Wally Morgus, former Quigley project manager for the Blaine County Recreation District, is the organization's new executive director.
The district's board of directors approved the appointment during a meeting Wednesday, Sept. 28.
Morgus replaces Dave Keir, whom the board appointed as the district's new projects manager.
Keir had served as executive director for about a year since the resignation of Mary Austin Crofts. The shuffling of positions was Keir's idea.
"This is going to be a great fit for the organization," board Chairman Tim Hamilton stated in a press release. "Dave is always looking out for what's best for the Rec District. He suggested this change so we can most effectively use Wally's business background and organizational skills as well as Dave's terrific program experience."
Before his appointment to the district last year, Morgus, 49, worked for 10 years as a development director and consultant for the golf industry. For the past four years, he has volunteered locally as a coach or director for youth hockey, football and baseball programs. He is the father of three children.
In an interview, Morgus said two priorities for the district in the near future will be to maintain operations at Galena Lodge and to improve the Blaine County Aquatic Center.
The current five-year concession contract at Galena expires this spring. During Wednesday's meeting, marketing director Dan Gilmore said the district will need to decide whether to find a new concessionaire or to take on the job of running Galena itself. He said an informal poll of about 15 donors and frequent users of the facility indicated a preference for finding a new concessionaire.
Morgus told the board he will draw up a request for proposals to send to potential new concessionaires.
"I want to assure everybody that Galena will continue to operate, and to operate at the high level of quality that it has been," he said in the interview.
Morgus said the district has determined that the local community has outgrown the aquatic center, located in Hailey. A few years ago, voters turned down a proposed bond issue to fund covering the 20-year-old swimming pool. However, Morgus said the district hopes to find some way to accomplish that and to enlarge the pool.
Keir, 36, began working with the district in 2002 as summer youth program director, and within a few months was named funding and marketing director. Before that, he worked for 10 years as program director for YMCAs in Boise and Ohio.
In an interview, Keir said areas in which he plans to focus are the summer day camp, the aquatic center and improvements at the Community Campus
He said the district plans to develop a fitness center at the Community Campus that will include a weight room and cardiovascular training center.
He said he expects to develop more staff training for the day camp, and to include teenagers in supervising younger kids.
"That way, they're developing the character values of the organization," he said.
