations, the annual appointment of a president and the absence protocol — and agreed to revisit items they want to amend. “If there is something we want to change, we make a recommendation and then it goes through the process,” a staff member explained, noting ordinance changes require council review and formal action.

On leadership, members agreed to name an interim vice president for the remainder of 2025; after nominations the committee declared that Zoe would serve as vice president pro tem until the next annual appointment in January. The meeting record does not show a formal roll-call vote; members confirmed consent in the session.

Commissioners also raised outreach and procedural concerns tied to the ordinance language: whether the commission should be consulted about park fees and community-program charges, and how the commission should be invited into budget and project conversations. One commissioner noted the commission was not consulted before recent fee increases for the community hall, saying, “We were never consulted on that.” Staff responded that the commission may make recommendations but final authority for fees rests with the city council.

The committee asked members to read the full parks ordinance and to bring proposals for organizational changes and community programs to the October meeting. Staff agreed to clarify the amendment process, correct a typographical citation in the ordinance materials, and include a calendar item for the January meeting to conduct the annual leadership appointments if the commission wishes to follow the ordinance schedule.

Members described this meeting as a starting point for clearer, regular input into budget and program decisions and for better public outreach going forward.