Constitutional Authority and Philosophy of District and Park District Board of Commissioners
According to the State of Illinois and the General Park District Code of 1947, a Park District is a municipal corporation created for the purpose of acquiring and maintaining parks and is a separate and distinct entity from the city, county, or any other body public. It is not purely local in function; for the courts have held that the property is held in trust for the use of the people of the state at large and not for the exclusive use of the people of the district.
Park Boards are elected at large by the citizens of the local park district to represent and act for the State in performing the legal function of providing their district with the kind of parks and recreation programs and facilities required or permitted by State law.
All elected Elmhurst Park District Commissioners take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois. They also agree to faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Elmhurst Park District Commissioner. In keeping with this, they support the mission of the District, “We enrich lives while having fun!” In service to this mission, all activities and decisions will seek to achieve personal benefits, community benefits, or both, as defined below:
Personal Benefits: Provide benefits which enhance the enjoyment, health or self-esteem of an individual. Examples as follows:
- Create opportunities for everyone for fun, play, entertainment, and socialization, by providing fair and balanced facilities and activities.
- Teach skills for and encourage a lifetime of varied use of leisure time.
- Facilitate each person’s health and fitness.
- Kindle self-esteem through recreation that offers opportunities for balance in each person’s life, provides alternatives to self-destructive behavior, and aids the human development process.
Community Benefits: Provide for social or community benefits which protect and improve the physical environment and the social environment.
- Protect and improve the natural environment.
- Create beauty wherever we can.
- Influence urban form and the built environment toward improving the enjoyment of living.
- Develop our parks and programs to be a source of, and foundation for, community pride.
- Build strong families and strong communities.
