DIXON, CA (MPG) - Jocelyn Bair and Charles King both wanted to renew their commitment to the Parks and Recreation Commission and Mayor Thom Bogue seem to happily oblige by officially reappointing them at the last City Council Meeting.

Jocelyn Bair is not new to Dixon’s parks or recreation activities as she has raised her family here even convincing her mother to move here from southern California after the children grew up. She knows particularly well Northwest Park since she lives around the corner of it.

“When I applied for the Parks and Rec Commission, I wanted to be someone who helps do decision making in the city,” she said. “I was working, single, involved in tons of things, and knew it would take time.”

The Commission meets at City Hall on the fourth Tuesday of every month and is an advisory body to City Council on matters pertaining to recreation programs and park facilities.

“Whether people are new to town or established, parks are part of our quality of life,” she said. “Parks provide places for people to walk, for children to run, for students to play soccer and bring families together.”

“It does take time, but you have to make that choice to do a really good job and it has worked out very well,” Bair said. The issues discussed can range from park maintenance to how deep the bark should be under a play structure and even parking or lighting.

“The fun part of the job is working with the commissioners who are really good, quality people that you would continue friendships with after the Board. We are all at different stages of life and formed intergenerational relationships.”

There are seven commissioners with one of those for a high school student. Currently, there are four commissioners: Bair, King, Lorraine Hernandez-Covello, and April Seto. The City is looking for two new commissioners.

Regina Espinoza just came off the Commission, but Bair hopes to be a mentor to someone new the way that Espinoza was for her. “Regina served five or six years and was exceptionally brilliant. She was truly a good leader because she listened and was respectful,” Bair said.

Although she has seen the development of the dog park and plenty of programs over the past several years, her biggest pride is in getting two new maintenance workers.

“It was our mission from day one from all of us to acquire two more maintenance people to maintain the parks and finally we were getting better financially after the recessions,” she said. “We got constant complaints about things not getting done and now we have the manpower to do things like edging the lawns and taking care of the facilities.”

Charles King and his wife moved to Dixon in 2003 and he started getting involved by serving on served on the Dixon Soccer Club Board so also was very familiar with our local parks. He grew up in San Francisco and clearly remembers his dad helping an old man who had collapsed outside a corner store. They stayed with him until the ambulance came.

“That mark has been placed on me to help people,” he said. “I wanted to do more.” So, he was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission about the same time Bair was. He talked candidly about learning to work with others.

“In the beginning, I had to quiet myself a lot on the inside. I’ve learned to listen to understand where people are coming from instead of bringing instant solutions,” he said. “It takes you away from assuming you have the best answer. You have to think about the impact in their neighborhood and leave your egos at the door. By listening, you learn there may be a better solution.”

His goal is to make improvements such as an obstacle course to the dog park and maybe Dixon can host a competition in the future.

If anyone is interested in helping on the Parks and Recreation Commission, call (707) 678-7000.