The Arnold Parks and Recreation Department recently said farewell to a longtime employee known for her passion and willingness to tackle new projects.
Recreation Superintendent Teresa Kohut retired on May 9. She started working for the department as a part-time employee in 2005 and as a full-time employee in 2010.
“I wanted to step away while I can still do a lot of the fun stuff with my kids and grandkids,” said Kohut, 67, of Arnold. “That is my motivating factor. People say, ‘I wish I spent more time with my family.’ I don’t want to be that person who wishes they had (spent more time with my family).”
When she started full-time work for the parks department, she first was an administrative assistant, and in 2022, she was promoted to recreation superintendent.
While working for the department she oversaw numerous classes and programs at the Arnold Recreation Center and helped plan annual events, such as Arnold Days and the Independence Day Celebration.
Kohut’s annual salary was $61,884.30, according to finance director Bill Lehmann.
“Her passion for serving has not just shaped the city and employees but the quality of life for our residents,” said Dave Crutchley, Arnold Parks and Recreation Department director. “You can tell she put all of her effort into her job. It is hard to replace passion, and it will be hard to replace the passion that she brought to the job.”
Impact
Kohut also helped oversee the Arnold Farmers Market during her tenure with the city. The Farmers Market is now in its 14th season and is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from the last Saturday in April through the second Saturday in November, with other special market days held during the Christmas holiday season.
She took over the market manager duties in its second season, ushering the market from the Fox High School campus off Jeffco Boulevard to its current home near the entrance of Arnold City Park off Jeffco Boulevard near the Meramec River.
The market typically has more than 50 vendors and more than 1,000 shoppers every day it is open.
“I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to move that forward,” Kohut said.
She said her job was made easier because she had the support of Crutchley, parks superintendent Ray Dornseif, former Mayor Ron Counts and the City Council.
“All of those people and others were just as instrumental as I was to move this to be a successful venue,” she said.
Kohut and her husband, Fred, often spread holiday cheer for city events.
Kohut said she also has overseen swimming lessons, other aquatic classes and fitness classes at the rec center; coordinated room rentals for birthday parties and other events; and most recently helped bring back the Kids Club, a child care program at the rec center for children ages 6 months to 10 years.
She also said she is proud of bringing other programs to the rec center, like the Silver Sneakers program that allows Medicare recipients to take free fitness classes and the Renew Active program that allows UnitedHealthcare Medicare recipients to take free fitness classes.
“That is what makes this job fun for people,” Kohut said of being involved in numerous programs.
Crutchley said Kohut has been instrumental in introducing new classes and activities at the rec center.
He said two examples include a new line dancing class and a Star Wars-themed swimming event held at the indoor pool on May 4, which many refer to as Star Wars day since the date sounds similar to the movie franchise’s catchphrase, “May the force be with you.”
“Teresa was always coming in here wanting to do something new,” Crutchley said. “I will miss her ideas. She is always thinking outside the box. I say let’s give it a shot and see what happens. I have been surprised by many things we have done that I didn’t think would work.”
Kohut said she also credits the part-time parks department employees and instructors who help make the wide variety of programs and classes work.
“I had an old director who said the full-time people think they run the rec center, but really, it is run on the backs of the part-time people. If we did not have them, we would not be nearly as successful,” Kohut said.
What the future holds
Kohut said she plans to spend more time with her husband, Fred; children, Jessie Kohut of Eureka and Jake Kohut of Webster Groves; and grandchildren, Colton Harting, 6; Brooks Harting, 2; and Ezzy Kohut, 3.
“I’ve got a brood there,” she said. “They are ready for ‘gammy’ to be off work and take them swimming. Colton will always call the outdoor pool (at the rec center), ‘gammy’s pool.’”
Kohut said she also looks forward to having more time to spend at Table Rock Lake near Branson, and she plans to take part in some of the classes at the rec center.
“I want to enjoy my life,” Kohut said. “I want to get up in the morning and say, ‘What do I want to do today?’ I have signed up for Medicare, so I have the Silver Sneakers program. I will come up here (to the rec center) and see my friends and take Silver Sneakers programs here. I may even do some of the new senior activities we have. I want to learn how to play Mahjong so people will think I am smart.
“I just want to be able to do things that I may not have had the time or energy to do before. I will get to go to Arnold Days and all of the fun stuff that we do here and experience them as a participant.”
Crutchley said the department is searching for a new recreation supervisor to join its six-person staff. The position will pay between $21 and $25 per hour, depending on experience.
Kohut said the Arnold parks and rec department is a great place to work.
“There is a great spirit of teamwork here,” she said. “I would recommend to anyone who is contemplating a career in parks and rec to apply here because we have a great team. Dave has always been a great boss to me. He is always open to new, innovative things. We have a great parks maintenance department. I think I have always felt that energy, and that comes from the top and coworkers.”