City hires new parks director

SOUTH PORTLAND — South Portland has hired a new parks and recreation director, choosing Rick Towle from among 79 applicants.

A Jay native and former South Portland resident, Towle attended University of Southern Maine and served as parks director in Old Orchard Beach and Biddeford before taking the top outdoor recreation job in Talbot County, Md., in 2004.

“Rick comes to the city with a great parks and recreation philosophy and vision. He is a team player and holds a high standard for customer service,” wrote City Manager Jim Gailey in a Monday email to city councilors announcing the hiring.

For Talbot County, Towle oversaw waterfront activities, community centers, golf courses, skating rinks and athletic fields. While there, he also authored a long-term comprehensive land preservation and recreation plan, was president of the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association, received a gubernatorial appointment to Maryland’s Advisory Council for Physical Fitness, and won $5 million in grants for local projects.

Towle will be moving back to Maine with his wife and two daughters.  His first day on the jobs will be June 25.

When Dana Anderson, the city’s director of Parks, Recreation and Public Works, retired in late 2010 after 33 years, Gailey chose to spilt the leadership roles. Doug Howard was hired in February to head up the public works department, while Tim Gato, who had held that role in the interim from Anderson’s departure, moved over to a similar role in parks and recreations.

According to Councilor Tom Blake, Gato has now moved on, leaving city employment. Gailey is on vacation this week and was not available to answer questions about Gato’s departure or Towle’s salary.