With spring on the way, Athens city officials are in the midst of hiring leaders for two major city jobs — one person to lead the cemetery, parks and recreation department and another to lead the city’s water and wastewater department at Athens Utilities.

Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said this week he is focusing on one director for now — one to lead the cemetery, parks and recreation department. Former director Ben Wiley, 49, of Athens, who worked in the department 28 years — including 20 as director — died Nov. 24, 2018.

The City Council had just finalized the city’s plan to build a new 70,000-square feet recreation center near the Sportsplex when Wiley died unexpectedly. He had some prior health problems, a city official said.

In addition to getting employees through those dark days, officials also had to think about how to replace Wiley.

Marks told The News Courier he hopes to hire from within the department.

“We have interviewed 10 candidates for the recreation, parks and cemetery job. We advertised in-house,” Marks said. “At this time, Marsha (Human Resources Director Marsha Sloss) and I will have several follow-up interviews within the next seven-to-10 days. If we select a manager from this group, we hope to make a recommendation to the City Council by mid-March.”

Marks said the city has not yet advertised the water services manager position.

“Each (existing) supervisor has presented a plan of essential and routine work to be completed during the next several months,” Marks said. “Tentative plans are to advertise the manager job within the next 60-to-90 days.”

The competent existing staff made this delay possible, Marks said.

“It’s great to have experienced staff that continues to do a great job,” he said.

Rec center job

For now, Marks is focusing on the parks and rec department replacement.

“We are growing so fast, and Marsha and I both were interviewing together,” Marks said. “We chose to go inside (seek in-house candidates) and honor the people who have worked their way into a manager job or who have all the qualifications to be a manager and grow in the business.”

Marks and Sloss decided to look in-house first for one important reason.

“I know a lot of people out there who would be good managers, but you would have to educate them on your community.”

Marks said he favors a candidate who knows all about the Athens and Limestone County community over someone who does not.

He said the parks and rec director’s job, with starting pay at $79,186 and top pay at $106,413, could be overwhelming. There are recreation coordinators and supervisors to manage.

“You have the activities at the Sportsplex and the recreation center, the cemetery, all the parks, and the recreation, which is growing by leaps and bounds. It’s massive. You want to make sure you get it right, so we are not wanting to rush into it. We wanted to see what was needed from a management standpoint. It’s not easy to replace someone.”

Multiple tasks

Marks said the new $16 million recreation center is something the new director will be budgeting for.

“We’re looking for someone with the skills of a good manager,” he said. “They have to know budget issues. They will be walking in midyear (April 1) to a budget passed by someone else and then have to prepare for the next budget cycle. In July, they will be preparing for the 2020 budget.”

In addition to hiring a director, Marks is looking at moving up two or three others in the department.

“We are blessed,” he said. “Ben laid the groundwork, and there are people who never missed a beat in doing their jobs when he passed away. But, it is time for them to have a leader. They are getting anxious and nervous. With rec center baseball, softball and soccer beginning, it’s time to move.

“I’m excited about the opportunities. It is always tough when you lose someone like Ben, but we will get there and smooth things out.”

Water services manager

As for water and wastewater, the mayor has a solid plan for the interim between the resignation of former manager Frank Eskridge and the hiring of a new manager.

“Frank has transitioned back to the area in South Carolina where he has family and we have brought back a veteran person administratively — Betty Keip. Miss Betty is a jewel and she knows the department inside and out plus all state and federal reporting that is critical to our departments. She knows her business and the supervisors know their business. They have laid out a thorough business plan, not only routine but critical issues for the next six months.”