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FEATURES (This article, reprinted with permission, featuring Michael Price, class of 1997, appeared in Bexley News on July 1, 2009) 7/15/09
Board taps
Price to continue leading rec department
By LAURA ENGLEHART Bexley's interim recreation and parks director is here to stay. The city's board of recreation and parks agreed June 3 to appoint Michael Price as director of the recreation and parks department after a six-month stint as interim director. The board removed Doug Jackson from the position in January to cut costs, and appointed Price, 30, to the job temporarily, expecting to save the city $60,000 and more, as Price's former post as recreation supervisor was left vacant. Recreation board chairwoman Cindy Phillips said city officials had a time frame of six months in mind to revisit the decision. "Back in January, I think we all, on the board and City Council, in our own minds, held six months as a good point to see where the department would be," she said. The board defined a list of goals for the department for this year, and Phillips said the board expected to have a clear picture of progress at the six-month point. When it came time to reevaluate the position, the decision to keep Price was unanimous. "We absolutely and whole-heartedly felt without question that Mike was the most qualified and capable person of taking that list and moving it forward far beyond this year," Phillips said. "He came into a department that faced some real challenges financially, and he embraced it all, gathered the staff together and really showed great leadership skills in terms of his ability to set forth his own ideas and solicit those to the department. Together they've set some goals that we're really excited about," she said. In officially becoming the department's director, Price will get a raise, but Mayor John Brennan said the cost savings still exists. "We're not going to fill the recreation supervisor position that Mike held prior to becoming interim director, so not only is there the differential between his and Doug Jackson's salary, but there's also a savings in not filling that position," he said. Price's salary, although yet to be determined, will be around $60,000. The life-long Bexley resident said he's excited for the opportunity to build on the great legacy of the city's recreation and parks department -- but that will come with some challenges. "We'll have to take a look at reorganizing some things internally to offer services at the same level. We're down a staff member, and in a department as small as we are, that is a big loss," he said. "Our goal is to continue to offer the same programs at the high level that we do, and make sure we're meeting the needs and wants of the community." "Our goal is to continue to offer the same programs at the high level that we do, and make sure we're meeting the needs and wants of the community."
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