Area residents will have the chance to meet new Oswegoland Park District Executive Director Chad Feldotto on Thursday.

The event will take place from from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday at The Grove Administration & Operations Center at 3220 Grove Road in Oswego

At the Jan. 15 Park Board meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a three-year contract for Feldotto. The longtime Oswegoland Park District employee started in his new position on Jan. 5.

Feldotto started with the Oswegoland Park District in 2006 as park planner. Before being named executive director, he served as the district’s director of parks and planning.

Feldotto replaces former executive director Tom Betsinger, who was charged last July with allegedly attempting to run over a person with his pickup truck in Yorkville and driving under the influence of alcohol. Betsinger resigned from his post. A motive is not known and the victim was not injured.

The park district serves more than 66,000 people, including all of Oswego, parts of Montgomery, Aurora and Plainfield and all of Boulder Hill.

Last year marked the park district’s 75th anniversary. The park district was established by referendum in April 1950.

Feldotta was among six candidates interviewed for the post.

Oswegoland Park Board President Dave Behrens said Feldotto stood out among the candidates.

“You can’t disregard his knowledge and his dedication to this community,” he said. “We had some very strong candidates, so it was nice that he came out on top out of a very strong candidate pool. It wasn’t an easy decision, because they were all strong.”