There’s an outdated saying that claims, “Larger just isn’t at all times higher.”
We consider this adage holds true when it comes the present measurement of the Madison Joint Recreation District Board.
A current Information-Herald story famous that the dimensions and composition of the rec district’s board would change if a plan unveiled by the group itself is carried out.
Underneath phrases of that proposal, the board is seeking to cut back its total variety of members who’re appointed by Madison Village and Madison Township, and the Madison Faculty Board — which oversee the territories served by the rec district.
As well as, the variety of at-large members on the panel would lower.
One other change within the rec board’s construction can be the addition of 1 Madison Excessive Faculty pupil to the group.
As well as, the panel will probably be growing a grasp plan to obviously determine short- and long-term objectives for the recreation district.
All of those intentions have been highlighted by rec board Chairman Duane Frager throughout current conferences of Village Council, township trustees and the college board.
On the Sept. 26 council assembly, Frager defined that the rec board at present consists of 12 members. Township trustees, the college board and village council every appoint three members. The rec board itself additionally chooses three at-large members.
Whereas the 12-member board ensures that each one segments of the Madison group are represented, a panel of this measurement additionally has its drawbacks, Frager stated. With many individuals having busy lives, it’s a problem to get all 12 members to attend each assembly, he famous.
“Truly, the final couple of years, we now have been working more often than not with 9 or 10 individuals,” Frager stated.
Filling vacancies on the big panel, after they come up, additionally has confirmed troublesome, he added.
“It’s onerous to get good individuals to volunteer to do issues,” Frager stated. “And we don’t need to simply add anybody to fill a seat. We all know how detrimental that may be.”
Frager stated the board is seeking to remove one seat from every three-member phase representing the village, township, college district and group at-large. That would cut back the present roster to eight from 12.
“There’s a lot of causes to do this, however the primary purpose is, we would like high quality over amount,” Frager stated. “We all know that inside the subsequent three to 5 years, each person who’s on the rec board won’t be on the rec board. And so, we need to depart it clearly in higher form than after we bought in there, and a kind of issues is high quality individuals.”
Together with reducing the dimensions of the prevailing rec board to eight members, Frager stated the panel needs so as to add one seat, which might be particularly stuffed by a Madison Excessive Faculty pupil.
“(The scholar member) would have all of the duties of a trustee,” he stated “They might attend all of our conferences, give their enter, and take part in a few of our occasions.”
Township trustees, village council and the college board all accepted laws to create the Recreation District almost 40 years in the past. Due to the roles they performed, these authorities entities would wish to move amended resolutions to vary the dimensions of the present board.
Council, trustees and the college board additionally can be required to approve the addition of a pupil to the board.
It’s The Information-Herald’s opinion that the rec board’s proposal to restructure can be a clever transfer.
Reducing the present board measurement to eight members from 12 would nonetheless be sure that there are a number of representatives to advocate for all segments of the rec district’s service space: Madison Village and Township; Madison Faculty District; and the Madison group as an entire — by means of at-large panel members.
We additionally like the thought of making a ninth seat on the board particularly for a Madison Excessive Faculty pupil. Whoever fills this function would acquire helpful expertise in serving on a governmental physique that’s sometimes composed of adults.
In conclusion, we hope that Village Council, township trustees and the college board will present the legislative approval wanted for the Madison Joint Recreation District Board to vary its construction for the higher.