10 MyClearwater
There’s a new director in
town.
“I’m excited and happy
to be back over here at the
Parks & Recreation offices,”
said Jim Halios, who has been
tapped as the new Parks and
Recreation director for the city of
Clearwater.
“I started in the Parks and Recreation
Department in 2002, so I have a lot of history in the
department, and I am really looking forward to getting back
together with the team and achieving some great things.”
Since 2002, Halios has filled many roles in Clearwater’s
Parks and Recreation Department, making him wellrounded
in all areas from recreational programming to
special events to landscaping and more. He started with the
city as a supervisor at the McMullen Tennis Complex.
After that, he became a supervisor at the Countryside
Recreation Center and then the Ross Norton Recreation
Center. Halios went on to become a landscape maintenance
coordinator, a community maintenance manager, and an
administrative manager. Prior to becoming a director, his
most recent position was as the assistant to City Manager
Bill Horne.
On Nov. 9, Halios stepped into his new role, overseeing the
city’s second largest department with an operating budget of
more than $31 million.
“I think it’s an investment in resources that the city
council and city manager place in the Parks & Recreation
Department,” he said. “Quality of life is a big attractor not
only for the visitors that come to the city of Clearwater but
also to the people that live here.”
Two of Halios’ main priorities will be Imagine Clearwater
and handling negotiations between the city and the
Philadelphia Phillies on the proposed $79 million renovation
of Spectrum Field and Carpenter Training Complex – the
spring training home of the Phillies.
“The Phillies have been here for more than 75 years. They’re
woven into the fabric of our community.”
Another goal for Halios is to get the department accredited
through the National Recreation and Park Association.
“Being an accredited organization allows us the opportunity
to benchmark ourselves against the national standard, and
it also helps us improve and get better. You always need to
measure yourself. That’s something that’s going to be a major
priority going forward for me.”
Bolstering Clearwater’s sports tourism industry by
maintaining the quality of the city’s world-renowned
sporting facilities and attracting more national and
international tournaments is also on the top of Halios’ list of
things he would like to improve.
He wants to build more trust with the community and be
more transparent about the role the Parks and Recreation
Department plays in the city.
“I really strive to be transparent and clear about our
intentions, our expectations, our policies and procedures.”
Clearwater Character
Jim Halios