In a 5-0 decision, the council approved a motion requesting the Lincoln Park Board ask for the resignation of current park director Danny Foster. Councilman Bud Kitchin was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.
Lincoln resident Rick Phillips addressed the council Tuesday regarding an incident with Foster.
Phillips said when he took his son to Lincoln Park a week ago, he was nearly struck by a child driving one of the city’s ATVs.
“I asked the kid his age, and he said he was nine,” Phillips said. “I then went into the concession stand and was helping out as a volunteer as I had many times before. Danny came running in and said he had to talk to me.”
Phillips said Foster yelled at him then told him to leave the concession stand and the park.
Phillips filed an incident/offense report with the Lincoln Police Department regarding the issue.
“No child is supposed to operate city equipment, period,” Mayor Lew Watson said.
Councilman Kurt Kuykendall said city vehicles are not for public transportation but for city business.
“A nine-year-old child is not qualified to operate that vehicle,” he said.
Phillips said Foster also banned him and his wife, who was not present for the ATV incident, from all park buildings.
“He told us we weren’t allowed to be in any park buildings, even the restrooms,” Phillips said. “We have to leave and go to a service station to use the restroom.”
Councilwoman Sadie Britt said Phillips was allowed to use the park facilities.
“He can’t forbid you from using the park restroom,” she said.
Phillips said he told Lincoln Park Board Chairman Paul Watry about the incident.
“He (Watry) asked me, ‘Why are you telling me this?’” Phillips said.
Phillips said two members of the Lincoln Park Board came out to the park the evening of the ATV incident.
“I asked if we could all speak together (Phillips, Foster, and the two park board members) but I was told ‘no,’” Phillips said. “The park board members spoke with Danny then left. They never spoke with me. They haven’t addressed this.”
Watson said the 1985 ordinance that created the Lincoln Park Board grants the park board the authority to “employ a municipal director of recreation to be its executive director, provided funds have been allocated for salary and benefits for such employee by the city of Lincoln.”
He said the park board is the appropriate authority to handle the employment and termination of park employees.
“This was a matter for the park board, but if you (Phillips) are rebuffed then it is appropriate to bring the matter before the council,” Watson said.
Foster declined to comment on the issue Tuesday night.
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