Q: The Park Safety Council was established in 2020 in response to the death of a 3-year-old child in a park in Arlington.<\/p>\n
Amari Harley had died in 2017 at Bruce Park, prompting the victim\u2019s family to advocate for better park safety standards.<\/p>\n
\u200bFormer Mayor Lenny Curry created the Park Safety Council<\/a> in 2020 to establish and monitor the adoption of safety codes across Jacksonville\u2019s over 400 public and recreational spaces. In the years since, the council has been unable to do much<\/a> due to low attendance, which has prevented the organization from reaching a quorum. At least four of the six districts require a representative for the council to vote.<\/p>\n \u200bNow, Jacksonville Today reader Rhianna S. wants to know how residents can get involved. She asks:<\/p>\n \u200b\u201dIs there an opportunity for more people to join the Park Safety Council?\u201d<\/p>\n A: The short answer is yes. According to an email from the city, there is one seat open on the committee. It is reserved for someone in the Northwest City Planning Advisory Committee District 5<\/a>. The other district seats have been filled.<\/p>\n \u200bResidents of District 5 can apply on the Mayoral Boards and Commissions Application website<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u200bPhil Perry, the city\u2019s chief communications officer, says the mayor, in coordination with the Parks Department, appoints members to the council. Council members serve two-year terms.<\/p>\n \u200bAs to whether this will help address the quorum issue, the city said in an email: \u201cWe expect to have a quorum at the [next] meeting because of the new member that was recently appointed. And the District 5 seat will be another voice that ensures quorum is met in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n The next meeting will take place July 27. Aside from the members, anyone can attend via Zoom<\/a> or in person at the Ed Ball Building, though the location may vary.<\/p>\n