Owensville’s newly formed Parks Commission met for the first time Monday to re-organize and reviewed the city’s ordinance which governs their limited responsibilities as an advisory group to the elected Board of Aldermen.

Dana Hampton will serve as chairman and Larry Tayloe will be the group’s co-chairman. Manny Medeiros will be their secretary. Deputy City Clerk Peggy Farrell will serve as their recording secretary when available.

Farrell said Tuesday the board is down to five members with the resignation submitted Friday by Larry Geisler. Members of the now advisory commission also include Tom Hengstenberg and Frank Brocato. The former board which had control of park spending consisted of nine members. The commission will remain an appointed group. Members will be appointed by the mayor and approval will come from  the Board Aldermen as has been done in the past.

However, the newly formed Parks Commission will no longer control spending of parks funds. That control goes to elected aldermen based on how the April 2019 ballot question was presented which increased the city’s sales quarter-cent sales tax for park operations by one-quarter cent.

Parks Commission members also established terms of service to coincide with language in the city’s ordinance. Medieros and Brocato will serve until June 2020. Hampton and Tayloe will serve through June 2021. Hengstenberg, whose term was previously set to expire in June 2022, will serve then under the new schedule. Tayloe’s term is the only one to change from when he first joined the old board, according to Farrell.