ONTARIO – At Wednesday night’s council meeting, Ontario City Council considered legislation that, if passed, would dissolve the city’s recreation board.

While no action was taken at the meeting, several individuals voiced their opinions during public commentary. Council president Larry Collins noted that six council members must be present to suspend the rule regarding three separate readings on three separate days for legislation. Since two members were absent, no vote could take place.

“A decision to dissolve the recreation board will hurt our community,” said Ontario resident Janet VanCuray, who served as the city’s recreation director for 12 years. “It will leave the city open to liabilities; it takes more than two minds to do this job well, so by eliminating the board, you are eliminating the foundation of success, which has worked so well for so long.”

If the board was eliminated, the ordinance states that the city’s recreation director – currently Heather Hendrix – will serve under the mayor’s supervision.

“Because of my experience, I do not agree with the proposition to dissolve the recreation board. The board serves as a vital function to ensure the accountably, safety and success for the city,” VanCuray said.

The board, she added, has been in operation for more than 30 years, and in her experience its five members “are people who are committed to the betterment of our community.” They provide ideas, support and physical labor needed for events, including the annual summer recreation program, she said. 

The board members also help interview and hire more than 60 adolescents, who work for the program.

“Mr. (Dan) Zeiter, Mr. (Eddie) Gallo, Mr. (Larry) Arnold, Mr. (Nathan) Sunderland and Mr. (Mark) Weidemyre, all of your children have worked for summer recreation. You are aware of the procedures, as well as the responsibilities,” she said.

VanCuray continued that it would be “the height of irresponsibility” to put all the responsibility for events, such as the summer recreation program, on the shoulders of the city’s one recreation director and the mayor.

President of the recreation board Rebecca Enrico also spoke at the meeting. She noted that she was speaking for herself only, not the entire board.

She asked that the council provide the board with a detailed explanation about their reasoning behind the legislation.  

“What deems questionable is why the council wants to dissolve the board,” Enrico said. “Despite the board having made positive and effective decisions throughout its thirty years of existence, one decision to replace a board member seemed to be an unpopular decision and draw unnecessary attention.”  

Earlier this year, members of Ontario council expressed discontent about how a former recreation board member Brett Baxter was removed from his position. The action seems “retaliatory,” Enrico said.

Elizabeth Bocka, who has served on the board for 15 years, said that her son and his wife chose to live in Ontario, partly for its recreation program.

“They could have gone anywhere in the country, and they chose Ontario,” she said.

Ontario Council read the legislation for the first time at the council meeting, but they did not take any action on it. The legislation will be read again at the Nov. 15 meeting and if passed, it will go into effect January 1, 2018.