By:Chris Munzing
After 47 years on the job, Robert Carroll is calling it quits as superintendent of the Long Beach Recreation Department. Carroll will be leaving the post he has held for nearly a half century in order to get more involved in other aspects of the Long Beach community.
According to City Manager Harold Porr III, however, Carroll's experience and dedication to the Rec will be kept in mind when recreation issues arise that could benefit from his expert opinion. "I'll call him once a day," laughed Porr.
"His impact is almost impossible to measure," Porr continued. "He is recreation in Long Beach. His imprint will remain on the City of Long Beach for many, many decades."
"I've been here a long time," Carroll said about the Rec. "It's time to move on, get involved in other things."
Porr credits Carroll's longevity to his love of his position and the people he works with. Porr said that Carroll never looked at what he did as a job, but rather something that he loved that he happened to get paid for. "He loves kids, and his work wasn't a job," said Porr. "It was more like a ministry."
Though the city manager has only worked with Carroll for two years, or roughly 4 percent of Carroll's tenure, he has seen the impact of Carroll's leadership on the city. From Veterans Park on Reynolds Channel to the growth of the youth and adult intramural sports leagues to the wealth of summer concerts on the beach that draw audiences from across Long Island, Carroll has touched many lives in the community and beyond. "I've seen all the things he put into place over the years in full bloom," said Porr.
Carroll's tenure at the department also saw a dramatic increase in revenue generated by the beach park, from around $250,000 to nearly $2 million three years ago. He also gets credit for joining with the Long Island Rail Road to develop a package providing train users from the city with special rates to get to the beach. That alone, said Carroll, generates more than $250,000 a year for the city.
Carroll said that even though he is leaving the recreation department, he will stay involved throughout the community, particularly in the Lions Club, where he is an active member. The leader in Carroll will not disappear because of his retirement. He said he is confident that he will be able to make an impact in Long Beach even without the superintendent's position.
After 47 years of being a Long Beach fixture, however, Carroll said that there were things he would miss. "Interacting with all the people in the community," he said. "All the program that involve all the kids, all the parents and coaches. We've provided dozens of new programs and facilities throughout the City of Long Beach."
Over the past year or so, the Recreation Department has been the subject of scrutiny after the partial collapse of the newly installed roof in the pool facility, and the call by some in the community to tear it down and start over.
The departure of Carroll, whose last day will be Feb. 24, creates a vacancy that Porr said would be filled with the best candidate available. He added that the city will be looking within the department itself as well as at outside candidates. The new superintendent, however, will have large shoes to fill, according to Porr. "He's respected statewide, and in the industry," Porr said.
City Council President Jim Hennessy said that it is imperative that the department find a skilled leader who can take it to the next level, especially with the questions surrounding its future. "We're looking for the most qualified person for this job," said Hennessy. "We appreciate Robert Carroll's many years of service to the community."
