Parks director Kinney to retire

Dan Kinney, 63, director of Springfield-Greene County Parks Department, announced Oct. 14 that he will retire in January after 35 years with the department.

Kinney’s announcement comes just two weeks after City Manager Tom Finnie announced he will retire this spring; city attorney Howard Wright retired in April after 32 years.

In closed session on the day of Kinney’s announcement, the Park Board approved the promotion of Assistant Director Jodie Adams to replace Kinney. Adams, 48, joined the department full-time in 1980 and was named assistant director last year.

“I’ve been in this profession for over 40 years, and this is a good stepping-off point … and should be an easy transition,” said Kinney, whose outgoing base salary is $109,324. “Jodie’s worked her way up and has done an excellent job, and she will do a good job as director.”

Adams’ salary has not been determined.

Kinney has served with the department since 1971, first as assistant parks director for six years and then as director.

Since then, the parks system has grown from 33 parks and recreation facilities to 88 this year. Under his watch, the department’s annual budget has grown from $857,000 to more than $25 million.

“It’s challenging when you don’t have the funds to put on a healthy program, but it’s just as challenging when you have more resources because the expectations continue to get higher and higher,” Kinney said.

Kinney led the department through a number of projects, including the Parks Initiative in 2001 that comprised land acquisitions for Rutledge-Wilson Farmstead, Valley Water Mill and Lost Hill. Kinney also had a major role in developing the Chesterfield Family and Aquatic Center, the Doling Family Center, the Northview Senior Center, Jordan Valley Ice Park and Cooper Park, among others.

Kinney has served as commissioner for the Amateur Softball Association’s Missouri State Commissioner for 20 years and as president of the Missouri Park and Recreation Association. He received the Fellow Award from the Missouri Park and Recreation Association as well as the Alumni and Eye of the Tiger awards from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Finnie credits much of the department’s success to Kinney’s and Adams’ work.

“Jodie has spent her entire career working with Dan to turn their department into one of the premier parks systems in the nation,” he said in a news release. “Now, more than ever, a strong parks system is critical to a community’s vitality. We have Dan to thank for everything he has done to bring us to the level we are today – and Jodie to keep reaching for the next rungs as Jodie has always done.”

SBJ broke this story in the Oct. 14 e-news Daily Update. Register at sbj.net.