Port finds new parks and rec chief in Hartford

Tyler Mentzel is Port Washington’s new recreation director.

Mentzel, who will begin his new job Monday, Oct. 24, was hired by the Common Council following a closed session last week.

Mentzel replaces Kiley Scherer, who had been recreation director since 2018 and resigned on Aug. 10.    

“We’re looking forward to great things,” Mayor Ted Neitzke said.

Mentzel, 31, a Cedarburg resident, has been the aquatics and fitness supervisor for the City of Hartford since May 2017.

Mentzel said he’s been involved with sports and recreation throughout his life, beginning when he was 14 and started working for the parks and recreation department in his hometown of Brillion as a soccer referee.

“By the time I graduated high school, I held every parks and recreation job you can think of,” he said — except for full-time positions.

His senior year, he added, the department created the job of soccer coordinator for him after the director resigned.

He said he earned a degree in athletic training from Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon in 2014, but while in school worked at the Feith Family Ozaukee YMCA in Saukville as a lifeguard and swim instructor, then at the Kettle Moraine YMCA.

He then worked at Splash Swim and Wellness in Mequon as the aquatics manager for four years before joining the staff at Hartford, Mentzel said.

“They have a beautiful waterpark,” he said, with both indoor and outdoor pools, weight rooms, fitness rooms, fitness studios and other facilities.

Through the years, Mentzel said, he has had experience dealing with people of all ages and gained expertise in sports and aquatics.

He wanted to get closer to Cedarburg, where he and his family live, and decided to apply for the Port job when it opened up.

“I love it in Port,” Mentzel said, noting he spent time in the city at the end of summer, helping out at the end of the pool season. “I wanted to be a director. I’ve grown and climbed the ladder.

“Some people have called this a good step for me. This is a community I could see myself retiring to.”

In his earliest years, Mentzel said, he learned and was most involved in sports, while in recent years he’s been immersed in swimming and aquatics. The Port job, he said, will allow him to get back to both aspects of the job.

He is excited about coming to Port, Mentzel said, especially with talk of a community center.

“I would like to be part of that,” he said.

He wants to work with the school district, saying it’s important in these time to share resources to provide programs for the community.

He would like to get involved in more special programming and events, perhaps a sledding hill that could be used for bobsled events and cardboard sled races.

“I’m pumped,” he said. “I’m continually having new ideas pop into my head.”