The North Whidbey Parks and Recreation board moved forward with a plan to hire a new director as soon as possible.

If all goes well, someone should be on board by Thanksgiving.

“We need that right person who is going to be a charismatic leader,” said board member Donna Sue Holly.

The last director, Gino Wolfe, resigned from the position Jan. 1 after serving less than a year. He followed Bill Walker, who resigned at the end of 2013 after working the job for a year-and-a-half.

The board spent months looking for the perfect candidate and thought they’d finally found him.

They offered the job to a pool manager in California, who turned down the position because the salary isn’t high enough.

The district was offering a salary between $52,000 and $59,000.

This time, the board is switching focus, looking for a candidate who has more business savvy than pool knowledge, Holly said.

The board wants someone who understands budgets, grants and strategic thinking. Knowledge of running a pool is something that’s easier to learn than the business skills, she said.

The district is advertising for the position. They hope to begin interviewing candidates in October and hire soon after. The district’s own bylaws state they have to leave the position open a month.

The district also is seeking volunteers who would vet and interview candidates.

Anyone interested in applying for the position may send a letter of interest to the director by email at director@oakharborpool.com or deliver it to the pool reception desk.