At a Jan. 2 Board of Mayor and Aldermen workshop, members reviewed two draft ordinances that would change parks and recreation user fees and considered proposals to consolidate advisory committees handling Greenway projects.

One agenda item under consideration (first reading, ordinance 2024-17) would amend the city’s parks-and-recreation fee schedule to allow qualifying nonprofit organizations that “benefit and serve the citizens of La Verne” limited free use of the city’s multipurpose building. A related item (ordinance 2024-18) would update pavilion fees and other parks charges.

City staff described the draft policy and how it would work. Evan, a staff attorney, said the mayor asked staff to draft a policy “to make it possible to have a policy where non profit organizations that…benefit and serve the citizens of La Verne have an opportunity to use that building for no charge.” Staff told the board the draft limits each nonprofit to four free uses per year and that scheduling would continue to be handled through the Parks and Recreation office.

Questions from board members focused on verification and eligibility. Evan said nonprofits must submit paperwork showing current nonprofit status “pursuant to the IRS” and that staff (David’s team) would verify the documentation. Aboard member asked whether the policy would be limited to groups that “directly benefit the city,” and staff replied that qualifying organizations must serve the city’s citizens and promote the city.

Separately, members debated removing the Greenway Advisory Committee from municipal code and folding its responsibilities into the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee or aligning it with the Beautification/Arts committee. Alderman Hobbs argued against eliminating the Greenway committee, saying, “I think it would be a disservice to eliminate the Greenway Advisory Committee…this project needs a little bit more individual attention.” Other members said much of the Greenway work is already handled by parks staff and city engineering and suggested quarterly joint meetings or combining Greenway work with Beautification.

David, a staff member assigned to parks and engineering coordination, told the board combining the Greenway and Beautification committees “doesn’t…seem like a bad idea” and noted that staff involvement and external approvals (state agencies, TDEC, Corps of Engineers) will continue regardless of committee structure. The board discussed delaying any final vote so members can see how a consolidation might function in practice; one member suggested a trial period of quarterly meetings.

Several related ordinances were on the agenda: second reading of ordinance 2024-19 (deleting the Economic Development Advisory Committee) and first readings of ordinance 2024-20 (amending duties of Parks and Recreation advisory committee and deleting Greenway advisory code) and ordinance 2024-21 (library board powers and deleting Historical Preservation Advisory Committee). The board did not take final votes at the workshop; the mayor said the cleanest path would be to vote at the next regular meeting, and staff was asked to place consolidation options on that agenda.