Jefferson City will have a new director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry by the end of the month.
At the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved the hire of Todd Spalding, current Parks and Recreation director in Belton, who will begin his new post Jan. 26.
In August, Bill Lockwood, who has been director of the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department for more than 33 years, announced his retirement, effective March 2016.
However, that announcement came amid tensions between department staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission, all while pursuing one of the department's largest projects - a new multipurpose and wellness center. While Lockwood had been eligible to retire for a while, he had said his goal was to stay until the multipurpose project was complete, which is not anticipated until early 2017.
As the multipurpose project progressed throughout 2015, staff's role in the project seemed to diminish, even as Parks and Recreation Commission officials continued to affirm that staff is, and always has been, part of the project.
The commission began its meeting with a closed session for personnel, where they made the decision to hire Spalding. Commissioners approved the hire in a 6-3 vote, with commissioners Cindy Layton, Michael Couty and Bob Weber casting the opposing votes.
Before going into closed session, all parks staff were asked to leave, making it the second closed session meeting in two months where the commission has asked staff to leave.
(In early December, the commission held a closed session to select a contractor for the multipurpose and wellness center. While officials from Lincoln University and Architects Alliance were allowed to remain in the closed meeting, all parks staff, including Lockwood, were asked to leave.)
The commission began searching for Lockwood's replacement not long after his retirement announcement. A selection committee held a nationwide search leading to 65 applicants.
Denise Chapel, commission chair, said Spalding brings with him more than a decade of experience leading the Belton parks system, as well as experience with YMCA's in both Missouri and Illinois.
After Spalding's hire was announced, Couty made a motion that Lockwood be placed in an advisory position effective immediately until his retirement date of March 4. Though Commissioner Chris Wilson suggested amending Couty's motion by making Lockwood's advisory role effective Jan. 26, when Spalding is scheduled to start, no one seconded it before approving Couty's original motion.
Spalding, originally from the Kansas City area, said he's looking forward to moving his family to Jefferson City and taking on the next challenge.
"Me and my family are looking forward to this," Spalding said. "This process has been good."
Human Resources Director Gail Strope said Spalding will earn a salary of $105,000 in his new position.