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New athletic/recreation director job supported
MONTEREY - A combined athletic/recreation director position was supported by Highland supervisors last week, but how the job's duties would be filled and how its salary would be paid remains undecided.
On a 2-1 vote, the Highland County Board of Supervisors approved a request from Highland County Public Schools superintendent Gary Blair for a full-time combined director.
The job would be shared by the recreation commission and the public schools, contingent upon final school board approval. The county's share of the cost would be taken from expenses already budgeted for the recreation commission.
Defining the job and logisitics involved are still in the planning stages.
Supervisors called Blair into closed session to ask about potential candidates he had spoken to and to discuss their suitability for the position. Blair had also discussed the qualifications of potential candidates with the school board.
Subsequently, supervisors Rexrode and Sullenberger authorized Blair to proceed with filling the job, with funding to be transferred from the recreation commission budget. Supervisor Lee Blagg cast the dissenting vote.
Later, Blair explained supervisors voted in favor of the position but did not provide the money to pay for it.
Blagg said he wasn't sure there was any rush to hire a full-time person for the job. He said a recreation director would be necessary once a new swimming pool is built and new recreation center opened. The pool is paid for, and may be built later this year, but plans for a recreation center have not been formalized.
"Looking down the road, it's going to get expensive," said Blagg. "It's going to cost money. It's going to cost the taxpayers bucks."
Rexrode said initially that he supported a combined director position, but not if it was full-time. "It's not needed at this time," he said. He was also concerned with how the position would be managed.
But by the end of the evening, however, he changed his mind, and agreed to give Blair the authority to look into filling the job.
"I would be in charge," said Blair, in response to Rexrode's concern. Blair said he would meet with the county recreation commission regularly to get its input on community recreation needs.
While Blair appeared anxious to get the job filled right away, hoping to have someone in place by the Aug. 4 Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge, he said, "I am not unhappy with where we are now ... It's just the next level. I am just a competitive guy."
Existing athletic director Joe Neil works part-time without benefits at Highland County Public Schools. Blair said he is satisfied with the existing position, but believes the program could offer more if a full-time person were in charge.
Neil did not comment on the combined position, nor did he say whether he would apply for the full-time job.
The combined director position would have three priorities - to build programs for youth, increase competitiveness, and develop a weight-lifting program for athletes, said Blair.
The ideal candidate would be someone who already has contacts in the sports community and can get things done, he said.
Blair explained, under his proposal, the combined director would have office space at the school with a phone line to provide student athletes, their parents and coaches better access to him or her. In the winter, the director would work primarily for the school. In the spring, summer and fall, the he or she would focus on community activities.
Blair asked supervisors to give the position a one-year trial. If, at the end of the year, the position were not "a great benefit to Highland County," it would be terminated, he said.
"The trust I have in you makes it a whole lot easier looking at this position," said Rexrode. "It's something we need to try. It can benefit the entire county."
The recreation commission has $20,000 in its budget for a recreation director and the school has $8,000 for an athletic director. Blair said he needed $11,000 more to cover the benefits that go with a $28,000 salary. He reminded supervisors the additional $11,000 was not in the 2007-08 budget, nor was a full-time director's position in the school's budget, only a part-time athletic director.
Blair said in a May 28 memorandum to supervisors, "I did not specifically budget for an additional position; therefore, I am also requesting financial assistance with the benefits."
The school board discussed a specific candidate for the full-time director job May 7 in closed session, but took no action. At its June 4 meeting, the school board approved coaches for next year, but did not assign an athletic director to oversee the program.
The school board has not discussed the proposed director position publicly, but Blair told supervisors he had the full support of the school board. He said the school board gave him permission to look into filling the position, but he still needs the school board's approval before hiring.
This week, school board chair Bobbie Hefner said, "The AD position is in our budget. We will discuss this combined position at our close-out meeting Thursday night." She did not say whether she supported the concept.
The school board meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 21 at the Highland High School library.
Blair met with the recreation commission May 21 and the commission voted to support his concept for the job.
Since the recreation commission and the schools would share the position, supervisors would also have to approve the new hire.
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