Park Director Begins Duties

The city of Wills Point has filled the new Parks Director position. Dale Watkins began his duties for the city on October 1.

The Parks Director position is a supervisory position involved with the planning, maintenance and operation of all city recreation programs and facilities. It will also include responsibility for the mowing of city right-of-ways and open spaces.

Watkins will also coordinate with the Wills Point school district for use of the baseball fields and concessions, as well as coordinating the use of the Cartwright Center.

"Dale has a great deal of experience in parks maintenance," city manager Jim Stephens said of Watkins, who is the owner of Bluebird Lawn Care. "He is very civic-minded and we saw in him the ability to work with the various boards and organizations.

"This position includes generating programs and activities in the Cartwright Center," Stephens said, and added that Watkins will office out of the Cartwright Center.

The Parks Director will also be responsible to bring revenue-generating events to Wills Point. Examples of events would include baseball and softball tournaments, cheerleading competitions, marathons, equestrian events, golf, rodeo and soccer.

Watkins, who has lived in Wills Point for six years, came to the city as the director of the Overcomers Ministry. The ministry was part of Care Center Ministries of Dallas, that provided a food pantry and Christian based 12-step recovery program. The ministry used lawn care to fund its work, which led

Watkins to lawn care service.

"Our work in Wills Point led to a lot of friendships, and we decided we liked the town and we decided to move here," Watkins explained.

Watkins, who is a licensed irrigator and a formerly licensed pesticide applicator, managed as many as eight employees at the Care Center, as well as scheduling and directing various activities through the Center. He has been a little league coach and has been active in the soccer association.

"The great thing about this job is the team that is already in place," Watkins said. "And to borrow a phrase from Mr. Stephens, I don’t want to re-invent the wheel. We’re going to borrow ideas that have worked in other cities to bring activities to Wills Point."