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Panama City commissioners direct staff to launch 12-month parks advisory committee and narrow eligibility
Summary
Commissioners asked staff to proceed with a citizen advisory committee for parks that would operate for 12 months, require members to be city residents and remove the proposed professional-experience prerequisite. The committee will focus on designating "premier" parks and recommending consolidation or functional realignment.
Panama City commissioners directed staff to form a citizen advisory committee for the Parks, Culture and Recreation Department with a 12-month scope, and to return a budget estimate and implementation plan. The commission asked that membership be limited to city residents and instructed staff to remove a proposed requirement that nominees show professional experience in real estate, land development, parks maintenance, facility or property management.
Staff said the committee would be charged with evaluating community preferences, conducting surveys and charrettes, and reporting recommendations to the commission. The committee's work was presented to the commission as a six-month framework; commissioners and staff agreed in-session to extend the timeframe to 12 months so recommendations could align with the city's budget cycle and allow sufficient public outreach.
Commissioner Street and others said they expected each commissioner to nominate one candidate and for the commission to vote on appointments. Staff said the director of Parks, Culture and Recreation would serve as staff liaison and that legal would flag parks that carry deed restrictions preventing sale or disposal. Commissioners emphasized the committee's role as advisory: final decisions on park closures, repurposing or capital spending remain with the commission.
What commissioners want from the committee
- A community-driven assessment that identifies "premier" parks in each ward where funding and amenities should be prioritized. - Public outreach including surveys and town-hall style charrettes held in neighborhoods near affected parks. - An analysis of costs and a recommended implementation schedule timed to the city's budget cycle.
Staff follow-up and timeline
City staff said they will prepare a budget estimate and a draft charter for commission review, bring nominations for membership in May or June so the group can begin work by July 1 (or a similar summer start), and return final recommendations within 12 months. Staff also noted that certain parks may be deed-restricted and therefore not eligible for sale or divestment; the committee will be asked to propose alternative uses in those cases.
No formal vote was required to give direction; commissioners agreed on the changes by discussion and informal consensus during the meeting.
