Winamac’s new park board may soon be getting some help. This week, board members began the process of forming an advisory council.
Park board president Courtney Poor says it will have two primary purposes, “One of the things that I see is eyes and ears in the community coming back and giving us even more input, and fund-raising. Honestly, that’s the two things that I really [see].”
Board member Brad Zellers added, “You know, you get the right people, there’s certain things, whether it’s questionnaires, things like that. They can really help with those.”
As an advisory council, members will not have voting power but will instead make recommendations to the town’s park board on a regular basis. Based on the park board’s discussion Thursday, advisory council members will not be appointed to set terms, but will serve as long as the park board chooses.
Poor says the idea is to include anyone who wants to offer input, while still making sure the park board has the support it needs. “It’s an open forum, so anybody can bring an idea to the board, as far as that goes,” he says. “But as far as for fundraisers, you sometimes have to narrow your focus a little bit and say [for example], ‘Okay guys, we need to have something for the Octagon Building, we want your ideas for this.'”
The park board plans to appoint about five members to the council. Six names were brought up for consideration, and the Winamac Tree Committee will also be offered a seat.
