Kenneth Blocker has been named the new Assistant District Manager at the Villages District Office.
The appointment was announced Wednesday afternoon by District Manager Richard Baier, who this week formally accepted his new role following the retirement of previous District Manager Janet Tutt.
Baier offered an overview of the reorganization of some functions and duties in a presentation to the Village Center Community Development District Board of Supervisors.
Blocker, who previously served as assistant superintendent at the Citrus County School Board, hit the ground running when he was named finance director nine months ago at the Villages District Office.
Baier, who took on the title of Assistant District Manager about 10 months ago, said it is important to keep the position filled for “succession purposes.”
Brittany Wilson, who had served as assistant to District Manager Tutt, also is getting a new assignment and will serve as the head of Technology and Board Support Services.
Human Resources will no longer take on the responsibility of risk management, however HR will take on the new task of strategic planning.
Many departments will remain largely unchanged, including Recreation and Parks, Villages Public Safety Department, District Property Management and Executive Golf Maintenance.
Carrie Duckett, longtime head of customer service, will take on a new role with regard to communications. Duckett, who recently earned a masters of business administration, will also add Community Standards to her portfolio.
Finally, Baier said the weekly outreach effort Welcome Wednesday would see some changes. He said about 60 hours of staff time has been going into Welcome Wednesday each month. However, very few residents attend the weekly presentation at the District Office at Lake Sumter Landing. On the other hand, about 1,200 people read the weekly Welcome Wednesday information posted on the website www.districtgov.org
“We are getting a bigger bang for our buck there,” Baier said.
VCCDD supervisors were impressed with Baier’s presentation.
“This is very well thought out,” said Supervisor Peter Evans.
