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Interim Parks and Recreation Director draws rave reviews

Monday, July 15, 2024 at 9:34 PM

By Paul Gable

Jason Keeney, who is also the Forest Hill Cemetery superintendent, has filled in the last two weeks after the resignation of Greg Ruark.

Fresh off a stellar Fourth of July celebration at Big Walnut Sports Park, the reviews have been nothing but strong for Greencastle interim parks and recreation director Jason Keeney.

Keeney, who is also the Forest Hill Cemetery superintendent, has filled in the last two weeks after the resignation of Greg Ruark from the recreation and parks department. 

At Thursday's Greencastle City Council meeting, mayor Lynda Dunbar, as well as several members of council were quick to offer praise for the job Keeney has done. 

Councilwoman Katherine Asbell voiced her pleasure with the Fourth of July celebration and the job Keeney and his staff did, prompting Keeney to say it was a "team effort."

Dunbar echoed those sentiments..

According to Dunbar, there will be further discussion with the park board and where the process goes, noting the city is currently in the process of budget forecasting for next year. 

"Jason, eventually, may have to make up his mind if he's going to be a supervisor for two departments, whether he wants to go back to the cemetery or what he wants to do, but we will give him some time in the role and we will sit down and make a decision," Dunbar said. 

The Greencastle Aquatic Center and town officials got great news Thursday as Dunbar said recent tests of water samples came back with two satisfactory grades and "really great scores."

"We have made a few little upgrades at the pool, mechanical upgrades that make it safer to maintain the chemicals. You have to get two unsatisfactoriness to close down the pool, and, of course, that happened to us for whatever reason. Sometimes we would get one at the pool, but the splash pad was good, and sometimes it would go back and forth. Today, it was spot on and everything was great. They are doing a great job at the pool," Dunbar said. 

Dunbar said one of the things she looked at with her appointment of Keeney was the way he has turned around Forest Hill and made it look "park like."

"When Jason has an event. It is done first class. I knew it terms of the maintenance and being able to make sure something is ready for an event, Jason is the guy. He's proved a lot of what he can do by his work at the cemetery," Dunbar said. 

In addition, Dunbar said the cemetery has seen very little turnover with staff under Keeney. 

"His summer staff and seasonal staff has stayed the same, and he does a good job of training them and making them great employees," Dunbar said. 

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