Jones County’s Park and Recreation Director has been on the job for three months and has enjoyed the challenge of learning the day-to-day operation of the department and putting together staff.
Bert Rosenberger comes to Jones County with 25 years of experience in the field with the last 15 years serving as the director of wellness and recreation at Georgia College and State University.
Rosenberger said Jones County had been on his radar since moving to Milledgeville to work as the Baldwin County Recreation Director even before working at GCSU.
The director has three children ages 5 to 13 and said Jones County Schools were definitely a factor in the decision to move here.
Rosenberger grew up in Jacksonville and lived there until he was 14, when his family moved to Atlanta. He went to high school in Atlanta and attended Georgia Southern to earn his degree in Recreation.
While working at GCSU, he achieved his Master of Public Administration from Valdosta State.
The director said he played sports in high school and thought he wanted to coach. He said, when he started working in the recreation department at Georgia Southern as a sports official, he worked with different recreation departments and met their recreation directors.
Rosenberger said that changed his major.
“I didn’t know there was such a thing as a recreation director,” he recalled.
He has worked in parks and rec since 1996.
Rosenberger said he was interested in the job in Jones County as soon as he heard about the opening. He said he pretty much started from scratch, at first asking a lot of questions. The director said learning all the little things has really been the most challenging, because there are so many.
Rosenberger said his first day was opening day for baseball in Jones County and prime time for the golf course, “It was challenging but exciting to see so much going on,” he said.
One of his first realizations was that the golf course and recreation department in general was extremely understaffed. That has been one of his main goals. The director said he has hired a coordinator for parks and rec and golf and an assistant director, who started very recently.
“I wanted to learn the day-to-day and then hire someone to fill the spots so I can start working on other areas of the department,” he said.
Rosenberger said those are bigger picture items. He said Jones County has a great youth sports program, but parks and recreation is more than that.
“We have Liberty Park that is scheduled for expansion, Haddock Park, the Inclusive Playground, Lake Jonesco Club House, two mountain bike trails and Jakes Woods,” he said.
The director said tennis courts at Morris Bank Recreation Complex are being redone. They will become six pickleball courts, which has become very popular.
“I’m looking forward to working with as many people as possible with our existing facilities and create new ones,” he said.
Rosenberger said he wants to work with the sports teams to make them better.
“Neither of us are as good working alone as we can be working together,” he said.
The director said he wants to help with the more challenging aspects of the leagues, like registration and scheduling. He said registration is easier when it can be done online.
“We want our volunteers to be able to focus on the teams. The county can help with the administration duties,” he said.
Rosenberger said he want to see as many people as possible participating in the sports programs and out enjoying the county.
“Together we can make it better,” he stated.
The director said he is enjoying the job and the diverse components of it.
“Jones County is a great place to live and work. We have so many good volunteers who have made me feel welcome,” he said.
Rosenberger said one area that he is working to improve is communication. He said the golf course needs a better way to communicate with members, and they are working on it.
“We have the capability. The information just needs to be input,” he said.
Rosenberger added that the Board of Commissioners and County Administrator Jason Rizner have been very supportive.
“They have made the transition as easy as possible,” he said.
