Winter Park has hired from within its owns ranks in making Gerry Vernon its new director of Public Works.
The town announced the hiring in a Friday news release saying Vernon has worked as the town’s capital projects and parks manager for over three years, during which time he gained extensive knowledge of the community.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the town of Winter Park the past few years and look forward to continuing in this new role,” Vernon said in the release. “Public Works is my passion so I am very excited to join the public works team and dedicate my efforts to solving the big and small issues associated with serving our guest and residents.”
As capital projects and parks manager, he oversaw the construction of the Hideaway Park stage and managed the new public works facility project. He was also instrumental in the initial work for the new Lift Transit Operations Facility, slated for construction in 2021, the release adds.
Before Winter Park, Vernon was the Public Works director in Smithville, Missouri, and coordinator of Public Works for Berlin, Wisconsin. He started his career as a street laborer and heavy equipment operator in Colby, Kansas.
Vernon has over 30 years of experience working with local governments, including city management.
In the short term, he will fill both positions of Public Works director and capital projects and parks manager. During the transition, the town will evaluate the organizational structure to determine how the capital projects and parks manager’s role will be filled.