City manager proposes new positions: parks and recreation, municipal liaison, economic development coordinator

City Manager John Hayden on Jan. 13 described a multi-part plan to reconstitute parks and recreation and add several administrative roles intended to increase community engagement and support local economic activity.

Hayden told the Board of Commissioners he reviewed existing staffing and worked with finance staff to restructure positions so the changes would have “practically a net 0 effect” on the city budget. He said the approach uses reassignments and fills positions vacated by retirements rather than creating a large new personnel expense.

The proposal includes a formal Parks and Recreation Division, promoted internal staff for event planning and youth programs, an assistant to the assistant city manager to provide additional clerical support, a municipal and community liaison to work year-round with department budgets and community meetings, and an entry-level economic development coordinator to work on downtown vacancies and business outreach. Hayden said the city will also bring forward a second reading to place a social worker in the police department, an item discussed at a December meeting.

Why it matters: the package targets front-line public engagement (events, youth athletics, outreach) and aims to provide staff capacity for budgeting and economic development, which could affect service levels and downtown revitalization efforts.

Details: Hayden identified two existing employees who will shift into the Parks and Recreation Division: Kim Colston will move to parks administration and Daylan Garland will run youth programs including supervised basketball leagues and returning youth softball and baseball. Hayden said FC Cincinnati has committed a soccer pitch for the west side of the city, which the parks staff will incorporate into programming. “We’re gonna give our youth some activity,” Hayden said.

On budgeting and community liaison duties, Hayden said the new municipal and community liaison will help triage department needs during the year so budget work can be more gradual and thorough. He said the administration hopes to circulate agenda packets earlier and present an aligned budget in May in future years for more public review.

Board action and next steps: the board approved the personnel ordinance readings and an amendment to add the assistant-to-the-assistant-city-manager position to the ordinance package during the consent agenda; the motion was moved, amended and carried on roll call. Hayden said the city will continue implementing hires and bring follow-up items to the board for formal approvals as needed.

Quotations from the meeting are drawn from City Manager John Hayden and commissioners during discussion.