Title
Adopting the Board of Park Commissioners Policy for Friends of Madison Parks Group Guidelines
Body
WHEREAS, the Board of Park Commissioners has the statutory authority, under Wis. Stat. § 27.08(2)(a), to govern, manage, control, improve and care for all public parks within the City of Madison, and to secure the quiet, orderly and suitable use and enjoyment thereof by the people, and to adopt rules and regulations to promote those purposes; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, the Parks Division hired a permanent full-time Volunteer Coordinator to oversee the Division’s volunteer program; and
WHEREAS, the "Friends of Madison Parks: Formation, Rules, and Support Guidelines" document provides a standardized process for establishing and maintaining Friends of Madison Parks groups including formation and recognition, essential rules, and best practices to help interested individuals and organizations effectively form and operate Friends groups; and
WHEREAS, volunteers play a vital role in enhancing the parks system and fostering community engagement, contributing approximately 11,000 volunteer hours annually towards various projects such as trash pick-up, invasive species removals, nature walks, and winter ice maintenance; and
WHEREAS, the City invests in a volunteer software management program to provide a consistent volunteer experience for City agencies that use volunteers; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, pursuant its authority in Wis. Stat. § 27.08(2)(a), the Board of Park Commissioners hereby adopts the attached “Friends of Madison Parks: Formation, Rules, and Support Guidelines” and authorizes staff to administer it as described in the policy.