Spokane Valley hires new parks director

The city of Spokane Valley has hired John Bottelli, a longtime Spokane County park system employee, to oversee the community’s own growing park and recreation areas.

Bottelli has worked for Spokane County for 13 years, most recently as park operations division manager. According to a city news release, he has experience managing parks and recreation and facility programs. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies from the University of Vermont and a master’s degree in natural resource management from Central Washington University.

He is also a member of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Local Parks Advisory Committee, a state group that evaluates grants to buy park land. He is also a board member for the Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra.

Bottelli replaces outgoing parks director Mike Stone, who led the city’s parks department for nearly 13 years. Stone retired earlier this month.

Bottelli will oversee a staff of around nine people and more than a dozen parks and open spaces. One of the biggest projects Bottelli will oversee when he starts is the development of the Flora Road project, a 45-acre wooded property along the Spokane River that the city purchased for a new park last year.

His first day with the city of Spokane Valley as parks and facilities director will be Feb. 8.