Big changes have occurred in the city of Ceres Recreation Department with the departure of Matthew Lohr as the department manager and the hiring of a new recreation supervisor.

Lohr was hired in October 2018. City Human Resources Director Teresa Roland confirmed that Lohr had been absent from his post for months but could not comment on the reason for his departure.

Katie Lemburg was hired as the new recreation supervisor in late August, which was a position that was frozen for budgetary reasons when Allegra Morelli left. The same post was occupied by Cambria Pollinger for 21 years, from 1998 to 2019.

Lemburg commented that her supervisor position is “right under the manager position so that’s why they let me know that there’s some other things that I’m going to have to help cover until they hire someone.”

For now, until Lohr is replaced, Lemburg is the acting manager.

Lemburg, who was raised in Modesto, was previously employed by the city of Stockton where she supervised all of the youth sports programs and was a Junior Giants commissioner. In Stockton she also oversaw all rentals and contracts for the city’s athletic complexes and parks. She played basketball in college and coached a university team while earning her master’s degree. Lemburg spent time overseas for two years and was with the U.S. Army as director of athletic operations. She also worked with two YMCAs, served as a university athletic recruiter and was a director of family and sports operations in Oregon.