PITTSFORD — There is a new recreation director in Pittsford for the first time in 19 years.
Nelson Brown, 28, has been hired to fill the rather large shoes left by the retirement of longtime Pittsford Rec Director Randy Adams. Adams announced his retirement over the summer after 19 years on the job.
“We miss his daily presence at the Town Offices and at the Recreation Area, although we will surely bump into him from time to time around town,” Haverstock wrote in the town newsletter. “We continue to wish Randy and his family the very best as Randy moves forward with his life’s next chapters.
Adams was part of the search committee assembled to find his replacement, and was joined by Pittsford Town Manager John Haverstock, and three members of the Pittsford Recreation Committee. Brandon Rec Director Bill Moore also served on the committee in an advisory role.
Haverstock said the town received 12 applications for the position, narrowed the field down to five semi-finalists, them three finalists before tapping Brown for the job in a decision last week.
Brown comes to Pittsford via New Hampshire, where he was the assistant recreation director in Waterville Valley until April 2019. He then led sea kayaking tours in Seward, Alaska before coming to Vermont in December 2019 to work for the True North Wilderness Program in Waitsfield. He left that position in April.
Brown also worked as a physical education teacher at Waterville Elementary School from 2017-2018.
Brown holds a B.A in Recreation Management and Policy from the the University of New Hampshire, where he minored in business administration.
It is that aspect of Brown’s experience that Haverstock said led to a discussion about melding the rec position with economic development. Those are both hats that Moore wears in Brandon, which led to his advisory role on the search committee
“Nelson’s minor in business administration will also come in handy, as the select board has asked that he to give some attention to economic development within Pittsford, as his schedule allows,” Haverstock said.
Nelson will report for duty on Dec. 14.
