New Rec Director Chosen From Toms River Township Employees

As Toms River opened its and agrees to look into whether to have an , the township's recreation director departed for a job elsewhere. But after a month of vacancy, the Toms River Council confirmed the appointment of a township employee to the position.

Eric Schubiger left in mid-June as the Toms River Recreation Director, to pursue a job in East Windsor as the assistant township manager there, said Toms River Business Administrator Paul Shives.

Recreation Department Program Manager Jared Tate will serve as Toms River Township Recreation Director.

After soliciting applications for the vacancy that oversees programs at the township's varied recreational sites, the township received 31 applications and conducted 11 interviews, Shives said.

In executive session at the last July council meeting, the council confirmed the mayor's appointment of Jared Tate to be the next recreaton director.

"Jared has worked for the Township in the capacity of Program Director in the Recreation Department for the past five years so he has a great deal of familiarity with the programs we currently operate," Shives said.

In addition to working for the township recreation department for five years, Tate has a total 13 years experience working in recreation programming and operations, Shives said. Tate has an undergraduate degree in Health and Exercise Science from Rowan University.

"We received a total of 31 applications, interviewed a total of 11 applicants and recommended Jared to the Mayor for this position," Shives said. "He is a township resident and I feel he is an excellent fit."

As recreation director, Tate will oversee the department, comprised of five separate divisions: General Recreation Programs, Cultural Affairs, Beaches, Bey Lea Golf Course Utility, and Winding River Ice Rink Utility.

Schubiger resigned effective June 15 to take a job with East Windsor Township as the Assistant Township Manager. The township took applicants through June 22 and then began to assess the qualifications of the applicants, Shives said. "We want to fill the vacancy as soon as we can."

In the interim, Director of Public Works Louis Amoruso served as the Acting Director of Recreation.