EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION OF A PARK DEPARTMENT 515 



Raising and Using Funds. 



The r6le of a park governing authority in raising and using funds is 

 considered at length in Chapter VII, "Park Financing," pages 471-506. 



A park governing authority can, perhaps, more easily win or lose 

 public confidence through the way in which it handles the money entrusted 

 to its care than through any other means. To handle it wisely requires a 

 discriminating conception and understanding of the needs of the people. 

 It also requires business acumen in keeping a proper balance between 

 improvement projects and income for operation and maintenance. It may 

 sometimes happen that a governing authority may act in the use of funds 

 on a line of action that does not happen to meet with public approval, 

 yet in the long run may represent a wiser policy than one which the people 

 might immediately approve. In such a case the authority can only have 

 the courage of conviction and take the consequences. On the whole, how- 

 ever, if there is unmistakable evidence of a widespread public demand for 

 a certain line of action, a governing authority cannot go far wrong to give 

 heed to it in the application of funds. It is a major responsibility of the 

 authority, as a governing authority, to seek out, analyze and weigh the 

 public needs and the public demands. 



The Governing Authority in the Role of a Legislature. 



In its legislative capacity a park governing authority assumes the 

 position of a ruler over its rulers. In this capacity it lays down rules and 

 regulations for use, by the people, of the properties under its control. These 

 rules and regulations are intended more as guides to the people, but they 

 nevertheless have all the force of laws and may be enforced in any court 

 of law of competent jurisdiction. This function of a park governing authority 

 is discussed in detail in Chapter XIV, "Park Policing," pages 747-791. 



Accounting to the Public. 



The best accounting that a park governing authority can give the 

 people is in the volume and quality of the services which it renders. But 

 unfortunately it is very difficult for the average citizen who uses one golf 

 course, or a tennis court, or who frequents one swimming center, or whose 

 children use one playground, to get a comprehensive and composite picture 

 of the volume or the quality of the services rendered by the department 

 for the community as a whole. There are in every community, also, many 

 who never come under the influences of any of the services rendered. One 

 of the outstanding weaknesses in park government throughout the country is 

 the failure of the governing authorities to provide for a method of general 

 education of the public except when a bond issue or an increased appro- 

 priation is desired. Most park authorities content themselves with making 



