Dannie
Stamper new
director
of parks/rec
Platte City has a new full time parks and recreation director,
and he's a familiar face to those involved in local recreation
programs.
Dannie Stamper of rural Platte City was offered the job
at a meeting of the city's parks and recreation board
Monday night. Dick Stephens, board president, said Stamper
was busy Tuesday morning already performing chores for
the department.
"I started him this morning," Stephens said
Tuesday. "I'm trying to dump as much stuff on him
as I can—it (the work load) is killing me."
The vote to hire Stamper was 5-2 in favor among park
board members present at Monday's meeting. Voting against
were Barton Bradley and Susan Higgins.
Stephens had left the meeting prior to the official vote.
"If I had been present the vote would have been 6-2
in favor," he said.
Stamper is a longtime volunteer for the Platte City Athletic
Association, which oversees the local youth baseball program.
"His ability to run the PCAA was viewed as a plus—he's
been there for the past eight years," Stephens remarked.
Stephens said he couldn't speak for the entire board,
but in his opinion other factors weighing in Stamper's
favor included his knowledge of city and county elected
officials and his work ethic.
Stephens indicated Stamper's beginning salary will be
in the range of $30,000.
"We'll probably do a 90-day review," the board
president remarked.
There were 19 applications received for the position.
"Most applicants were kids right out of college
with no experience. We've been there twice, in a situaiton
where you train somebody and have them leave," Stephens
said.
The most recent director, Justin Stuart, resigned to
accept an offer of other employment.
One of the first priorities for Stamper will be to get
the swimming pool ready for the upcoming season. Along
those lines, Stamper this week will be attending an educational
seminar in Kansas City on becoming a swimming pool operator.
He will also oversee upgrades set to be made to the swimming
pool, start a restroom project at Riverview Park, finish
the playground project at J.W. Lewis Park, and help complete
the contract with the firm assisting in development of
the park department's 5-10 year master plan.
In another matter, the park board has hired a recreational
intern for the summer. Bruce Dunlap, a student at Northwest
Missouri State University, will work a minimum of 480
hours over a time frame that begins next month and will
run into the summer months.
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