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Barboursville's first park director focused on helping families create good memories

The Herald-Dispatch - 3/5/2017

BARBOURSVILLE - When Megan Paul left her job at Frontier Communications in Charleston, she had no idea what she would end up doing next.

But after spending close to two hours a day five days a week driving to and from her home in Barboursville to work, she knew it was time for a change.

"I needed something that I really cared about, something that I loved and was passionate about but would also gave me better family friendly hours - especially with a 4-year-old daughter at home about to start kindergarten," she said.

Miraculously, it didn't take more than a day for Paul to find a job that met all of these qualifications.

"The next day (Barboursville Mayor Chris) Tatum and (Barboursville Convention and Visitor's Bureau Executive Director Brandi) Beasley, told me about this job they were creating (in Barboursville) that they thought would be a really good fit for me," Paul said.

Soon after this conversation and several interviews later, Paul become Barboursville's first park director.

"Everything just kind of fell into place," she said. "I told them in my interview that I really just feel like this is what I am supposed to do with my life. I feel like you can either be somebody who just sits and watches or you can be a world shaker, and I want to be a world shaker."

Since starting at the beginning of January, Paul has hit the ground running.

"I was actually told that I needed to slow down a little cause I came in so strong, but in my interview I told them that I felt as if I have been training for this my whole life," she said. "I have so many ideas to bring to the tables."

During her first week, Paul brought in a chalkboard to her office to fill with ideas, which she took about an hour to fill.

Written on the chalkboard are ideas like movie nights, disc golf tournaments, art festivals, live bands and more.

Next to several of these ideas are checkmarks, which she said means they are events which are in the process of being planned or are a done deal for this upcoming spring and summer.

"I want to bring life back to the community and get fun affordable thing for families to be part of and get involved in," she said. "Rather than just going to the mall, or going to dinner or sitting at a movie, I want people to experience things and create memories that are going to last a lifetime - like I had growing up here."

While Paul does not necessarily have a background in parks and recreation, having been born and raised in Barboursville was all the training she needed.

Growing up, Paul said her family would spend every Sunday at the park.

"We would call it Sunday funday," she said.

Whether they were biking or hiking or just spending time together, Paul said they always found something to do.

"I would never trade anything (for) those memories ... and I want other people to have that as well," she said.

Now, as the first park director, Paul said it's her mission to make to make sure no one can ever say that there is nothing to do in Barboursville.

While her responsibilities are still being hammered out, her main role is to help bring the ideas to life.

"With me there is a lot more efficiency," she said. "Before there would be brainstorming, and the city would come up with really good ideas, but there really wasn't anyone to actually execute them. So now with me and Brandi (Beasley), we go into these meetings, we listen to the ideas and what people want, and then it's our job to take it, get it approved and make it actually happen."

While Paul is the newest addition to the CVB, it was only in May 2014 the CVB was created.

"I feel like we are getting things accomplished a lot faster," Beasley said.

Prior to bringing Paul on board, Beasley said the responsibility of planning and executing events for the city fell on her.

"There was my regular role as CVB director and working on things like getting everything that tourists need and getting the actual business up and running ... and then we wanted to start programming immediately, but I was really the only one to spearhead that," Beasley said. "But now that Megan is on board, when we come up with an idea, we can get it executed as soon as the park board gives us approval."

She added that the great thing about the duo is how well they complement each other.

"My background is in event planning ... Megan's background is in sales so she's got the contact sphere, and she's got that outgoing personality that she can get people on board really without trying, and I am the one making lists and timelines and charts - it all come full circle really fast," Beasley said.

While some of Paul's ideas have already been implemented, Beasley said the true test will be in pulling off some of the more ambitious events.

"I think it's easy for us to plan a movie night or an outdoor hike ... but when you're talking about adding three major festivals, you know that those take a lot to execute and they will be the biggest indication that our team is working and that we are bringing the kind of things that people want to see in the community," Beasley said.

Though it's only been about two months since taking on the role of park director, Paul said she could not feel more supported by her hometown.

"It's exciting," she said. "The support that I have received from my coworkers, management, the mayor - it's amazing."

To find out more about what's going on in Barboursville, visit http://discoverbarboursville.com/about-barboursville-cvb/.

NAME: Megan Paul

AGE: 32

FAMILY: Fiance, Lee Sims; daughter, Reece Sims

HOMETOWN: Barboursville

EDUCATION: 2008 Marshall University graduate with degree in marketing

EMPLOYMENT: Barboursville park director

HOBBIES: Spending time outdoors and with daughter

FAVORITE TV SHOW: "The Goldbergs."

FAVORITE MOVIE: "The Hunger Games" trilogy.