Parks and recreation chief leaving post

Charlottesville Parks and Recreation Director Mike Svetz will leave his position next month to take a job in Arizona, city officials announced.

Svetz has served as director for five years, and was a parks director in Strongsfield, Ohio, before arriving in Charlottesville. He helped upgrade several city parks and create master plans for others, such as McIntire Park.

The city has not yet chosen Svetz’s replacement.