Parks director says it was just time to retire

There was simply nothing left for him to do. So this week, outgoing Roselle Park District Director Tom Kruse decided to call it a career.

But Kruse said there's nothing afoot in the park district's abrupt announcement of his retirement, which ends his 30-year career in parks recreation.

"It was a mutually agreeable arrangement for me to retire," Kruse said Thursday. "This is just a great time to end my career with the Roselle Park District after the opening of the new water park and pool. What better time to go out than when I'm on top?"

Kruse said he had been in contact with parks commissioners "for some time" about his intentions to retire after the opening of the new Kemmerling Park and Pool, which debuted Saturday.

"I didn't want (news of my retirement) to get in the way of the opening," Kruse said, adding that he's still working out the details with parks officials to work with the district as a consultant until his replacement is hired.

Park district commissioners this week credited Kruse for helping to shepherd the opening of the $5.1 million outdoor pool, which marked the first time since 2001 that the Roselle community had been able to swim at Kemmerling Park.

The park had a pool from 1970 until 2001, when major structural damage forced the pool to close.

It took three tries before Roselle residents approved a $1.8 million tax increase in 2006 to help revamp the pool and park, which then took two years to build.

As for his future, Kruse said he's open to the possibility of working again, but is not actively pursuing any job opportunities.

"It's just possibilities," he said. "I do have family and friends out of state and my previous job was in California. I'm open to the possibility of moving back there. It's just nice to have some closure in Roselle."

Last year, Kruse sent a confidential e-mail to Naperville Park District commissioners expressing interest in being considered for the executive director position.

Kruse served one 6-year term as a Naperville commissioner, losing a bid for a second in April 2001.

He said the retirement had nothing to do with his previous interest in the Naperville job.

"Naperville had nothing to do with it," Kruse said. "They just recently hired a new parks director. I do know some of the commissioners over there. We're still friends. I wish them good luck. They're doing fine."