The Newton County Recreation Commission has decided to stick with the three internal, county candidates for the recreation director position and will not seek outside candidates for the time being.
Commission Chairman Danny Stone said the commission will interview the candidates Wednesday.
Since the application process has been closed, the three county employees — Assistant Recreation Director Anthony Avery, Recreation Administrator Matt Taylor and Pamela Maxwell, business license and code enforcement coordinator for the Newton County Department of Developmental Services — are technically finalists for the position, even though the commission could decide later to accept more applications.
"If, for whatever reason, the board should decide they want other candidates who may be interested, we may drop back and do that," Stone said last week. "Right now, we’re interviewing the three candidates we’ve got, and the entire (commission) board is invited to that interview process."
Anthony Avery
Avery has been the Recreation Commission’s assistant director since November 2000, according to his résumé. During that time, he has supervised day-to-day operations, participated in hiring and performance appraisals of employees, and assisted in preparing budgets and making purchases for programs. He also works on long- and short-term planning and helps to implement programs.
Avery was an adult recreation coordinator with the commission from 1995 to 2000. He previously worked as an early childhood teacher at the McIntosh Early Childhood Development Center, weight trainer for the former Covington Athletic Club, and was a health educator and physical education coach at Norcross High School for one year after graduating from Tennessee Technical University with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education.
Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown and Assistant Covington Police Chief Almond Turner were among those writing letters of recommendation supporting Avery for the position.
Former longtime recreation director Tommy Hailey wrote letters of support for both Avery and Taylor.
Matt Taylor
Taylor has worked for the commission since 1999, working as a recreation administrator – handling contracts, working on special projects, new construction and repairs, and preparing budgets – and facilities manager, where he oversaw the Turner Lake Complex, including managing staff and overseeing facility rentals and maintenance.
He also interned with the commission, while at Shorter College, from which he graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation management. He also has an associate degree in recreation management from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.Pamela Maxwell
Pamela Maxwell
Maxwell has been the county’s business license and code enforcement coordinator since 2006, overseeing both of those departments.
On her resume, she said she receives and responds to citizen complaints, brings action against people who violate local and state laws, processes business licenses and alcoholic beverage licenses, and assists in preparing the budget.
She previously worked as planning and development administrative coordinator from 2004 to 2006, managing the office, evaluating employee performance and handling purchasing. Maxwell also worked as a code enforcement officer for two years and as a public works administrative specialist for three years.
For the past three years, she has worked as a part-time wellness coach at the Covington Family Y. She has also worked in human resources for Mid-South Builders in Lithonia and Flambeau Southeast in Madison.
Maxwell is working toward an associate degree in business management from Georgia Piedmont Technical College and has multiple professional certifications.
The job will pay between $58,595 and $75,000, according to the job description created by the county.
Minimum qualifications for the position are a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management or a related field, with a minimum of seven to 10 years of experience in "recreational programming, supervision, and recreational facility/park maintenance," or other equivalent combinations of education, training and recreational or park experience.
