POULSBO — A month of discussing changes to the Parks and Recreation Commission came to a head Wednesday night as Councilman Mike Regis provided council members every reason why the alterations shouldn’t be made.

Ultimately, the changes were unanimously approved as Regis withdrew his opposition to a proposal that allows up to two members of the board to reside outside the city limits.

“I agree with reducing terms from six years to three years,” Regis stated. “I have questions regarding (the) suspending out of our seven parks commissioners in the city, two to come from the North Kitsap area.”

Currently, 12 members serve on the Kitsap County Parks Commission and four of those are appointed by North End Commissioner Chris Endresen, he explained.

“We’re trying to get two members not from the city when we already have four serving on the county board,” Regis noted. “I find that a little bit redundant and that causes me to not embrace suspending two of our positions.”

Mayor Donna Jean Bruce pointed out that nothing in the proposed ordinance said two members “had to” come from outside the city limits.

“That was put in there because often times we have a hard time finding people to serve on the board,” Bruce explained. “Nothing says we’re going to have two members from outside the city, but we may.”

If the city can find residents willing to serve on the board within the city limits, then it will, Bruce said. After thanking the mayor for her explanation, Regis continued his line of questioning by stating that he still didn’t find the proposal necessary.

“Our parks board doesn’t make decisions. We make decisions,” he said. “I sometimes think there might be good cause for dialoguing the drawbacks of having county residents on the board.”

While four North End residents may serve on the county board, those four don’t serve on the city board, Councilwoman Kathryn Quade countered.

“You’re saying we have the benefit when we really don’t,” she said. “I see what the mayor’s trying get at in trying to find qualified people in a town of 7,000.”

Having members from outside the city limits makes sense because the Poulsbo Parks and Recreation Department serves more than just the city, Quade stated.

Councilman Jim Henry joined the discussion and admitted that, at first glance, he sided with Regis.

“At first, I was like Mike but we’re getting to the point here where we’re spreading out and there might be people who don’t live in Poulsbo who are tied to it by heart,” Henry noted.

Also, the council makes the appointments to the board, so council members will have a say in who is on the board, he reminded Regis.

“If we don’t like them, we don’t have to approve them,” he said. “It’s all voluntary and we don’t pay them. It’s not like Bremerton.”

Councilwoman Connie Lord offered an amendment to the proposal that defined the North Kitsap area as the boundaries of the North Kitsap School District.

When it was brought to a vote, all six council members in attendance gave it their approval as a smiling Regis said, “Thank you for letting me express some points there.”