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The Kiowa County Council on Aging has begun its search for a new director leading up to the exit of current director John Wickland.
Wickland, hired in early 2010 has been instrumental in the completion of the new Senior Center building, currently under construction on the west side of Main Street in Greensburg and will be assisting the council on aging in finding his successor.
“When I took the job it was with the understanding that I was there to help restore programs and services and to help build the building, but not to stay as the permanent director,” Wickland qualified. “Since we started our temporary services in May of 2010 we have made a lot of progress with participation by the seniors, gained support from the community as a whole and we have received tremendous support for the new building. I think that we’ve done quite well given our constraints. But, as far as I am concerned [what we’ve accomplished so far] is not enough.”
With the Senior Center building slated to open in early April, Wickland and the board of directors will have completed what Wickland calls the “first phase” of a bigger plan to bring more services to Kiowa County seniors.
“We need to be open more than three hours a day. Having our own facility will allow us to do that. I want to see people using the facility in the morning, during the day and in the afternoon and not just for lunches and one or two events a week. I want people to be in that facility during the day. Even if they just want to watch a movie, come over to the building and be part of a social environment.”
Wickland notes that whoever the incoming director will be, they will come in with a brand new building and a responsibility to use it properly.
“In many respects [the incoming director] is starting fresh. They will be starting with a clean slate as far as the facility goes and it’s up to them to best utilize that facility, working with the board and volunteers and staff to do so.”
Wickland and the board members are hoping for a facility that will offer more health services, legal and tax services and more recreational services.
“We also want to appeal to the younger seniors who come into the center as well as the older members,” continued Wickland. “Many people who are their 60s don’t consider themselves to be seniors and that’s fine, but we can still offer activities that are of interest to them. I do think that is something the incoming director should work on.”
The Kiowa County Council on Aging has begun its search for a new director leading up to the exit of current director John Wickland.
Wickland, hired in early 2010 has been instrumental in the completion of the new Senior Center building, currently under construction on the west side of Main Street in Greensburg and will be assisting the council on aging in finding his successor.
“When I took the job it was with the understanding that I was there to help restore programs and services and to help build the building, but not to stay as the permanent director,” Wickland qualified. “Since we started our temporary services in May of 2010 we have made a lot of progress with participation by the seniors, gained support from the community as a whole and we have received tremendous support for the new building. I think that we’ve done quite well given our constraints. But, as far as I am concerned [what we’ve accomplished so far] is not enough.”
With the Senior Center building slated to open in early April, Wickland and the board of directors will have completed what Wickland calls the “first phase” of a bigger plan to bring more services to Kiowa County seniors.
“We need to be open more than three hours a day. Having our own facility will allow us to do that. I want to see people using the facility in the morning, during the day and in the afternoon and not just for lunches and one or two events a week. I want people to be in that facility during the day. Even if they just want to watch a movie, come over to the building and be part of a social environment.”
Wickland notes that whoever the incoming director will be, they will come in with a brand new building and a responsibility to use it properly.
“In many respects [the incoming director] is starting fresh. They will be starting with a clean slate as far as the facility goes and it’s up to them to best utilize that facility, working with the board and volunteers and staff to do so.”
Wickland and the board members are hoping for a facility that will offer more health services, legal and tax services and more recreational services.
“We also want to appeal to the younger seniors who come into the center as well as the older members,” continued Wickland. “Many people who are their 60s don’t consider themselves to be seniors and that’s fine, but we can still offer activities that are of interest to them. I do think that is something the incoming director should work on.”
The timetable puts a new director in place just as the new building is opening in April. Wickland and his board have been preparing to interview candidates in the upcoming weeks hoping to have finalists chosen at their Feb. 14 board meeting and to pick his successor not later than their March 13 board meeting.
“I will be very involved in the hiring, as will the board members. Between now and Feb. 14 we are going to advertise the position locally as well as in surrounding areas. I will give my feedback, but it will be their final decision. People should contact me if they are interested.”
When asked what types of candidates he and the board were looking for, Wickland listed some important but varying criteria with education and experience, but made it clear that there was a qualification that was a must for the person who would be replacing him.
“The most important thing, from my point of view, is that we need a director that is going to relate well with; communicate well with; and connect to the seniors in our community. There needs to be trust, and that may be the hardest quality to find. It isn’t something that shows up on a resume. That is the most important thing if we want to continue to grow and expand and move forward.”
