COEUR d'ALENE - Rick Currie has found a new home.

The former Kootenai County commissioner has recently taken on the permanent role of administrative director at Lake City Senior Center, after serving as interim director for several months.

He had no difficulty accepting the board's request to stay on, he said, when the members offered him the position at their meeting last month.

"The center, it has a definite warm spot in my heart," said Currie, who was appointed interim director in March. "I've enjoyed working with the staff and volunteers and the board."

The director's role involves overseeing daily operations at the center, where seniors meet for social gatherings, classes and meals.

Currie has plans to expand some of the facility's programs, he said, and is trolling for new ones like cribbage.

Every program, like canasta, bingo and pool, provides another opportunity for seniors to be active, he explained.

"It is a social network," he said. "It's extremely important that we keep our seniors involved."

Currie is also working with the center board to pursue facility upgrades, he added, with the hope of renting out the building more to outside parties.

Planned improvements include repainting the dining room and upgrading the lighting and sound systems, he said.

The center is having an ice cream social fundraiser for those upgrades Wednesday.

"We want to make the facility attractive to other venues," Currie said.

Among these changes, the center is adopting a new name, he added.

The facility will be known as the Lake City Center, Serving Our Senior Community.

The word senior holds a stigma, he explained, which might deter some from enjoying the center.

"I can't keep up with half these people. They're extremely active," Currie said. "We want to make sure it's more open to all of our seniors."

The board decided to hire Currie full-time, said board member Deanna Goodlander, when Currie suggested advertising for a permanent hire and said that he would likely apply.

"We don't want to put a bunch of people through writing resumes if we're pretty sure we'd prefer to stick with Rick," Goodlander said.

The board is pleased with Currie's performance in running the facility, she said.

Frequent users of the facility have praised how well he works with seniors, she added.

"He really enjoys people," Goodlander said. "Plus he's very flexible in recognizing that the senior center, if we're going to continue to survive, needs to make some changes in our operating processes. He's been very willing to look at changes and address the direction we need to go."

The repainting and electrical upgrades should cost around $5,000, she added, and the sound system another $5,000.

But the investment is worth it to attract rental arrangements, Goodlander said.

"Opportunities to rent the center to offset our operating expenses is our goal," she said.

Currie declined to disclose his salary with the senior center.

Currie was elected county commissioner in 2002, and was re-elected twice. He was defeated in last November's election by Jai Nelson.

While commissioner, he served on the senior center board for six years.

A Coeur d'Alene native, Currie was previously employed by Atlas Building Center and Robideaux Motors.

He was appointed interim director when the previous center director, Vickie Harrison, left for personal reasons.

Currie encouraged folks to attend next week's fundraiser, scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the senior center. Tickets are $25.

He lauded the services the center provides, including Meals on Wheels that serves about 1,200 meals a month.

"I'm very proud to have the opportunity to serve our senior community," he said.