Current By-Laws

About Hillsborough County Parks

The Parks & Recreation Department operates numerous parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, and recreation centers. The department also provides programs, events, and activities to Hillsborough County residents year-round.
BOARD meet park RECREATION HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY Florida CONSERVATION review advise recommend BOARD member Section regular meet
About Hillsborough County Parks

BOARD meet park RECREATION HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY Florida CONSERVATION review advise recommend BOARD member Section regular meet
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BYLAWS 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION 
AND CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD 
 
 
 
ARTICLE I Name 
 
This board, as established by resolution of the Board of County 
Commissioners (BOCC), shall be known as the Hillsborough 
County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Advisory Board. 
 
ARTICLE II Members 
 
There shall be seven board members, each appointed by the 
County Commissioner of their district.  Members shall reside within 
the district of the appointing commissioner.  All members will serve 
a term in conjunction with their appointing commissioner, plus six 
months or until a successor is appointed. 
 
ARTICLE III  Resignations 
 
A member resigning from the Board shall submit a letter of 
resignation to their appointing commissioner and to the Directors of 
the Parks and Recreation and Conservation Departments. 
 
ARTICLE IV Removal of Members 
 
Upon majority vote, the Board may request that the BOCC replace 
a member who has accrued three (3) consecutive unexcused 
absences. 
 
ARTICLE V Meetings 
 
Section 1:  The Board will meet a minimum of eight (8) times a 
year. A specified calendar will be presented at the first regularly 
scheduled meeting of the year by the Chair to be voted on by the 
Board.  All meetings shall be open to the public pursuant to Florida 
Statutes Chapter 286, the Sunshine Law. 
 
Section 2:  Special meetings may be called by the chair in 
emergency situations. Emergency situations shall be defined as 
urgent, time-sensitive matters on which the Board must take action 
prior to the next scheduled board meeting.  Elected officials or 
guests will be given special consideration for their time. The format 
of the regular Parks Board meeting may be changed to 
accommodate the scheduling needs of the official or guest. At that 
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time, the regular meeting of the Board will proceed according to the 
agenda. 
 
Section 3:  General parliamentary rules as appear in Robert’s Rules 
of Order shall be observed in conducting meetings of the Board. 
 
Section 4: The agenda for regular meetings of the Board as called 
under Section 1 shall be provided to the Board Members and the 
general public no less than three (3) days prior to the date of the 
meeting. The agenda for special meetings as called under Section 
2 shall be provided to the Board Members and the general public 
no less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the meeting. 
This shall not limit the ability of the Board to add new items to the 
agenda during a meeting should the Board desire to do so under 
Robert’s Rules of Order. 
 
Section 5:  The following shall be the order of business: 
 
1.  Call to order 
2.  Public Comments for items not included on the published 
agenda for Board consideration in new or old business. Each 
speaker shall be limited to three (3) minutes unless such time is 
extended by a majority vote of the Board. 
3.  Informational reports by Director of Parks and Recreation or 
designee (as needed). 
4.  Informational reports by Director of Conservation or designee 
(as needed). 
5.  Committee reports (as needed). 
6.  Consideration of minutes of last regular meeting and any special 
meetings to be approved or amended. 
7.  Old Business 
8.  New Business 
9.  Board Members comments 
10. Communications/Information of interest 
11. Adjournment 
 
Rules of order may be suspended and any matters considered or 
postponed by Board action. 
 
Section 6: A majority of the Board shall at all times constitute a 
quorum. 
 
Section 7:  Any and all items requiring Board action must be 
considered only when a quorum is established. 
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ARTICLE VI Officers 
 
Section 1:  The Board shall appoint from its membership a chair, 
vice chair and other such officers as it may deem necessary for 
orderly procedure of business. 
 
Section 2:  The term of office for any officer shall be one year. 
Board members shall appoint all officers at the regular January 
meeting.  An officer may serve unlimited consecutive terms. 
 
Section 3: In case of a resignation or vacancy of an officer, the 
Board shall appoint from its membership a new officer at the next 
regular meeting provided notice of the vacancy has been received 
by Board members at least one week in advance of the meeting. 
 
Section 4: The secretary to the Parks Advisory Board shall be the 
secretary for the Directors of Parks and Recreation or such other 
person as the Director may assign and the Board may agree upon 
and will record minutes of the meetings and distribute to the 
membership five (5) days preceding the next regular scheduled 
meeting. The secretary for the Board shall not be a voting member 
of the Board. 
 
ARTICLE VII Committees 
 
Section 1:  The following standing citizen’s advisory committees 
shall have at least one (1) Board member appointed to each 
committee. Board appointments shall be made at the regular 
January Board meeting each year. 
 
1.  Friends of the County Parks Partnership Advisory Committee 
2.  Youth Sports Advisory Committee 
3.  Recreation Advisory Committee 
4.  ELAPP Advisory Committee 
 
ARTICLE VIII Statements of Purpose 
 
The purpose of the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and 
Conservation Board is: 
 
A.  To advocate for the citizens who utilize and fund Hillsborough 
County’s recreation and conservation programs and facilities, 
for the employees and volunteers who provide these 
opportunities to our citizens, and for the programs and facilities 
themselves in Hillsborough County Florida. 
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B.  To review, advise, amend and recommend to the BOCC all new 
ordinances and regulations or proposed amendments to existing 
ordinances or regulations relating to parks, recreation and 
conservation in Hillsborough County, Florida. 
 
C. To review, advise, recommend and promote to the BOCC the 
annual operations and maintenance budget, including service 
fees, for the Parks and Recreation and Conservation 
Departments. 
 
D. To review, advise, recommend and promote to the BOCC the 
annual capital budget for the Parks and Recreation and 
Conservation Departments. 
 
E.  To review, advise, amend and recommend to the BOCC the 
name for any new or existing park, recreation or conservation 
facility in Hillsborough County, Florida. 
 
F.  To review, advise, recommend and promote the budget needs 
for acquisition, development, operation, and maintenance of 
parks, recreation and conservation programs and facilities in 
Hillsborough County, Florida. 
 
G. To review, advise, recommend and promote recreational and 
conservation programs, policies and facilities in Hillsborough 
County. 
 
H. To review, advise, recommend, and promote the acquisition of 
all park, recreation and conservation lands in Hillsborough 
County, Florida. 
 
I. To review, advise or recommend any property disposals of park, 
recreation and/or conservation lands in Hillsborough County, 
Florida. 
 
J.  To advocate the importance and value of providing park, 
recreational, and conservation services to the general public, 
and to the elected and appointed officials of Hillsborough 
County, Florida. 
 
K.  To actively pursue the assistance of other appropriate 
organizations and agencies to accomplish the Statement of 
Purpose contained within these by-laws. 
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L.  To provide the Board of County Commissioners and the County 
Administrator and his/her designee with regular updates on 
issues pertaining to parks, recreation and conservation 
programs and facilities. The Board Chair or Vice Chair shall 
provide an annual update to the BOCC during a regularly 
scheduled BOCC meeting. The Chair or Vice Chair shall also 
meet with the County Administrator on an as-needed basis, or, 
at a minimum, annually in order to provide an update on issues 
pertaining to parks, recreation and conservation.  The Board 
shall invite the County Administrator to attend at least one (1) 
Board Meeting each year to be scheduled at his/her 
convenience. 
 
ARTICLE IX  Amendments 
 
These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a 
majority vote provided that the amendment has been presented in 
writing at the previous regular meeting. 
 
 
 
February 2018