Although the move from Sussex to Key West may seem daunting, Sussex Parks & Recreation Director Amy Flaherty says, “We decided to just go for it.”

Flaherty spent more than two years planning and coordinating events and activities in Sussex, and most notably, helped to organize the possible reconstruction of Sussex Village Park. However, after the village posted the search for a new Director of Recreational Services on its website, Flaherty admits its time for her to move on – to Key West, FL.

“My husband and I love tropical weather, so we’ve always wanted to move to Florida,” Flaherty said. “We were just in Key West for my birthday in May, and we decided to just go for it.”

With her final day scheduled sometime in August, Flaherty says her absence won’t slow the potential redevelopment of Village Park. Sussex officials recently scheduled two “open houses” where residents can voice their concerns and ask questions, the first one being next Wednesday during National Night Out.

“The park redesign is moving forward as scheduled, so Jeremy Smith will now be overseeing that, along with Megan Sackett, the new Interim Director of Recreation,” Flaherty said. “The two of them will keep the project moving forward.”

The Village of Sussex officially posted a new job description to find Flaherty’s replacement, saying the right person would have at least three years of experience and a bachelor’s degree in recreation, leadership, management, public administration or something similar.

A master’s degree is preferred, and the starting salary ranges between $52,168 and $60,299.

Key duties for the position include: establishing a Friends of Sussex Parks Group, fundraising, sponsorships and grant writing for park improvements and special events, developing innovative programming ideas for all ages, and managing the Recreation staff and budget. The position reports to the Village Administrator and is a significant member of the management team.

Flaherty says she’s currently in talks for a new job in Key West, and her husband Mike plans to start his own business on the island. The two got married in Jamaica.

And while she still has a few more weeks on the job, Flaherty decided to sound off on her time in Sussex:

“I just want to say that it’s been a pleasure for me to get to know the community,” Flaherty said. “The move is really bitter-sweet, and while there will be things I miss about Sussex, we just have to follow our instincts.”