Four Seattle Board of Parks Commissioners resigned last month after the Seattle City Council passed an ordinance that gives the council the authority to appoint half of the seven-member advisory board and creates one new position.

The parks' board will appoint its seventh member by majority vote. In the past, the mayor recruited and selected all commissioners, subject to council approval.

Council member David Della, who sponsored the legislation, said the ordinance is necessary to bring greater accountability to the board and provide stronger oversight by the council.

"At the end of the day, you'll have a parks board that's more transparent..." said Della. "The people and the council need to have a voice as well as the mayor."

Board commissioners Angela Belbeck, Jack Collins, Debbie Jackson and chair, Kate Pflaumer, disagreed with the new law and resigned. In a joint resignation letter to council members, Mayor Greg Nickels and Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Ken Bounds, the commissioners said the new ordinance would compromise the independence of the board and create a more political environment.

"We do not want to serve on a board the independence of which has been, and now may be more so, seriously compromised..." the letter stated.

In the past, the city council has tried to influence board decisions, "including the postponement or cancellations of public hearings," in some cases, "causing considerable confusion in the public," the commissioners wrote.

The mayor is disappointed in the legislation and did not sign the ordinance, said Nickels' spokesman Marty McOmber.

"He didn't feel it was necessary or useful," said McOmber.

With the loss of four members, the board is not voting or making any recommendations to the city council or mayor, said Board of Parks Commissioner Terry Holme.

Holme said he is also concerned that the new ordinance will allow the city council to exert "more personal influence" on the board.

"Our mission is not to provide the opinions of the city council or the mayor, our responsibility is to take testimony and come up with a balanced recommendation based on input we've gotten from the public," said Holme. "To me, we are an independent board. They (the city council) could always weigh in. In every single instance they can change what is going on if they want to."

Della notes that prior to the new legislation, the mayor had the authority to appoint all board members, and, if anything, the new law will create a more balanced board membership.

Holme said it could do the opposite.

"This has high potential significance for the parks board to be influenced," said Holme. "Whether that potential will be realized is yet to be seen."

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@ballardnewstribune.com