File photo Rita Healy

By Alexis Tarrazi / Senior Reporter

NORTH ARLINGTON (Nov. 19, 2009) — After serving the recreation community for four years, Rita Healy is stepping down as North Arlington’s recreation director, effective Dec. 31.

“I am resigning because I have been serving the Borough of North Arlington for many years and it is time for me to move on,” Healy wrote in an e-mail to The Leader. “I would like to spend more time with my family and travel.”

Healy, a mother of three boys, was appointed a recreation commissioner in 2005. In 2007, she served as president of the recreation commission and then was hired as the director in February 2008.

“Rita is a dedicated public servant whose work on behalf of the borough is very much appreciated,” stated Mayor Peter Massa in a press release. “We will miss her.”

Over the past 25 years, Healy has been a volunteer in North Arlington, serving in a multitude of positions, including a volunteer for the Wilson School Parent Teacher Association, a coach for North Arlington Girls and Boys Basketball leagues with her husband, Pete, and president and secretary of the leagues.

In her professional life, Healy is a seventh and eighth grade math teacher in the Jersey City School District.

“As you can see, working with children has been my vocation and my avocation,” Healy said. “My favorite part about serving on the recreation commission … has been working with the adults who volunteer their time. The men and women who run our leagues and coach our children may become involved because their children are involved, but they also spend countless hours on constructing schedules, making phone calls, ordering uniforms, conducting signups, maintaining fields, running concession stands and seeing that our children play in a safe environment. Without them it would be impossible.”

Healy also added that she enjoyed working with recreation commissioners Tara Banuls, Glen Smiley, Maureen Keegan, Anne O’Brien and James Dombrowski, who are unpaid appointees and also volunteer in other programs.

“The one thing that Rita Healy and the Healy family always had was the children of North Arlington’s best interests at heart,” Steve Tanelli, councilman and recreation liaison, said at the Nov. 12 meeting. “I just wanted to wish her well on her future endeavors and thank her for her time in service.”

As for Healy’s replacement, Council President Albert Granell said the new administration would be appointing a recreation director in 2010.