County Looking to Hire Director at Complex

The county is looking at hiring a director to oversee the operation of the county complex (Mike Foster Multi-Purpose Center).
During a meeting Monday night at the courthouse, the county budget committee accepted a recommendation from the parks and recreation committee to hire a director and two part time assistants and will forward that proposal to the entire county commission for its blessing.
Although the complex is staffed by part time county employees, it has no one to manage it full time.
If approved, a director could be in place by January.
The pay for the director would be on the same scale as clerks in other county offices, starting at $25,436 per year at step one or $12,718 for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Fourth District Commissioner Jonathan Norris, a member of the parks and recreation committee, said the positions could be funded without adding new monies to the county budget.
“Looking at the budget and what is already allocated versus what was actually spent in 2016, we think we can do this without any new monies, but obviously that is not a guarantee. We have salaries there now (budgeted) at $54,000. The way we did the math if you added in insurance, retirement and things like that, I think we’re still going to be within that $54,000. I don’t think its going to be any new money,” he said.
Norris said a director could also help bring more activities and generate additional revenues at the complex.
“Last year the county complex brought in $44,000 against $88,000 in expenses. I don’t think anyone here thinks it (county complex) is going to be a cash cow. That is not its purpose. But it does need to be closer in terms of balancing. I believe that a director, somebody who is there, handling , promoting, and pushing that, is going to be able to increase those memberships and revenues so we have a little bit of an offset of the liability.”
Norris added that a director should be put in place as soon as possible.
“We want to start in January because we need to get it going as quickly as we can. I believe its going to be a huge benefit to the county and for the people of the county. The public will know there is structure there they will need to follow and that there is someone there (director) enforcing that (structure),” said Norris.
The county commission will also be asked to adopt a set of new policies and procedures on the rental and usage of the county complex especially pertaining to profit and non-profit groups.