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Alders committee reconstitutes parks commission, confirms new members
Summary
Committee chair said the city abolished the old Parks Commission and reestablished a new Commission on Parks, Programs and Recreational Facilities under a February 2023 charter change; the committee confirmed several nominees to the new commission.
Alder Porras Santana, chair of the Committee on Appointments, told the panel that the city’s Parks Commission had been reconstituted under a charter change and that the committee was confirming appointments to the new Commission on Parks, Programs and Recreational Facilities.
“The old parks commission has been demolished, and a new one has been reestablished based on the order of the charter that was done in 02/2023,” Porras Santana said during the meeting. She explained that the new commission replaces the prior board and that, following confirmation, the prior body’s powers and duties would be terminated as provided by the charter reorganization.
The committee considered and approved several nominees who spoke about priorities for neighborhood parks, safety, water access, and programmatic outreach. Nominees emphasized maintenance and safety (removing broken glass and improving cleanliness), reliable water access for plantings and splash pads, and greater outreach to families and immigrant communities who use local parks. Several nominees cited partnerships with the Urban Resources Initiative (URI) and local friends-of-park groups as existing resources for tree planting, maintenance and programming.
Nominees confirmed to the parks commission included Kenya Adams Martin (Cedar Hill neighborhood advocate), Harvey Feinberg (incumbent parks commissioner), Mary Anne Moran (Fair Haven community organizer and community-gardens coordinator) and Emily Sigman (forestry researcher and incumbent parks commissioner). Committee members highlighted nominees’ neighborhood experience and the parks department’s new director as reasons to accelerate neighborhood-focused projects.
Discussion vs. decision: Committee questioning focused on each nominee’s attendance commitment, neighborhood priorities and specific small capital needs such as water hookups for community plantings. Formal committee votes approved the nominees; the committee chair and staff will notify nominees and the parks department to coordinate next steps.
What matters: Reconstituting the parks commission and filling its seats restores an advisory body that can act under the city charter to advise on parkland acquisition, recreational facilities and program priorities across New Haven’s 133 parks. Nominees said their immediate priorities are safety, cleanliness and improved community outreach.
