FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen last week unanimously approved hiring a new assistant director for the Parks and Recreation Department.
Seth Noonkester, 22, will start June 1.
Assistant Director Matthew Foster was appointed director, succeeding Steve Shible who announced his intention to retire in May.
Six of 23 applicants for the assistant director’s job were interviewed, Foster told the board.
Noonkester had several good recommendations, including ones from Megan Roberts, general manager of Titcomb Mountain, and Kevin Madore of Madore’s Market. Both were places where he has worked while attending the University of Maine at Farmington.
Noonkester graduated from UMF on May 16 with a bachelor’s degree in outdoor recreation business administration, he told the board. He grew up in Acton and graduated from Sanford High School. His family members were outdoor enthusiasts.
“We were always hiking, biking and camping out,” he said.
Noonkester was an intern at Titcomb Mountain, reporting to the general manager and the mechanical operations manager, he said Wednesday. He worked there last summer until the end of the season under the internship and the UMF SnowCats Learn to Ski Program. SnowCats is an after-school ski program for children, grades K-3, a cooperative program between Titcomb Mt. and UMF, he said.
Noonkester was a ski instructor at Titcomb and also at Saddleback in Rangeley, he said.
He had planned to leave the area after graduation but learned of the opening at the Recreation Department.
“I went right over and kept going to visit,” he said. It all happened within a couple weeks, he said.
Noonkester said he likes working with children and giving back to the community where he has spent his last four years.
“I’ve come to love this town,” he said.
He said he would like to add more outdoor recreation to the programs already developed for children and adults, perhaps some hiking or survival tactics, he said.
“I’m happy to have the challenge to expand on what Steve and Matt have already developed over the years at Parks and Recreation,” he said.
“He’s very energetic and has some good experience from Titcomb Mountain,” Foster told the board. “His references were great.”
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