‘Park steward’ role reviewed

Talks are still ongoing at the Bingham Township offices regarding a parks and recreation bylaws policy update.

As at the last township board meeting in November, the main sticking point was still whether committee members and the township’s “parks stewards” can confront people for breaking park rules.

While everyone involved seems to agree that committee members and stewards should not present themselves as township staff charged with enforcing park rules –— they aren’t employees, and don’t have that authority — there’s some friction on whether they can confront parks users themselves if an infraction affects them directly, and they present themselves as just private citizens.