The Clinton County Rec/Park Board held its regular monthly meeting last Thursday evening, March 28 at Mountain View Park and was able to vote on several items of business to get the early portions of its busiest seasons underway for 2013, including the appointment of Gina Poore as the new treasurer for the board.

Park Board Chairman Vince Ostertag presented the treasurer’s report, which again showed the park operating on a bare bones budget, with the balance standing at $1,258.60. However, the board is expected to receive its last fiscal year $5,000 allotment from the city within weeks. Also, a board representative will apparently be at the next fiscal court meeting requesting the last installment from that governing body.

In recent years, the board has always had problems getting enough members to attend meetings to constitute official quorums and allow actions to be taken when board votes are called for..

Ostertag presented board members with a list of the latest members compiled by board secretary Paula Little. Of that list, one board member has since resigned and at least one other member who had been appointed had never attended a meeting. A few others had attended only one or two sessions since being appointed.

The current make-up of park board members include six appointees each from Clinton Fiscal Court and Board of Education and three from the City of Albany. Also, members who now serve do so on a “staggered” term basis, being appointed for either, one, two or three year periods, which makes it somewhat difficult for the participating entities to keep up with board appointees.

Little suggested the board request each of the three governing entities begin making “one-year, annual” appointments to the board in the month of June of each year, with a term to be effective July 1 and run through June 30 of the following year for all park board members.

Ostertag put Little’s suggestion in the form of a motion, which passed by the unanimous vote.

Ostertag also said he had discussed the concession stand at a recent Little League meeting, but has yet to get a response on whether or not that board would want to operate the concession sales during little league season.

This led to a lengthy discussion on what to do with selling concessions, from season-to-season, and how to contract or lease them out to sponsoring groups that use the park, such as Little League, the Middle School (for girls’ softball), soccer, etc.

Eventually, a motion was made to lease concession stand, giving the aforementioned participating programs, the first option, with the park board receiving 10 percent of the profits to cover electric, among other stipulations of use and responsibility involved. The motion passed by unanimous vote.

On a motion by board member Randy Speck, the board appointed Gina Poore as its new treasurer. Ostertag had served in that position prior to being appointed board chairman and had done both roles up until last week.

Board member Matt Smith also asked about the status of any grants that may be available to help purchase more playground equipment for the park.

Some board members mentioned a possible grant program they could look into and also suggested that all members pursue looking for any funds that could be used to help in that area.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Rec/Park Board is scheduled for April 25 at 6 p.m. at Mountain View Park and is open to the general public.