By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
“Parks are very important to me and I feel they’ve been neglected the last few years,” Decatur Mayor Dan Rickord said in talking about a major change in city government.
“There are a lot of things that need to be cleaned up.”
It was recently announced that the city is looking to hire a full-time parks director to oversee the ever-growing parks system in Decatur.
“The fact is, Jeremy just had too many hats,” Rickord said.
He was referring to Jeremy Gilbert, who recently resigned to take a job with Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne. As city operations manager, Gilbert oversaw several departments, including the parks and recreation department.
“There are a lot of things going on and we need someone to provide day-to-day management,” Rickord said. “Dan Friedt (parks maintenance director) and Melissa Bowers (leisure services) are both doing a good job.
“But we just need someone to oversee it all.”
The mayor pointed to the growth in Decatur’s parks system, including the recently upgraded disc golf course on the north end of Parkview Drive.
He had previous remarked that the upgrade of that area has brought about a large increase in the number of people using the disc golf course.
Ryan Lehrman will continue as the city’s manager of the REV Sports Complex, a post he was hired for in 2022.
“There are things that need to be done,” Rickord explained. “It’s not Ryan’s fault, but the concession stands are a mess and we going to do something about that.”
TAKING APPS: The city is taking applications for the new position, with a deadline of 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 5.
Among the job requirements are 3–5 years of park operations, grounds maintenance, or related supervisory experience; knowledge of landscaping, horticulture, turf management, and facility maintenance; and experience with equipment such as mowers, tractors, and utility vehicles.
A position summary says: “The Parks Superintendent is responsible for planning, developing, scheduling, and supervising the maintenance and operation of all municipal parks, recreational facilities, grounds, trails, and related equipment. This position oversees parks staff, manages budgets, ensures public safety and facility quality, and supports long-range planning to enhance community recreational amenities.”
Visit www.cityofdecatur.in.gov to see the full job description and application process.
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