commercial district to the east, and a residential area to the west. Her work, with assistance from the Junior League of South Brevard, convinced the county and state to purchase the land and establish the Erna Nixon Park. The park opened in 1976 and is a key habitat for many native plants, birds, and animals, including gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, and bobcats. Climate Government The Town of Melbourne Village is governed by a Town Commission of seven members, one of whom is the Mayor/Commissioner. By town charter, these are unpaid positions. The Mayor and Commissioners are non-partisan positions and are elected in November during the general elections for two year terms. Terms are staggered, with three commission seats up for election each year plus the mayoral seat up every other year. Each year, the Commission elects one of their members as the Vice Mayor. The Commission meets at least once a month to deal with town business, in a modified "town hall"-style meeting. This form of government is a mixture of the "Council-Manager" and the "Mayor-Council" systems, as the Mayor is elected (rather than appointed) yet does have a vote on the Commission. While the Mayor is responsible for the day-to-day executive oversight and guidance for the town (in essence, the Town's "city manager"), the Commission can reverse or direct the Mayor's actions. Three departments serve the town with paid employees: Administration, Public Works, and Police. Even though the municipality is small, having its own police force enables the town to provide 24/7 coverage with fast response times, as well as community policing activities. American Homesteading Foundation (AHF) The American Homesteading Foundation was the entity behind the founding of Melbourne Village. All homeowners in the town are given the option of being members of the AHF. The AHF was founded in 1946 by Virginia Wood, Elizabeth Nutting, and Margaret Hutchinson, and is a not-for-profit corporation and independent of the official municipality. The AHF serves the community by owning, maintaining, and operating all the community property within the town, and sponsors recreational and educational activities throughout the year. The community property includes approximately of parks and paths, the Village Hall, and the AHF Swimming Pool. In its modern form, the main function of the AHF is sometimes described as an independent self-funded Parks and Recreation department for the town's residents. Community involvement More than 25 percent of the residents of Melbourne