The search is beginning for a full-time county recreation director.
The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Monday morning to set up a committee to handle the process. The committee will be made up of County Administrator Jay Fisher, President Trip Hairston and District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said it was “high time” the county got moving and suggested forming the committee.
“(The committee) can evaluate the job description, and no later than Aug. 15 we would advertise,” Brooks said. “We will take applications until the end of September. That will give us about 45 days.”
Tom Velek has served part-time as interim recreation director since late December. He was appointed to the post after former director Roger Short passed away suddenly in October. He is being paid $3,000 a month and will hold the post until the end of September.
Brooks also suggested allowing the surviving candidates for District 1 and District 3 supervisor after Tuesday’s primary to sit on the committee as non-voting members. District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders and District 3 Supervisor John Holliman are not running for re-election. All but one candidate in each race is competing as a Republican, so there will be two candidates left for each vacancy after Tuesday’s primary.
“That way they can at least be at the table,” Brooks said.
Fisher said he had a job description ready for the committee to review and was ready to advertise the position once it was approved.
“We’ll advertise in the paper, and all the normal ways that we do that,” Fisher said. “We’ll also advertise with the Mississippi Recreation and Park Association.”
A salary range will be one of the things that the committee will decide on, Hairston told The Dispatch after the meeting.
“We’ll probably look at beginning somewhere around $60,000 or $65,000,” Hairson said. “We’ll look at the experience of whoever applies and go from there. If we get somebody with a lot of experience we will certainly work with them.”
Short’s salary was $80,000, Fisher told The Dispatch, but he was only paid $40,000 yearly because he was a retiree. Public Employees Retirement System rules limited him to receiving half of the actual salary.
The position will include a wide range of responsibilities, Hairston said.
“It will cover everything from coordinating the programs,” Hairston said. “There’s a lot of responsibility when it comes to that, as well as the scheduling of events and rotating the fields. They will also have the community centers. It’s a big job.”
Free internet for sports complex
Velek told the board 4-County Electric’s internet service, FastNet, is going to provide free Wi-Fi for citizens at the new sports complex.
4-County CEO Brian Clark said the decision was part of the power cooperative’s mission to improve quality of life.
“I take a lot of pride that we’re not coming here to ask for anything,” Clark said. “We’re here with gifts for the (county). We’re going to provide access and infrastructure in exchange for advertising at the park.”
Velek said the playground will be named the 4-County Playground, and signage will be put up noting that the Wi-Fi is provided by 4-County.
Hairston told The Dispatch after the meeting there was not a firm start date for the internet service.
The $12 million first phase of the complex is expected to be complete in September, Hairston said.
The first phase includes eight baseball/softball fields, concession/restroom areas, an entry gate, picnic tables and a playground area.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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