The Clinton County Rec/Park Board was scheduled to hold its first meeting of 2011 last Thursday evening at Mt. View Park. However, the scene was another familiar setting when there was not enough members attending to constitute a quorum, thus no official business could be conducted.

Six board members, as well as Park Director Bobby Reneau were on hand. It takes eight members to make up a simple majority on the 15-member board.

Although not being able to take any official actions, the board members in attendance, including two newly appointed members attending for the first time, held about an hour-long discussion on various issues, primarily pertaining to the general maintenance and upkeep of the park as well as the need for new members to be appointed prior to mid-April, when the busiest portions of the park season begins.

Over the past few months, several board members–including a few that had served faithfully for many years–have resigned from the board or opted off the board after their terms expired.

Last Thursday, it was announced that two more members had tendered their resignations from the board, prompting the need for new members to be appointed by the three governing bodies that help fund the park board and appoint members to serve on its board.

Board Chairman Chris Lovelace, in noting the urgency to have a full body of members in place soon, said he would contact each of the three entities that appoint members–Albany City Council, Clinton Fiscal Court and Board of Education, informing them of the need of new members, preferably to be appointed at their respective meetings this month.

The school board and county appoints six members each while the city appoints three of the members.

Lovelace noted that members appointed to serve needed to be ones who would volunteer to work during the park’s busiest seasons, such as in the spring for the Little League season and summer during the U.S. 127 Sale and throughout the softball league seasons in late summer and early fall.

Board members who were on hand agreed that persons who have children participating in events at the park and may be there already may be the best type of members to ask to be appointed. And, other members noted there were some individuals who would be willing to serve and work if they could be appointed by the aforementioned governing bodies.

Lovelace also explained to the new members how the park operates, how it is funded and when the busiest times are that persons are needed to work.

It was also announced that the Little League baseball season opening day has been scheduled for Saturday, April 16 and Park Director Reneau also announced that Congressman Ed Whitfield had presented the park with a new American flag that will be erected this season.

The Rec/Park Boards next regular meeting is scheduled for March 31 at 6 p.m. at Mt. View Park.