Sedalia Parks & Rec Hires New Parks Superintendent

Sedalia Parks & Rec has hired a new Parks Superintendent.

Darren Williams was offered the full-time position, formerly held by Jeff Coleman, who is battling cancer.

“Unfortunately, he is not going to be coming back. We are definitely missing Jeff and it’s a been a long year without having him and his leadership,” Epple commented. “But with the bowling alley and everything else, we’ve got to get somebody in there.

Williams is finishing up paperwork and join the Parks & Rec staff soon, and Epple said that among all the applicants for the job, Williams was the most outstanding candidate. “His resume` is pretty impressive. We’re super excited to have him.”

Epple added that Williams grew up in Sedalia and graduated high school here. She doesn’t know Williams personally, but talked to several Sedalians who do know him and are excited about his hiring when they hear the news.

Williams will be at the January Park Board meeting, Epple noted.

Work is progressing at the future site of Memory Lanes, and concrete is expected to be poured soon, either the week of Christmas or the week thereafter.

A camera is being installed at the site by Nabholz to allow the public to keep abreast of the ongoing construction process. Work will continue until early September, when the facility is expected to be handed over to Parks & Rec for training purposes. Memory Lanes is scheduled to open to the public Nov. 1.

Job descriptions for the various positions at the bowling alley will be finalized soon, Park Board members were told Thursday night. Jobs such as bowling manager and kitchen staff positions will be advertised during the summer.

Brunswick won the bid for bowling alley furniture, games and other equipment such as POS stations at the new facility, and Parks & Rec is currently working with Brunswick to finalize the details.

Board member Jeff Wimann commented during the 14-minute meeting that the remodeled Liberty Park Pond “looks fabulous” and the new look for the pond is continuing to get great reviews.

“We just have to get the water chemistry correct, then it will be stocked with fish. But there won’t be any trout this year, that’s just not going to happen,” Epple told KSIS.

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January 1 marks a big increase in the minimum wage.

“It goes to $15, which is a huge increase,” Epple said, adding that “when we asked the voters to vote for the Heckart Community Center, minimum wage was $8.60, so it’s really gone up a lot. It’s almost a $100,000 increase in our budget every year that it’s gone up. It’s a little over half a million dollars (over the years). But we have a little over 200 employees right at that minimum wage, so that goes up quite a bit.”

Expect a fee increase to take effect April 1. For instance, a $20 monthly membership fee will become $25.

In the top photo: Parks & Rec Director Amy Epple speaks to Park Board members Thursday evening at the Heckart Community Center concerning a new hire named Darren Williams, the new Parks Superintendent.