Why do we need a Parks and Recreation Director?

We’ve heard a lot of folks asking why we need a Recreation Director—and even some suggesting we simply “give the money to the kids” or teachers instead. In this Rally Rundown, we break down what a Rec Director actually does, why it matters, and how it directly supports Lopez youth and families.

“Small park districts manage the same responsibilities as large ones with bigger budgets – compliance, contracts, risk management, budgeting, programs, partnerships – the list goes on. Having a Director ensures that these are handled consistently and with expertise by someone whose sole focus is the success of the organization and the satisfaction of the board and taxpayers. Without this focused leadership you run the risk of wasted resources, overwhelmed volunteers, and missed opportunities for the community.”

-Kerry Jack, Director, San Juan Island Park and Recreation District

Lopez Island Parks and Recreation District Formation Committee, because we are just a citizen committee and have no authority, has not made any decisions on any aspect of hiring a Parks and Recreation Director or General Manager, including salary. The $117k salary referenced in community conversation is the state average and used solely to estimate the cost of the position, and again, all hiring and staffing decisions will be made by the elected commissioners. If the District is passed by the voters and the five Commissioners are elected, levy revenue cannot be collected until 2027. For the first year, Commissioners will be focusing on setting up policies and procedures and conducting numerous public meetings to understand how the district can best serve the citizens of Lopez Island. Staffing and program implementation will be in response to this ongoing community input and a reflection of community priorities.

All Washington Parks and Recreation Districts are operated according to Washington State law (RCWs). All Rec Districts have elected unpaid citizens that serve as Commissioners that set the policies for the District and they all have a paid person who is in charge of the day-to-day operations. That paid person is usually called the Director or General Manager and they report to the Commissioners. The Director or General Manager is almost always a full-time position that requires an education and prior work experience in Parks and Recreation (usually a minimum of five full-time years). The Director or General Manager is the professional staff person that the public will get to know. The Commissioners are elected by the citizens of the community, often have no previous background experience in parks and recreation, are unpaid and never run the day-to-day operations of the District.

The requirements below are typically used for the position of Director or General Manager of a Parks and Recreation District:

“A small Parks and Recreation Districts Director is the bridge between the public and everything happening in the district. They ensure transparency and accountability. As a government agency, there are a lot of requirements and regulations that need to be followed. Not having a Director or General Manager could put the District at significant risk.”

-Brian Tomisser, Executive Director, South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District

Minimum requirements for the Director or General Manager

Essential Functions of the Director or General Manager

Provide outstanding and visionary leadership for the district’s future, demonstrating a high level of initiative, resourcefulness, creativity, problem solving skills and impartiality.
Coordinate with partner organizations to maximize shared resources and efficiencies.
Plan, organize, direct and administer the operations of the district.
Communicate with the board of commissioners, local and state officials, organizations, staff and volunteers, media and the general public.
Recommend policies, plans and other information necessary for the board to make informed decisions.
Direct all activities of the district according to policies established by the board. Develop, review, and analyze all operational procedures.
Oversee and approve all fiscal transactions and requests. Have strong budgeting skills to prepare, review, analyze and administer the budget for the district.
Project financial needs and resources by reviewing and analyzing current fiscal conditions.
Develop and complete accurate financial and operational information reports, specifically budgeting and financial reporting, and contract administration.
Interview, hire, train and perform all employee’s annual performance evaluations.
Maintain open and effective relations with staff through staff meetings, training opportunities and sound personnel policies.
Approve and monitor district payroll, leave requests and purchases.
Oversee continuing analysis of conditions, and services to assure that the needs of the community residents are effectively being met.
Establish efficient and cooperative intergovernmental relationships with other government entities and organizations.
Ensure that facilities used for programming are secure, safe and hazard free.
Formulate rules and regulations governing facility use agreements.
Maintain good public relations through the distribution of pertinent information, community presentations, and effectively responding to citizen requests, concerns, and complaints.
Oversee all marketing efforts and materials, including press releases, social media, website and publication of the activity guide.
Actively participate in and organize Lopez Rec special events.
Monitor safety measures for all district programs.

As you can see, there are a lot of job responsibilities that an experienced, paid individual needs to be addressing in order for a parks and recreation district to run smoothly.

Whether that person is a full-time position or not, and how much salary they are offered, are aspects of the job that will be open to public input if the levy is passed. However, in looking at established parks and recreation districts of various sizes, including those comparably sized to our island, it has not been feasible to run a parks and recreation district without a paid, experienced director or general manager.

Minimum requirements for the Director or General Manager

Essential Functions of the Director or General Manager

A community campaign to bring a Parks and Rec District to Lopez Island.

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