Nunn becomes Parks and Recreation Director
By Randy Bell
Courtney Nunn is taking on some new responsibilities in familiar surroundings. The Board of Aldermen voted August 2 to name her the new director of Clinton’s Parks and Recreation Department after serving previously as assistant director.
“I know I have some big shoes to fill,” Nunn said. Adam Wade stepped down as director in July to take charge at the Baptist Healthplex at Mississippi College. “He provided a lot of opportunities for me to learn more about parks and recreation. I’m very appreciative,” she said.
Nunn takes over the department at an exciting time. Parks and Recreation will soon be the beneficiary of Clinton’s new two per cent restaurant tax, which City officials say is expected to generate $1 million a year dedicated to park improvements.
“I plan to go ahead and start this fall with some wish lists,” she said. “I’m going to ask the [sports associations] to specifically give me a list for their particular sport but also an overall list for all the parks in the city.”
Nunn also plans to get a wish list of improvements from the Parks Advisory Board as well as meet with the mayor and aldermen “to see which direction we want to go.” The City plans to collect a year’s worth of revenue and get plenty of citizen input before spending any of the restaurant tax money.
And there’s a new park unlike any other in Clinton on the horizon. The City is now working with a consultant to come up with a concept for the 84-acre tract south of I-20 and north of Butts Park which could become a regional attraction.
“We don’t have any specifics with that,” Nunn said. “I think ideas are still being thrown on the table, but we look forward to making it something different for the metro area.”
Aldermen who interviewed candidates for the parks and recreation director’s job say they were impressed with Nunn’s recommendation for saving the department some money. She wants to use funds allotted for unfilled jobs to hire a landscaping company to maintain Traceway Park.
“The grounds [at Traceway] would be taken care of, and then our crew would take care of primarily the athletic fields, giving them an emphasis and focus to make the fields better,” she said.
