Though the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission recently announced the selection of a new department director, the selection was not unanimous, and commissioners are staying silent on the reasons why.
On Tuesday, the commission announced 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 for more than 33 years, announced his retirement, effective this March.
The minutes of Tuesday's closed session vote on hiring Spalding were posted Thursday. Those minutes state commissioner Darryl Winegar made a motion to hire Spalding after a lengthy discussion, and that motion was seconded by Lindsey Rowden. In a vote of 6-3, Spalding's hire was approved, with commissioners Cindy Layton, Michael Couty and Bob Weber casting the opposing votes.
But all three commissioners who opposed Spalding's hire declined to specify further why they voted that way, with each saying it was a personnel issue and they would not comment further.
"I can't go into it "cause it's a personnel issue. So I just have to have no comment," Layton said.
Weber said, "Due to it being a personnel issue, I really can't make a comment."
Couty maintained the same line, "It was a personnel issue, and I really have nothing to really say about it, I just voted the way I did."
Spalding will earn a salary of $105,000 once he starts his new position. Lockwood, who earns a salary of $104,800 currently, has been placed in an advisory role until his retirement becomes effective March 4.