1

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
2

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.
3

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.
4



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.
5

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