5H PARKS 



Meetings and Record of Proceedings. 



It is in the regular and special meetings where the park board plays 

 its major formal role as a governing authority. Here all proposals arising 

 from any and every source are formally considered and formally acted 

 upon. Regularity as to time and permanency in place of meeting is of the 

 highest importance both in relation to the efficient administration of the 

 business of the department and in relation to the convenience of the public. 

 A meeting every two weeks appears to be sufficient for handling all the 

 administrative business of the average park department. 



Special meetings may be necessary frcm time to time fcr the con- 

 sideration of matters needing immediate attention, but since the use of 

 special meetings is liable to great abuses it is desirable that they be used 

 sparingly and then only under strict rules as to timely notification of mem- 

 bers, place and time of meeting and a statement of the subject matter to 

 be discussed. 



While it may be necessary, from time to time, to consider certain pro- 

 posals in executive session, such as the specific locations of properties in 

 a general plan, or subjects involving a marked change in policies, this 

 practice should be followed only when it unquestionably appears that the 

 public interest will thus be better served. Few practices are so likely to 

 arouse public suspicion and distrust, resulting in the loss of public confi- 

 dence, than that of holding executive sessions. Park governing authorities 

 should always bear in mind that they are merely servants of the people 

 and that all matters relating to this service for the people should be con- 

 sidered openly except in those rare instances where, in the judgment of 

 the governing authorities, the interests of their masters can be better served 

 in temporary secrecy. 



The minutes or various recorded actions upon all proposals considered 

 and acted upon by the governing authority constitute, next to the organic 

 law under which it operates, the most important document or series of 

 documents in the possession of the department. These are not only an his- 

 torical record of the acts and doings of the governing authority but also a 

 reservoir of reference in case of any controversies that may thereafter arise, 

 and a constant declaration of policies and plans. It is extremely important 

 that these minutes or records be kept with great care as to accuracy and 

 usableness. They should be maintained, either in written or printed form, 

 in bound volumes, each volume being subjectively and alphabetically 

 indexed. A subjective, cross reference, card index file of these records 

 should be maintained so that any action of the governing authority on 

 any subject whatever, no matter how many years back, can readily be 

 found. 



