Overland Park, KS - Tony Cosby and Greg Ruether, two long-time city employees, have been promoted to run a reorganized Parks Department.

Cosby will be the acting director of Recreation Services; Ruether, acting director of Parks Services. Both will retain their current responsibilities in addition to the new tasks. The promotions are effective Dec. 18.

The two are being promoted following the announced retirement of Parks and Recreation Director Jim Cox. His position will be eliminated from the budget, saving the city about $150,000 a year.

City Manager John Nachbar announced the promotions today following the retirement of Cox. Cox, who has been with the city for 40 years, is the second longest serving city employee. His last day is Friday, Dec. 18.

"Overland Park has received national recognition for many of its family-friendly amenities, including the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the two golf courses, miles of bike/hike trails, pools, outdoor art collection, community centers, and just this fall the unique Overland Park soccer complex," said Nachbar.

"What Jim has done is to go above and beyond and sustain the dream of William Strang Jr., founder of Overland Park, who envisioned a ‘park-like' community. With Jim's departure, and our continuing need to meet the expectations of residents, businesses and visitors, the
department will become two distinct operations."

Cosby will oversee the golf courses; the Farmstead; community centers and pools. Through November, more than 430,000 visits were recorded at the Matt Ross and Tomahawk Ridge community centers; over 459,000 visitors to the Farmstead and more than 160,000 swimmers hit the six outdoor pools this past summer.

Ruether will oversee 80 neighborhood parks; the 300-acre Arboretum and Botanical Gardens; 70 miles of bike/hike trails; the forestry program, which annually plants nearly 500 trees; and numerous other landscape features in Overland Park.

Both began working for the city in 1983, Cosby as a recreation supervisor and Ruether as city forester.

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Contact: John Nachbar, city manager, 913-895-6101
Sean Reilly, communications manager, 913-895-6109