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| >HOME >ABOUT FAIRMOUNT PARK | |
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Origin The Fairmount Park Commission (the "Commission") was established by an Act of Assembly, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 26, 1867, Public Law 547. Supplements to the 1867 Act and later acts and ordinances expanded the Commission's duties. The Commission continues to be empowered by state law, presently codified at 53 P.S. Section 16471--16523. The Commission's powers were continued, substantially unchanged, under the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter of 1951, Section 5-602. Jurisdiction and Duties The 1867 Act created the Commission to oversee the creation of a public park along the Schuylkill and to "maintain [the Park] forever, as an open public place and park, for the health and enjoyment of the citizens [of Philadelphia], and the preservation of the purity of the water supply to the City of Philadelphia." Over time, the Commission assumed responsibility for the management of additional outlying parks and parkways, the maintenance of street trees throughout Philadelphia, and the stewardship of many historic properties, artifacts, and art collections donated to the Commission. Presently, the Commission manages over 9,200 acres of land in 63 parks located throughout Philadelphia. Composition The Fairmount Park Commission has 16 members; six are ex-officio members and 10 are citizens appointed by the Board of Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County. Originally, under the 1867 Act, the ex-officio members were the "the Mayor, the Presidents of the Select and Common Councils, Commissioner of City Property, the Chief Engineer and Surveyor, and the Chief Engineer of the Water Works." The abolition of the Select Council in 1920 eliminated the Select Council President's ex-officio seat. Under Section 3-905 of the Home Rule Charter, the Commissioner of the Recreation Department was added as an ex-officio Fairmount Park Commissioner. Today, through the re-naming of departments and positions, the Mayor, the President of City Council, the Public Property Commissioner, the Chief Engineer and Surveyor in the Streets Department (a Deputy Streets Commissioner), the Recreation Commissioner, and the Water Department Commissioner hold ex-officio seats. Selection of Appointed Commissioners The Board of Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the First Judicial District selects the ten citizen members of the Fairmount Park Commission. Although the 1867 Act split this responsibility between the District Court and the Court of Common Pleas, the Court of Common Pleas assumed the full responsibility upon the dissolution of the District Court in 1874. The President of the Court's Board of Judges supervises the selection process. 'A Bridge to the Future - Fairmount Park Strategic Plan', completed in July 2004, recommends criteria for the selection of Commissioners including an awareness of ecological, cultural, and recreational issues, experience in community activism, and a willingness to advocate for Fairmount Park. In addition, the criteria recommend that candidates have a broad background and be willing to contribute professional knowledge and personal resources to benefit the preservation and use of the park system. Terms Fairmount Park Commissioners serve five-year terms, with all terms running concurrently. In the event of a mid-term vacancy, the Board of Judges appoints a new Commissioner to serve the remainder of the vacated term. There are no term limits for Fairmount Park Commissioners. Organization The Fairmount Park Commission elects a President, Vice President, and Treasurer at its Annual Meeting on the first Monday of June each year. The Commission Secretary has been an employee of the Commission since 1868 and a Civil Service City employee since 1953. The Commissioners also appoint, with the concurrence of the Mayor, an Executive Director to manage the daily operations of Fairmount Park and Fairmount Park staff. The Fairmount Park Commission adopted the "Rules for the Government of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park" on May 28, 1867 to provide a guide for the work of the Commission and its staff. The Rules have been revised several times with the most recent version adopted on May 13, 1970. The Commission meets monthly on the second Wednesday of each month, September through May. The Annual Meeting is held on the first Monday of June. Traditionally, the Commission does not meet during July and August. The Commission's meetings are subject to the Pennsylvania Government in the Sunshine Act and must be publicly advertised and open to the public. Structure The Commissioners act as a "Committee of the Whole" when meeting and reviewing matters before them. Presentations at monthly Commission meetings are generally organized by the following subjects. Finance - Matters of trust investments, including recommendations of professional investments managers and accountants; proposed budget submissions and testimony before City Council; items relating to the individual Commissioner's personal liability and responsibility to the Commission as a body in sponsoring, permitting, or granting a license to use Park facilities; requests and proposals to acquire, lend, maintain, repair, works of art (including fountains) under, or expected to become entrusted to, the care of the Commissioners. Park Use Review - Matters related to all park regulations; requests and proposals to exhibit on a temporary basis works of art of any kind within the Park; requests and proposals for use of Park facilities or resources for special events of any nature, whether city or private. Planning - Matters related to implementation of the Strategic Plan and individual master plans (trails, natural areas restoration, etc.) including long-range management and development plans; acquisitions and de-acquisitions of land and other property; capital projects, whether publicly or privately funded; landscape maintenance, planting, and interpretive programs for all gardens, squares, arboretums, natural areas, and open space including trails, paths, shelters, and other facilities; all proposals to install on a permanent basis works of art of any kind on ground, waterways, or air space under the jurisdiction of the Commission; re-designation of land or buildings; interdepartmental or Councilmanic transfers of properties or functions; vehicular and pedestrian traffic modifications to the extent of Commission jurisdiction. Property - Matters related to all requests and proposals for occupancy of land, buildings, and other structures under contract, whether by lease, bid, city agency memo, ordinance, or other agreement; the termination or modification of any property-use contracts and requests for approvals under those contracts. On occasion the Commission President may activate certain committees for a defined purpose and period of time. Examples of these include the Executive Committee, which consists of the President, Vice President, and Treasurer, and acts on behalf of the full Commission during its summer recess and in emergencies. Another example is the Nominating Committee, whose role it is to nominate officers for the following year to the Commission at its Annual Meeting in June and nominate an officer to fill a vacancy in the interim as required. Designees of the Fairmount Park Commission The Fairmount Park Commission appoints designees to represent the Commission on the following Boards:
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