Clayton names Todd Riddick parks and recreation director after competitive search

Dolores Gill introduced Todd Riddick as the Town of Clayton’s new parks and recreation director during the council’s work session. Gill said Riddick “rose to the top of our candidates” after what she described as an “extensive and competitive process.” She told the council the posting drew about 115 applications and the selection narrowed to a small set of finalists.

Riddick, who spoke to the council about his personal connection to Clayton, said he first visited the town in 2013 and that returning to live and work there felt “full circle.” He told council, “Clayton’s a really cool place. Like, I could see us living there 1 day,” and thanked members for their support. Gill and the mayor highlighted his professional credentials, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees in parks and recreation and roughly two decades of experience in municipal parks work.

Why it matters: Parks and recreation leadership shapes programming, facility management and community events, and the council framed the hire as an investment in the town’s long‑term offerings. The new director’s arrival also ties into near‑term events: the council recessed to attend a ribbon cutting for Clyde Sinclair Park’s new playground later in the afternoon.

Council response and next steps: Council members congratulated Riddick and said they look forward to his work leading parks operations, including oversight of the town’s new Clayton Fitness facility. No formal council action was required for the hire during the session; Riddick began meeting with staff and attending town events as the council moved on to other agenda items.