The Wheaton Park District will be shelling out NOTHING for the return of Ray Morrill as he takes over as the interim Executive Director for the district. Ray recently retired from Wheaton after more than 30 years of service and has decided to volunteer his time while the hunt for a new leader takes place.
According to a Daily Herald article,
“With me, it’s not about the money,” Morrill said. “It’s about giving back to the community for the 34 great years I had with the Wheaton Park District. I thought I would know the staff well enough and know the community well enough that maybe I’d be the right person to help bring some ease and tranquility to a hostile situation.”
Morrill said he doesn’t plan on any major changes. His main role, he said, will be to support park staff.
Mr. Morrill, you are a true park and recreation professional and we wish you good luck! Rob Robinson, who had resigned as Director last week, will consult until a replacement is named.
Hopefully the district will search for its next Executive Director from the talented pool of professionals right here in Illinois. Keep an eye on the “#1 place to find park and recreation jobs”, the Illinois Park and Recreation Association’s park & rec JOBS finder.
The Wheaton Park District Board has decided to use the IAPD Director Search Service to fill the executive director position in Wheaton.
You can find the announcement of vacancy and learn about the search process on the IAPD Web site at www.ILparks.org
Is this the same search that produced the out of state director that worked out so well last time? I think their board should reconsider this move and not get themselves in another bad situtation.
Let’s play nice everyone…but good point.
Let’s keep the IAPD Director Search in the right prespective - they don’t actually hire the Director, the Board still does. IAPD bascially provides a screening process, that has greatly benefited many district’s and many professionals; it has personaly been effective for me twice. Granted, I think there are enough quality candidates within the state to fill this position, but they’re are numerous of qualified candidates trhoughout the nation too. As my Superintendent of Parks once said, “if we plant all the same type of tree, than we create a mirco-culture, and all it takes is a specific disease to whip them all out. We need to have a variety to avoid a mirco-culture of everything being the same.” My impression is that IAPD brings forward a good variety of candidates to select from, and we shouldn’t be over crictical of the process based upon the selection of the Board in this circumstance.