County to name new parks director

Elizabeth Warren, a lifelong Sarasota resident, has worked in Sarasota County's parks and recreation department since 1988.

By MAUREEN BYRNE

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 2, 2001

Elizabeth Warren has been thinking about a job change for some time, but it was an immaculate restroom at a Pinellas County park that finally persuaded her to make the move.

A high-ranking official in Sarasota County's parks and recreation department, Warren said she was amazed at how clean she found the women's bathroom at John Chesnut Sr. Park in East Lake -- especially because it was 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon.

Even more surprising to Warren was the cheerful response she got from a park attendant when she complimented him on the sparkling restrooms.

"What a great attitude," she said of the park employee.

This could be a great place to work, she thought to herself. The next day, she received in the mail a pamphlet she had requested about Pinellas' parks system.

If the County Commission approves a recommendation from its staff Tuesday, Warren, 38, will be in charge of a whole lot more than keeping the restrooms clean in county parks.

Warren has been selected as the next director of Pinellas' parks department, which employs 285 people and oversees 4,000-plus acres.

About 25 people applied for the position after former parks director Diana Kyle was fired in September. County officials said Kyle was fired after two years of service because of a secret plan she and a seven-member parks advisory board had drawn up that would have reduced the county administrator's authority over the parks department.

If hired, Warren will assume her duties April 22. The salary is $90,000.

"I'm extremely thrilled," the third-generation Floridian said from her home in Sarasota.

"That's my love. That's my passion," she said of the outdoors. "I really believe in what we do in parks and recreation. It has a tremendous impact on people's lives."

Warren's experience in consolidating recreation programs with municipalities and non-profit agencies in Sarasota County was one of the deciding factors in offering her the job, said Jake Stowers, Pinellas' assistant county administrator.

Pinellas County has 24 facilities, including boat ramps, beach access and 14 parks. But it doesn't offer any recreational programs.

For years, residents living in unincorporated areas of the county have complained about having to pay more to participate in cities' recreation programs. The cities say the higher fees help cover what non-residents don't pay in city taxes.

Stowers hopes Warren can help. "There have been some issues about this," he said. "She has experience in that area, and we thought that was a real plus."

Warren is familiar with running a large park system, Stowers said. Sarasota County's parks and recreation department, where Warren has worked since 1988, has 253 employees and manages 4,000 acres.

Warren, who is married and has two young sons, has been a Sarasota resident her entire life. She earned a bachelor's degree in recreation from the University of Florida in Gainesville.

She said she grew up camping at state parks and spending days on the beach. She feels privileged to live in such a beautiful area, where outdoor activities happen all year long.

"How wonderful I get to do this for a living," she said.

Ramona Updegraff, a member of the Pinellas parks advisory board, said Warren is ideal for the job. "She is just a real crackerjack," she said. "She is going to be a really wonderful asset to the wonderful asset we already have."

- Staff writer Maureen Byrne can be reached at 445-4163 or at byrne@sptimes.com.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright