Policies and Practices for Christiana Parks and Recreation (P&R)​

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The following set of self adopted policies and practices define how Christiana Parks And Recreation (P&R) operates. We are a democratically run community organization made up of community members. Anyone who is interested is encouraged to become involved. Because we are part of the Borough of Christiana, everything we do is intended to benefit the community and we are ultimately responsible to the Borough Council. 

 

P&R is a self sustaining organization. All proceeds from our events and activities are used to pay expenses or turned back into producing additional events and activities for the community.

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1.0 Voting Policy

 

Adopted 1/23/2025

 

The P&R committee will make all decisions based on a simple majority vote of established committee members. An established committee member is anyone who has attended at least 2 committee meetings in the last 12 months. 

 

1.1 Voting at meetings

To take a vote at a regularly scheduled meeting, a quorum of at least 5 established committee members must be present. At impromptu meetings, online voting policies will be followed. 

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1.2 Online Voting

When the committee needs to conduct business between meetings, voting may be done via email, text or online form. All established committee members must have the opportunity to vote and at least 80% of those members must vote before the vote becomes binding.

 

2.0 Event Policy

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Adopted 1/23/2025

 

All P&R events, activities and clubs will be secular in nature and will be run for the benefit of the Christiana community. 

 

To preserve transparency and fiscal responsibility, all events, activities and clubs will be documented through a written approval process. The approval process is intended to protect the interests of the community while empowering individuals (known as coordinators) to run events, activities and clubs for the community.

 

Post event reports will be written for all events, activities and clubs. These reports will document what was done and provide data that can be used to inform future decisions. 

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2.1 Event Approval

All events, activities and clubs require a two step approval process. 

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2.1.1 Overview Approval

Overview approval is intended to serve as a starting point. It does not authorize the event or expenditures. It gives the P&R committee an opportunity to understand and contribute to the vision for the event.

 

For overview approval, a coordinator plus three other team members must submit Part 1 of the Event Plan form to the P&R committee for consideration. It must include a written plan and rough financial estimates. 

 

Overview approval empowers the coordinator and team members to develop a detailed budget and final plans independently from the P&R committee.

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2.1.2 Budget Approval

Budget approval is intended to authorize the coordinator and team members to produce and run the event within the confines of the approved plan and budget. 

 

For budget approval, the coordinator and team members must submit Part 2 of the Event Plan form to the P&R committee for consideration. It must include a detailed financial budget and an updated event plan. 

 

Budget approval empowers the coordinator to produce and run the event independently from the P&R committee. The coordinator is responsible to assure the actual event conforms to the written plan and works within the approved budget. Monthly update reports to the P&R committee shall be made by the coordinator. Any and all significant deviations from the plan or budget proposal will be brought before the P&R committee for approval.

 

Team members are responsible to support the coordinator as needed. The coordinator has both authority over the team and responsibility to the P&R committee. 

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2.2 Post Event Report

All events, activities and clubs require a post event report to document the event and enable future coordinators to easily reproduce the event. 

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2.2.1 Coordinator Assessment

The coordinator shall report on how the event went stating who the major contributors were and how the event was received by the community. Provide insight into the operation of the event so that future coordinators of the same event will know what to expect. This is about sharing “lessons learned”.

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2.2.2 Vendor Documentation

The report shall document all significant vendors, facilities, exhibitors, etc that were used with sufficient detail that future coordinators can easily recreate the event. This includes contact information with names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, etc.

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2.2.3 Financial Documentation

The report shall include documentation of all expenses, revenues and event specific sponsorships. 

 

Expenses that were paid by donation or sponsorship shall be fully documented as expenses. When expenses are paid with non-P&R funds, they will be recorded as a P&R expense and then an offsetting donation or sponsorship will be recorded. The intent is to record all expenses incurred regardless of who paid them. 

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3.0 Partnerships

 

Adopted 1/23/2025

 

It is P&R’s goal to work with other community organizations and be respectful of their events and activities. P&R will form partnerships with other community organizations to the benefit of both organizations. This can involve sharing resources and working jointly to the benefit of the community.

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3.1 Requirements for Partnership

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3.1.1 Mutually Beneficial

By definition, all partnerships must be a give and take relationship that provides tangible benefits to both organizations.

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3.1.2 Approval

Partnerships shall be approved by the P&R committee and listed in this document for reference. P&R may decline or rescind any partnership at any time for any reason. 

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3.1.3 Religious Affiliations

P&R will partner with churches and other faith based organizations but only with regard to secular events and activities. P&R is part of the Christiana Borough, hence part of local government, and will therefore observe “separation of church and state” in all events and activities. 

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3.2 Approved Partners

1. Sadsbury Friends Meeting

 

4.0 Capital Expenditures

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Adopted 1/23/2025

 

Capital expenditures are any expense that is not directly associated with a single event or activity. This would include general advertising, equipment, supplies, facilities, etc. 

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4.1 Approval

All capital expenditures will be preapproved by the P&R committee. 

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4.2 Overhead Budget 

All capital expenditures will be accounted for in the P&R annual budget as “Overhead Expenses”. Overhead expenses will be recovered by assessing every event and activity a “General P&R Overhead Expense”.

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5.0 Marketing Policy

 

Adoption pending

 

The P&R Marketing Committee will oversee and maintain complete authority over all marketing initiatives. This encompasses, but is not limited to, website content, print flyers, social media posts, newspaper advertisements, and more.

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5.1 Website Centered 

All marketing efforts will be centralized and directed toward the P&R website. Print flyers, social media posts, newspaper advertisements, and similar materials will be crafted to steer people to the website. All registrations and online payments will be processed exclusively through the website.

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5.2 Branded Marketing

The Marketing Committee will create all marketing materials with a cohesive and uniform style to enhance the P&R brand identity.

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5.3 Intellectual Property

The P&R logo and name are copyrighted and are the sole intellectual property of Christiana Parks and Recreation. Only the Marketing Committee has permission to utilize them in marketing, advertising, social media, and similar contexts, and no other individuals or entities may use them without explicit approval from Christiana Parks and Recreation.

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