West-side Recreation Group

Scope and Purpose

From time to time, the Board of Commissioners has a need for Kill Devil Hills’ citizens’ specialized review of and advice and comment on issues of importance to the Town.  Timely, informed and effective advice is important in the planning process.  This is the case concerning the Town’s existing recreation facilities which are located west of US 158/Croatan Highway.

To that end, the Board of Commissioners has established the West-side Recreation Group to study existing recreational sites located west of US 158/Croatan Highway as follows:

• Elevated all-accessible walkway at the site of the former Ocean Acres Wastewater Treatment Plant; located within the boundaries of The Nags Head Woods
• Copley Drive Neighborhood Park
• Fresh Pond and the AEC
• Aviation Park
• Roller Hockey Rink
• Skate Park
• Frog Pond
• Dog Park
• Toddler Playground
• Casey R. Logan Disc Golf Course and western edge of the remaining portion of the Baum Tract
• West-side Multi-Use Paths
• Centennial Paths
• Colington Road Multi-Use Path
• Wright Brothers Multi-Use Path
• Bay Drive Multi-Use Paths
• Meekins Field
• Children’s Playground
• West Third Street estuarine gazebo
• West Hayman estuarine gazebo
• West Hayman Park
• West Walker Street estuarine access

The WRG is charged with submitting general and site-specific recommendations to the Board on a variety of issues, including but not limited to:

Formulating best-use strategies that could increase enjoyment and visitation by citizens and visitors;

Considering alternative promotion, commercial marketing, and management approaches that could identify and guide west-side recreation opportunities;

Identifying infrastructure needs, such as additional equipment, amenities, and site expansion;

Considering existing and/or future public/private partnerships that could enhance existing or create new recreation activities and/or opportunities; and,

Discussing and making recommendations on policy issues, some of which have been identified, and others may be identified during the group’s work.

Additional issues may be identified and included as the WRG moves forward; these may apply to individual sites or west-side recreation as a whole concept. 

The WRG may utilize existing resources, including but not limited to:  Chapter 153, Zoning; the 2004 Recreation Facilities Plan; the most recent Shoreline Access Plan, and public input.  It will be important to the WRG to remember the Town’s unique natural environment, and yet also be progressive and cognizant in its consideration of the needs and desires of our citizens and visiting public.  All WRG members are encouraged to speak with other residents about the group, its specific issues, its overall purpose, etc., to gain input that can be shared. 

Conclusion

At the conclusion of its investigations and discussions, the WRG shall submit a report to the Board of Commissioners in response to the tasks assigned.  At such time as the Board of Commissioners accepts the report, and has no further tasks or charges to the WRG, then the WRG’s purpose shall be deemed completed.  In the future, as a need may arise, the Board of Commissioners reserves the right to reactivate the WRG. 

Staff Support

Members of the WRG in a non-voting capacity are:  Grounds Supervisor Ross Cipriano, and Assistant Planning Director Cameron Ray and/or Senior Planner Ryan Lang.

The Chair will work with the Town Manager to assure such other relative members of Staff are available for meetings. 

The Town Clerk will serve as Secretary to the WRG, with assistance from other Administration Staff as necessary.

West-side Recreation Group

Ground Rules for Procedure

The WRG was established by a public body and is therefore subject to the North Carolina Open Meetings Law (Chapter 143, Article 33C of the General Statutes, attached). 

Members of the WRG are appointed for a finite term that will expire when their report is submitted to the Board of Commissioners and the Board determines that the WRG’s task has been completed. 

Meetings of the WRG will be scheduled by the Chair or Vice-Chair on an as-needed, but at least monthly, basis. 

The purpose of these ground rules is:

To enable the group to transact business expeditiously and efficiently;

To preserve a spirit of cooperation; and

To ensure that all group members and the public understand the requirements for public bodies, the organization and procedures of the group, and how the requirements of the assignment will be accomplished.

Participants and Participation 

1.         The WRG is comprised of eight voting members, all of whom are residents of Kill Devil Hills, who will fully and directly engage in group deliberations.  In the event of a tie, the Chair of the WRG, who shall be a member of the Board of Commissioners, will vote and break the tie; at no other time will the Chair vote. 

            Experience in recreation and planning will be helpful to all members; however, community interest, commitment, and enthusiasm are characteristics required of all members.

2.         The WRG is chaired by a member of the Board of Commissioners (Commissioner Terry Gray). 

3.         To assure an effective process, members agree to make every effort to attend all meetings and to stay current with information provided WRG decisions.  Voting members may not designate alternates for any group meeting.

5.         The public is welcome to attend all meetings, and while public comment will be sought and is welcome, members of the audience are not participants in the group’s deliberations unless invited by the chair.  There will be an established “Public Comment” portion for each meeting.  Written comments of any length are welcome throughout the process and will be included with the minutes and packet materials for the meeting at which they are submitted.

West-side Recreation Group Meetings

1.         Each group member agrees to honest and direct communications.  Participants are expected to support the process, and in good faith collaborate toward completion of WRG’s task as charged by the Board of Commissioners.

Each item presented for consideration is entitled to full and open discussion.

All group members may engage directly in the entire process.  Discussions will strive to identify common ground among all participants to deliver the most powerful collective statement possible.  When common ground cannot be identified, the opinion of individual participants will be respected and documented as they emerge.  Participants are expected to provide thoughtful, on-point opinions, objective fact-based comments and alternatives during discussions. 

2.         The Chair will participate in, encourage, and manage discussions using more or less structure depending on the nature of the issue and nature of deliberations, calling for action once an issue has been thoroughly examined and a majority-supported outcome appears imminent.  A vote by the majority of the membership present will constitute action.  Decisions on issues will be made during meetings by majority vote of the membership present. 

Outside the open meeting the Chair will work for the WRG to assure the membership is supplied with background and current information on issues and recreation locations, and that relative members of the Town Staff or outside resources are available as needed. 

Members may anticipate assignments between meetings.

The Chair will coordinate agendas for each WRG meeting with the WRG secretary, including carryover items and new business, using the following format:

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Agenda Approval

Old Business

New Business

Other Business

Public Comment

Response to Public Comment

Adjourn

3.         Minutes will be prepared which will serve as a summary of the meetings and will include all action.  Observations contained in the minutes may not necessarily be individually attributed.  If members desire, they may submit attributed information and/or written comments directly to the secretary to the WRG for inclusion with the minutes of each meeting.  All minutes, packet materials, attributions and other information pertinent to the discussions and decision-making process will be made available and remain available for public inspection.