In a 5-2 vote, Daphne’s city council approved the merger of two city director positions that had been requested by Mayor Dane Haygood.
In a plan first brought up in February, Haygood had proposed combining two current city positions, the Conventions and Visitors Bureau Director and the Parks and Recreation Director. The city’s current CVB Director, Margaret Thigpen, has accepted an new position in Dalton, Ga., and the city’s current Parks and Recreation Director David McKelroy intends to retire later this year, which Haygood said allows the city to move forward with the position merger.
“We did analysis to figure out where we’re weak, and I think we owe it to ourselves to be able to do better,” Haygood said. “My office has been very guarded when it comes to new employment, and I think this will suit the city and our citizens very well moving forward.”
Haygood said the merger could be beneficial to the city and pointed to figures that said the city’s civic center had operated at a loss of nearly $400,000 per year for the last several years.
“I really think what we’re missing is being more strategic in relationships and involving the council and my office in recruiting the right type of events,” Haygood said. “We could redeploy those resources in a way to better help our citizens and help generate economic vibrancy.”
Councilman Robin LeJeune expressed reservations about the position merger, saying he felt it was not in the best interest of the city’s recreation department.
“We’ve expanded the city’s recreation department with a brand new sports complex, complete with 10 additional fields,” LeJeune said. “I feel combining our recreation director position with out civic center director position into one position is really going to harm our recreation department and our ability to man those fields and do the things we need to do for the children of Daphne. We’re going to shortchange our recreation department and all the kids we have out there by putting too much on one person’s plate.”
Councilman Ron Scott said he wanted to give the position merger a chance to see if it would work for the city.
“I’m willing to give it a shot,” Scott said. “It may or may not work, but it certainly could work. If we find out after we’ve attempted it that it doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean we can’t recreate the recreation position on its own.”
LeJeune replied he felt changing the positions after such a merger might not be easy.
“I’m not sure giving it a shot is the way we want to go filling such a position because once we’ve created it, it’s difficult to take that spot out,” LeJeune said. “I don’t think the take a shot option is what we need to do given the growth we’ve had and continue to have.”
LeJeune and Council President Pat Rudicell both voted against the resolution.
Haygood said he had already had two individuals approach the city expressing an interest in the position.
“Both of them have a strong resume in sports recreation and tourism, so I’m pleased with that and the city can explore its options on this,” Haygood said.
