OCR Text |
Show ; IN THE B SECTION ; Weather B-2 : Business B-7 ; Professional Services B-9 : Scene & Heard B-ll : FYI B-14 The www.parkrecord.com SATSUNMONTUESJUNE 21-24,2003 SPORTS EDITOR: Eric Walden 649-9014 ext. 1 13 sportsparkrecord.com 3 Mark KecorcL Rec. Dept. moving on after re-organization City decides not to fill new reclibrary position called for in budget By ERIC WALDEN Of the Record staff When Park City Manager Tom Bakaly made his March recommendations for restructuring the local government, and the City Council and Mayor Dana Williams signed off on his plan to eliminate elimi-nate three department head positions, the Leisure Services Department was particularly particu-larly hard-hit. After all. not onlv was Leisure Services Director Bob Johnston's position posi-tion cut, but Recreation Manager Kathy Kelly simultaneously simulta-neously resigned as well. Losing those who essentially essential-ly filled the top two positions ;in the department was a blow ;of significant proportions, but one the remaining members of that group have vowed to overcome. "Obviously, when it hap pened, there was a period of mourning because we felt bad for our close friends. Bob was a mentor and so was Kathy," said Ken Fisher, the Interim Recreation Services Manager. "Hut this department is very resilient. We've been busy, largely because they left us in good standing." That flurry of activity stemmed both from having two positions vacated at the same time and from the oncoming transition transi-tion from winter programming to spring-and spring-and summer-oriented sports and activities. activi-ties. There was. Fisher acknowledged, some trepidation about whether or things would get done. and. if so, how well. "I think that when it happened, the feeling among the staff was, 'How are we gonna adjust to it?' because we lost two people." he said. "This is a busy time of year. When this happened, the focus was Eggg??!''.' V on getting all the programs going." While the city's plan to lop the three existing positions and create lower-level management spots in their stead a cost-cutting cost-cutting measure designed to save $277,031 in salaries and benefits there needed to be more immediate moves made, as a headless body tends to wander. So Johnston's position was set aside for later, though its responsibilities were consolidated con-solidated on what was to be an interim basis with those that Kelly used to hold. And the job was given to Fisher, who, coming in as a "head recreation coordinator" coordina-tor" essentially received a promotion "two layers" up. with his old position then to be filed by a season coordinator. Fisher, along with Craig Sanchez (from One of my goals is to keep recreation recre-ation out in front of City Council. I want to be an advocate for it and make them see that it's a needed amenity. " - Ken Fisher Interim Rec. Services Manager the Park City Municipal Golf Course) and Linda Tillson (who heads up the Park City Library) have essentially served as a de facto triumvirate since. "We're working as a team to be responsible and accountable for our own areas and for all three areas at once." Fisher said. "It's different work. Before, I was involved in setting' up recreation programs. pro-grams. Now, I'm much more involved in the political aspects. I deal with the budget, budg-et, city meetings, task forces, the rec advisory advi-sory board..." And there has been no shortage of projects in the meantime to add to his time spent working. In just the last few months. Fisher has dealt with building new basketball courts, studying the feasibility feasi-bility of developing the Gilmore parcel on Please see Rec Dept., B-3 I " i i - i ,..,. i . . v.- - , . . i , I ... I. -- ' ' , -J..-- . ... " - ' "Wn - SCOTT SNEPARK RECORD Bob Sheehan, the team captain and shortstop for Doc's, hit a homer and downed a few brews Thursday night. A night spent with adult softball There are many reasons people play; for some, it's simply all about the beer By ERIC WALDEN Of the Record staff It's 6:04 p.m. when the umpire calls for the players to take the field and begin the game. Along the first-base side, the members of the "Mulligan's" team, in their uniform red shirts with black lettering on the front and numbers on the back, set aside their bottles of Power Ade and a jug of Hawaiian Punch on a nearby picnic table and start taking a few practice cuts with aluminum bats. And down the third-base line, the members of the "Doc's" team, in their tees, tanks and muscle shirts and paint-covered shorts, put down their two-third-empty bottles of MOD. grab their mitts, and trudge out onto the field. Between these pair of teams playing in the Thursday night men's league of the Park City Recreation Services Adult Softball program, there are a couple dozen guys milling about the dirt at Jack Sutton Field at City Park on a cool, windy early evening. They all have their own reasons for being there. Dale Winston was in a similar league in Cheyenne. Wyo., for six years before moving to Park City, and he wanted to keep going. Freddie Lappe has been at it for the better part of four decades, and each time he tries to "retire." a co-worker convinces con-vinces him to make yet one more comeback. But it's Bob Sheehan who seems to have the most logical, rational believable explanation as to why he'd willingly give up an hour or so of his night every Thursday to hang out with a bunch of weekend warrior softball hacks. So why. exactly, is he there? "To drink beer." Sheehan says quite simply. "And to watch guys strike out." he quickly adds. The other team's guys? Please see Softball, B-4 My X iMii.iSpi .Id': .'jam. i'P ft:s)i(3r ;ti 1 , II II ... II uuEnn i it i -ni ; i II lift! IMI (in - r.t nil ' V-l i 1 'J. fe-f-y - 1 - . itr:,. ft4&; mi.i ii s..ir:.. t'l M I ii ; t'l't 'ill' ii .(in- ill ; ;l ' 11 ' im&'mx im'iisjmLn tK(lljjMV it nun "AtKUEpivoe-Ki. V(P i i v iiitSM!W-,l .Mil - 1 -i f .4 UNDERGROUND PRIVATE ROOMS FOR PARTIES & RECEPTIONS FINE STEAKS, SEAFOOD & SALADS FABULOUS OUTDOOR SEATING NIGHTLY SPECIALS (4 804 in ST. riiLjyU STEAK HOUSE |