Tooele County Aging and Adult Services has a new director.

Joshua Maher has replaced Butch Dymock, who resigned following allegations he slapped a kitchen worker in June at the Tooele Senior Citizens Center.

“I have been looking for a long time for the opportunity to be able to work full time in an ability where I can serve others,” Maher said. “I have a little bit of a soft spot for seniors. Since I was a kid, I have always loved to serve seniors. This was just a great opportunity to apply the things I’ve learned in my education and be able to have a job where I am actually, truthfully serving others for 40 hours a week.”

Maher, 27, grew up in Hurricane and moved to the South Rim area with his wife, Christin, who is from Pine Canyon, a few years ago after purchasing property there five years ago. He received his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University with a concentration on political science and military science. He also has a master’s degree in business administration from Salt Lake City-based Western Governors University.

Maher worked for Wells Fargo Bank in Tooele as a personal banker from 2006 to 2008, and in sales at Liddiard Home Furnishings in Tooele from 2008 to 2009. Most recently, he worked as an air monitoring technician for the Jacobs Dugway Team in Dugway from 2009 to 2010. In addition, since 2007 Maher has worked as a substitute teacher for the Tooele County School District on days off.

As director, Maher’s duties will include providing educational, preventative and therapeutic adult services to the seniors and elderly in the county. That includes overseeing the Tooele, Grantsville and Wendover senior centers, about 30 employees, and a budget of approximately $1.6 million in 2010.

Maher doesn’t currently have specific plans for the department.

“I think it’s best in situations like this to really take some time and evaluate to see how the organization is run before you come in and make a bunch of changes,” he said.

Tooele County Commissioner Bruce Clegg said Maher’s people skills, energy and dedication to helping seniors convinced commissioners he was a good fit for the position.

“Josh has good people skills. He’s got good energy and he really seems to be dedicated to helping old people — and has a way with them, in our opinion.”

Clegg said there were 26 applicants for the position that were narrowed down to a short list of five or six. He said Maher’s master’s degree in business was a big point in his favor.

“Josh just seemed to come forth on something that we really needed to build new programs and he has the energy to work with the seniors,” Clegg said. “He really came on strong.”

Clegg said Maher’s people skills will be vital in supervising his staff.

“He’s got a wide range of people to work with — the drivers, the nurses and the cooks — and I think he’ll have a wide range of skills in working with personnel and making the ship run pretty smooth,” Clegg said. “We’re happy to have him, and we’re really pleased in the acceptance and support that the seniors and staff have shown him.”

Clegg pointed out the county’s Meals on Wheels program as being better than in most other counties, and he hopes Maher can continue that.

“We just hope that he can keep the level of excellence up and going,” he said.

Clegg said the age difference between Maher and the senior community he will serve isn’t really an issue, since Dymock was also in his 20s when he took over the department.

“Having someone with longevity is a plus in our opinion. We really think he has good personnel skills,” he said. “That’s one of the strong points that he has, and listening to everybody’s problems and making good, sound decisions.”

Maher said, “I’m really excited because it [my age] gives me an opportunity to hopefully be here for a long, long time. Butch Dymock was working for the aging department for 35-plus years, so I hope to fill a similar role. I’m pretty excited.”

Sarah Miley: swest@tooeletranscript.com