After weeks of vacancy, the office of the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District general manager will finally be filled by the end of the school year.

The IVRPD board of directors named Dale Sumersille as its primary choice for general manager in a closed-session meeting last night. Sumersille beat out three other candidates after several weeks of interviews and deliberation. IVRPD Director Kelly Burns said that Sumersille, if she chooses to accept the position, will most likely take office June 5.

Sumersille will fill the position, formerly held by Derek Johnson, who resigned March 25. Johnson now holds a position in the county’s chief executive office.

Burns said that all four of the final candidates for the position were actively involved in the interview process until the announcement last night.

“All the candidates were still in consideration during the closed meeting,” Burns said. “We didn’t announce our pick until today.”

Further details about Sumersille’s background will not be released to the public until she accepts the position and her contract is finalized, Burns said.

IVRPD Director Diane Conn said the board hired Don Martin, an independent consultant, to help interview the candidates and negotiate the contract with Sumersille. The board also authorized Martin to present Sumersille with several alternative offers in case she does not accept the district’s initial proposal.

“Don Martin will present Dale with several offers,” Burns said. “If she doesn’t take the initial offer there are contingency offers that we will then vote to approve at our next meeting.”

Conn said she thinks good communication between the board and the new general manager is the best way to ensure Sumersille’s transition into the job goes smoothly.

“I hope we can get an ad hoc committee to meet with the staff and the general manager, to walk through the budget and really start communication off,” Conn said.