The assistant director of parks, recreation and forestry in Fort Dodge has been promoted to a newly created position in which in he will tackle a wider variety of projects and programs.

Ryan Maehl was approved as the new assistant to the city manager by the City Council Monday night.

In the last year or so, Maehl had expanded his work beyond parks and recreation to become the city’s point man on the municipal broadband initiative and ongoing renovations to the Municipal Building.

He joined the city staff in 2008. In 2014, he received the Carole J. Hanson Outstanding New Professional Award from the Iowa Park and Recreation Association. He was certified by the National Park and Recreation Association as a pool operator, playground safety inspector and park and recreation professional.

As Maehl moves into a new post, the agency in which planners, economic development specialists and inspectors work has been renamed.

The former Department of Engineering, Business Affairs and Community Growth was renamed the Development Services Department by the council on Monday.

The department director, Chad Schaeffer, now has the title of chief development officer. Schaeffer joined the city staff in 2007 as city engineer. He became the department director in 2013.