Alexandria preserves park board with new draft of ordinance

Nov. 7—ALEXANDRIA — After members of the Alexandria Park Board expressed concerns about a proposed city ordinance that would have dissolved the board, city officials have made changes.

The city's attorneys added the park board and its duties as well as a water department.

The ordinance had its first reading Monday; a second reading is planned for the city council's December meeting.

Park board members, including Vice President Jennifer Ward and President Mike Thomas, discussed concerns with a previous draft of the ordinance, which called for the dissolution of the park board and all of its contracts.

Included in that would be the contract with the caretakers who live near Beulah Park. Ward said the initial ordinance would have left the caretakers "jobless and homeless."

Thomas said Thursday that city officials allowed him to review the ordinance's most recent draft, which preserved the park board. He also asked that city officials include the water department, which it did.

The new draft also creates a position for a parks superintendent, which the mayor could appoint with the board's approval.

Ward previously told the city council in October that the board's budget has a line item for a superintendent. She was willing to help the city find an affordable way to hire such a person if desired.