Former Ashe County Parks and Recreation Director Joe Boccardy formaly resigned Thursday with a letter to Ashe County Manager Dan McMillan.

His resignation became official as of noon Friday.

McMillan told the Post last week that a meeting between Boccardy and county officials was held to discuss his past work performance and his “inability to follow directions.” He also said that these issues “had been ruling for some time.”

Boccardy sent a copy of his official resignation to the paper Friday afternoon outlining his decision.

“I have served the county I reside in proudly, as I feel I contributed to not only significant aspects of the quality of life in a tangible sense, I also feel as though I helped bring a shift of consciousness pertaining to parks and recreation,” Boccardy wrote. “I feel as though I contributed to the revitalization of a department, a fellowship within the parks and recreation community as a whole, and an overall awareness that anything can happen if a group of people sticks together to make it happen. I found that it takes courage, perseverance, and a positive attitude to see things through.”

Boccardy cited a lack of communication between himself and McMillan as factors that led to his decision of resignation.

“But I also found that I do not share the same visions for the county as the county manager does. I found that we do not communicate effectively on this issue and therefore cannot work effectively together,” Boccardy said.

In closing, Boccardy reflected on his career as ACPR director and his experiences in serving the people of the county.

“It was a great experience to have served Ashe County,” Boccardy stated. “I met a lot of great people, from all walks of life, as well as all sections of the country. The list of these people would fill a hundred pages front and back. Knowing I live in a county that contains such people makes me proud to raise my two girls here. I will miss my position of director but I will miss the people I worked with and for much, much more.”

Boccardy came to Ashe County after graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in recreation management with a concentration in experiential education. His efforts have been instrumental in several areas of the county’s recreational aspects.