Whitefish open house planned for parks and rec director finalists

The city of Whitefish will host an open house on Wednesday for the public to meet the four finalists for the position of parks and recreation director.

The event will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Glacier Room at Grouse Mountain Lodge. There will be a no-host bar. Soft drinks and light appetizers will be provided.

Finalists include Jennifer Young of Kalispell; Maria Butts of Whitefish; Tom Carosello of Pagosa Springs, Colo.; and Rob Carter of Arlington, Va. The new director will replace Karl Cozad, who recently retired.

Young has been recreation superintendent for the city of Kalispell for 25 years. In that capacity she organizes and directs more than 50 diverse sports and recreation activities, special events, workshops and aquatic programs.

Butts has worked for Whitefish Parks and Recreation for the past three years, serving as head counselor and after-school coordinator before becoming the recreation coordinator two years ago. She also spent several years teaching high school English in New York.

Carosello has been the parks and recreation director of Pagosa Springs since 2007 and has began his work with the department in 2005 as recreation coordinator. Prior to that he was a journalist who covered local sports and government in Ohio, Arizona and Colorado for many years.

Carter’s experience in parks and recreation began 25 years ago when he was hired as the sports and fitness coordinator for the Fauquier County Parks and Recreation Department in Warrenton, Va.

His career has included four years as parks and recreation director in Ocean Pines, Md., and 10 years as parks and recreation director in Clovis, N.M.