The Kitsap County Board of Commissioners recently appointed Facilities Parks and Recreation Director, Cris Gears to replace Malcolm Fleming as county administrator. Fleming left the job on February 25 to accept a similar position in Bellingham.
   Kitsap County Commissioners asked Gears, who returned to the county in 2001 after a stint with the City of Bremerton, to accept the post after considering several candidates to serve as interim administrator.
   Gears worked briefly as director of parks and recreation for the City of Bremerton in 2000 after being recruited by Kitsap County from his home state of Minnesota where he served as director of Parks and Recreation for the city of St. Louis Park from 1988 to 1999, and as city manager for the City of Excelsior from 1985 to 1988.
   Gears has been recognized as the force behind the acquisition of hundreds of acres for regional heritage park development, as well as stewardship of several county held forests, collaborative partnerships with school districts, development of a public facilities district, renovating and promoting year-around use of the fairgrounds facilities, and a rejuvenated county fair.
   County buildings developed through his Facilities Division – such as the Readiness Center and the Public Facilities Annex, have come in on time and on budget.
   Gears’ first day on the job was February 14.