PIERCETON — Pierceton officials on Thursday, Jan. 16, began discussing plans to reorganize its park board.

In October 2019, the Town Council approved the reinstatement of the town’s park board, which has not held a formal meeting since 2012. Whitko School Board of Trustees member and Pierceton resident Georgia Tenney brought up the need to update playground equipment at Pierceton-Washington Township Park during the town council’s October meeting.

Reorganization of the park board follows the K21 Health Foundation’s commitment to helping fund projects related to health and wellness for towns outside of Warsaw and Winona Lake. The current iteration of the Pierceton Park Board was formed in 2011. Casey Boggs, Kim Rose, Paula Smith, Cindy Kreger and Annie Espinoza are the current board members.

During the hour-long meeting, Pierceton Town Council members and several of the current park board members discussed the next steps that need to happen for the reorganization of the park board.

According to Town Attorney Tammy Keirn, state statute requires one member of the park board be on some type of governing body for the local school corporation. None of the current board members serve on the Whitko School Board.

“This ordinance is good as of July 2019,” said Keirn. “It must consist of five resident freeholders appointed by a city executive or the town’s legislative body. At least one of those five must be a member of the governing body of the school corporation. No members may serve on a municipal legislative body. Our ordinance adds the ex aficio member from the township trustee. The state statute requires a member from a school corporation. As far as the trustee appointment, that we could do away with because that’s something we’ve put in the ordinance.”

The only current park board member not present at the meeting was Rose. They agreed to contact both Rose and Tenney in regards to their interests in serving on the board. It was also decided that the ordinance detailing who can and cannot sit on the park board will be amended at the town’s next council meeting.

There was also a discussion regarding financial matters with the town’s youth league. Those present agreed to invite representatives with the youth league to attend the park board’s next meeting.

The park board’s next meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11.