The first director of the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department retired July 29 in order to spend more time with his family, Williamson County Spokeswoman Connie Watson said. Jim Rodgers had been the director of the department for eight years, and several major parks were developed under his leadership.
Rodgers was the first director of the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department; when he was hired, the county owned land and was looking at developing parks, Watson said. Over the past eight years, several major parks were developed under his leadership, including Southwest Regional Park, Berry Springs, Champion Park and Brushy Creek Regional Trail.
“All of the parks and trails have been his work, because the county didn’t have a parks director before they hired Jim,” Watson said. “He was instrumental in creating all of that.”
The Williamson County Commissioners Court held a reception for Rodgers on July 26, and renamed the mulch trail at Southwest Regional Park after him, Watson said. The trail is now called the Jim Rodgers Hiking Trail.
Prior to Williamson County, Rodgers had a career with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the City of Cedar Park Parks and Recreation Department, Watson said. Rodgers retired so he and his wife could spend more time with their grandchildren and travel, she said.
Randy Bell, the assistant director for the Parks and Recreation Department, will serve as interim director until commissioners decide who will fill the director position permanently.
The position was posted Aug. 1 and will be opened until filled, and the county will be accepting applications for at least 10 days, Watson said.
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