City hires Chelle Putzer as new Piedmont Recreation Department director

Chelle Putzer, the recreation and community services director with the City of Albany, has been named the City of Piedmont’s new recreation director, and it’s expected she will start the new job in early December.

Putzer was chosen by the City Council from among 48 applicants, six of whom were interviewed by a panel of city staff and the community. The final two, including Putzer, were interviewed by the City Council.

She is expected to be formally appointed to the Piedmont position by the council at its Nov. 4 meeting.

Putzer said Piedmont was an attractive opportunity because, like Albany, Piedmont is a small community where recreation programs are an important part of daily life. The Piedmont Recreation Department has an oversized presence in this small city where rec programs are a center of social activity; it runs the Schoolmates onsite after-school care program, the community pool and its various programs, the city’s tennis and pickleball courts, the Kennelly Skate Park and various other programs for kids and grownups.

“I love small communities, and Piedmont seems like a strong community-oriented place, which is something I’m really drawn to,” Putzer said Tuesday afternoon.

Erin Rivera had been serving as interim recreation director since July, stepping in for Sara Lillevand, who in June became Piedmont’s city administrator, in turn succeeding the retiring Paul Benoit. Lillevand had been Piedmont’s recreation director for five years at that point.

In a news release Tuesday announcing Putzer’s hiring, Lillevand said Rivera will remain in that role until Putzer comes on board.

“Erin has been and will continue to be an integral part of PRD’s leadership throughout the transition and beyond,” Lillevand said.

As for Putzer, Lillevand said, “Her experience and success as the director in Albany, another small city in Alameda County, will translate well to Piedmont.”

“[Putzer’s] great experience and proven track record of leadership will help our recreation department continue to provide excellent programming for all ages.”

Piedmont Mayor Robert McBain

Putzer has been Albany’s recreation and community services director for almost six years. Before that, she had been a recreation and community services manager and supervisor in that city. She also had been head softball coach at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, an assistant softball coach at San Jose State University and a volunteer assistant softball coach at Stanford University.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in health and sport sciences from the University of Oklahoma. She lives in Berkeley with her wife and two daughters, ages 4 and 8.

And as is the case with other Piedmont city departments, the rec department will face major physical facility repairs, renovations and perhaps even some major replacements in the next few years. Putzer said she recognizes that, and sees it as an “exciting” challenge — one to which she believes Piedmont residents will rise.

“This community seems very engaged and supportive, and that’s a wonderful thing to have,” Putzer said.

Reach Sam Richards at sam.richards4344@gmail.com