Search begins for new director

By Andy Brown

Published: May 14, 2008

The Eufaula Parks and Recreation Board has begun the process of replacing current EPRD Director Berkley Squires.

Squires tendered his resignation earlier this month after accepting the same position with the Homewood Parks and Recreation Department. Squires has agreed to remain as the director in Eufaula until June 27, according to Eufaula Parks and Recreation Board Chairman Craig Harris. 

“Berkley has been very gracious in agreeing to stay on until the end of June,” Harris said. “This is an extremely busy time of year for the recreation department, so it will be a tremendous help to have him remain in his position through most of that busy period.”

The job opening has been posted and will run through June 6.

During that time, applications and resumes will be accepted by the city of Eufaula. After June 6 the applications will be forwarded to the recreation board for review, and interviews with potential candidates will begin soon after.

“It’s our great hope to have someone in place before Berkley leaves,” Harris said. “That might be tough considering it’s the middle of baseball and softball season. That could mean that if we want to have someone from another recreation department fill the spot that we will have to wait a little longer, but we’re going to try and find the right person to fill the position as quickly as we can.”

Harris and Mayor Jay Jaxon, who will work closely with the board in finding Squires’ replacement, agree that the new recreation director will have big shoes to fill.

“I believe it will be quite hard to find someone the caliber of Berkley,” Harris said. “He’s done a tremendous job in his time as the director.”

“We wish Berkley and his family all the best,” Jaxon said. “He’s certainly served the people of Eufaula, the Eufaula Parks and Recreation Board and the city of Eufaula well. He has brought an energy and enthusiasm to the job that is evident to anyone that’s been around our recreation department. He’s just done an outstanding job and he’ll be missed, but I’m confident that the board will find a replacement who will build on what Berkley has started here.”

Squires, a Eufaula High School graduate, began his career with the Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department as an intern. Following his internship he spent 10 years working for Process Chemicals before taking over the director’s role at the Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department – position he has held for three and half years.

During that time, the Eufaula Parks and Recreation Department has seen the number of youth participating in the various programs increase from 590 participants to nearly 700.

“The biggest thing is we want to find someone who is going to keep our recreation department moving forward,” Harris said. “We haven’t sat down as a board yet and discussed exactly what we’re looking for, but we’re going to work hard to find the right person for the job.”