Parks and Recreation Director Chris Wicker is retiring at the end of November, City Manager Paul Sabiston announced at a council work session tonight.

“We are certainly going to miss him,” Sabiston said.

“Thank you for your excellent leadership,” Councilman Jon Baker said.

Wicker has been with the city for 26 years.

In another matter tonight, Wicker announced the department is exploring a fitness center at T.J. Davis.

Right now the department is doing research to determine how many people would use it and how to pay for it, whether it would be through grants or a lease to buy deal. “We’re not ready to make any recommendations,” Wicker said. “It’s been very successful in other communities.”

In another matter council approved using The Computer Guy, a Roanoke Rapids company, for its web and email host.

Future considerations will be to have the company upgrade its primary server and discuss plans for a larger citywide computer and hardware upgrade