GOOD STEPS FORWARD: But Plymouth Still Needs an Advisory Board

I’ve advocated for a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for almost two years. In my January post, I outlined initiatives the City could pursue to improve our parks and recreation programs even if the idea of creating an Advisory Board continues to be dismissed. These included engaging residents, establishing formal volunteer and sponsorship programs, building a long-term financial plan, setting up a regular assessment process, and continuing to explore additional funding sources.

Credit Where it’s Due

At a recent Committee of the Whole discussion, the City Commission considered several positive steps, including:

• An Adopt-A-Park volunteer program
• Establishing a “Friends of Plymouth Parks & Recreation” 501(c)(3)
• A volunteer engagement & participation strategy
• Seasonal events (e.g., Fall Cleanup, Spring Parks Bloom)
• Launching a new sponsorship program

These are the very building blocks many of us have been asking for. You can review the presentations from the meeting on the city website at: LINK

I sincerely commend the Commission and staff for their efforts on theses items. That said, these proposals were assembled without broader community involvement. The quickest way to lock in transparency, consistency, efficiency, and shared ownership is to pair these initiatives with a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

Why an Advisory Board Is Still Essential

An Advisory Board would:

• Guarantee equity across all city parks: Ensure that every neighborhood—large or small, high-profile or tucked away receives fair attention, resources, and improvements.
• Institutionalize engagement: Regular, open meetings (with minutes) where residents can shape priorities before decisions are made.
• Set a community-driven agenda: Recommend projects, policies, and park standards to the Commission—grounded in public input and data.
• Coordinate across initiatives: Align Adopt-A-Park, sponsorships, volunteers, and grants with a single, published work plan.
• Support budgeting with a plan-first approach: Tie spending to a long-term maintenance and improvement plan so millage discussions (when appropriate) are specific and credible.
• Reduce staff burden: Organized volunteers who can engage the community, research, draft recommendations, and help manage programs alongside staff.
• Strengthen regional collaboration: Create a formal channel to coordinate with Plymouth Township for shared fields, trails, and programs.

Pros and Cons of a 501(c)(3)

A Friends of Plymouth Parks & Recreation nonprofit is a great complement but is not a substitute for an advisory board.

Pros:

• Fundraise: Accept tax-deductible donations, corporate matches, and memorial gifts. It could support amenities (benches, native landscaping, programming) that stretch city dollars.
• Win grants: Pursue foundation and state/federal grants that require nonprofit eligibility or quick match dollars.
• Mobilize volunteers & events: Coordinate cleanups, plantings, and small capital projects.

Cons

• Cannot lead public engagement for the City: A nonprofit may host events or raise awareness, but the formal process of gathering resident input, documenting feedback, and ensuring transparency is a City function. An appointed advisory board, subject to the Open Meetings Act, guarantees that engagement is official and accountable.
• Cannot set policy: Only a City-sanctioned advisory board can make policy recommendations to the City Commission, ensuring alignment with public goals and accountability. Citizens and nonprofits can offer input, but the Commission is not required to act on those suggestions.

A Note of Caution

I am concerned that the Friends 501(c)(3) is being established by the City Manager and two commissioners. One commissioner even acknowledged she does not expect to serve on the nonprofit’s board long-term. A 501(c)(3) cannot simply be “stood up” and left to run itself. Any 501(c)(3) requires sustained dedication, a clear mission, and an active board to succeed. Without that, it risks becoming little more than a tax-deductible donation channel rather than a true community partner.

Bottom Line

Both an Advisory Board and a 501(c)(3) have important roles. The Advisory Board ensures public process and policy alignment, while the Friends 501(c)(3) contributes resources and capacity to carry out projects. Now is the time to create this board. By bringing more individuals and community perspective into the process, we can make solutions more efficient, more inclusive, and ultimately more accepted.