Home is where the heart is.
The City of Elizabethton officially announced Wednesday morning that Mike Mains was rehired to the position of Parks and Recreation Director. Mains comes back into a role that he’s held with the city for the past 23 years.
“The City of Elizabethton is proud to announce the return of Mike Mains as Director of Parks and Recreation,” said City Manager Jerome Kitchens. “Mike has been a valued employee, and we expect continuing success with his return.”
Mains officially resigned from his position with the City June 9 to pursue an assistant director role with the Johnson City Parks and Recreation Department.
“I appreciate the opportunity to work with the City of Johnson City Parks and Recreation,” Mains said. “James Ellis and his great staff were a pleasure to work with and the facilities and parks there are incredible. They are a very talented group that serve their community well.”
But at the end of the day, Mains added it was hard to pass up the opportunity to continue the work that’s currently underway in the city.
“I found that my heart is in Elizabethton and the important projects that our department continues to develop are an important part of my life,” he said. “I was given the opportunity to come back and resume my role in Elizabethton as director and working closely with developing and facilitating projects alongside Elizabethton’s staff is truly a daily rewarding experience.”
The hire was effective immediately with Mains jumping back in the saddle as Director and Elizabethton Twins General Manager.
Before his departure, City Council presented Mains with a plaque and honored him with a special ceremony to talk about his accomplishments within the city.
Parks within the City have seen an increase with renovations thanks to work performed by the department and the assistance of various churches and organizations. Over the past year, the department has also worked with multiple groups, including the Elizabethton IDEAS group, to look at different ways of improving the recreational opportunities for residents and visitors.
Now it’s back to the grind for Mains as the City of Elizabethton prepares to continue discussions with the Minnesota Twins to possibly keep their minor league affiliate within the confines of Joe O’Brien Field. Parks & Rec also has their annual Independence Day Celebration on tap for July 4, which spans from Covered Bridge Park to Joe O’Brien Field.
For more information on the activities organized by Parks & Rec, visit elizabethton.org or call (423) 547-6441.