Restrictions eased on Parks and Rec board members

It hasn't been easy street for Mayor Nutter when it comes to making appointments to various city boards and commissions.

That's in large part due to a Philadelphia Board of Ethics ruling just before he took office that barred members of 25 such boards and commissions from being politically active, including raising campaign funds.

That included wearing a Barack Obama button.

It was no surprise, then, that the mayor a few weeks ago sought to find out if the 15 members of one of the newest panels — the Commission on Parks and Recreation — would be subject to the same prohibition.

The answer: No.

In a letter made public last week, the ethics board told the mayor that since the parks commission does not exercise authority and does not get compensated, it is basically an advisory body.

"…You are advised that it appears the Commission's function of 'adotping standards and guidelines' is an essentially advisory function and does not rise to the level of the exercise of significant powers of government," concluded the board's general counsel, Evan Meyer.

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