Norwich - The Norwich Ice Rink Authority has appointed Mia Sanca to the position of rink manager on a six-month trial basis.

She will replace her husband, Jim Sanca, who stepped down from the position. Mia Sanca has been an assistant to her husband.

No reason has been given as to why Jim Sanca stepped down.

Just before an authority meeting went into executive session last week, Mia Sanca said her husband decided it was "time for a change" following his 13 years at the rink.

Mia Sanca will receive a salary of $25,000 for her six-month interim period. In that time, she will be evaluated by the Norwich Ice Rink Authority to determine if she is the right fit for the job. City Council President Francois "Pete" Desaulniers, who was appointed to the Ice Rink Authority, voted for Mia Sanca's appointment, believing that it was important to maintain the continuity of operations at the rink following the recent simultaneous loss of the rink manager and the financial manager, Michael Arnone.

Desaulniers believes Mia Sanca will create a "team spirit" among the rink officials as well as the figure skating and ice hockey groups.

Mike Goldblatt, chairman of the Ice Rink Authority, said Mia Sanca is uniquely qualified for the job.

"Mia has worked primarily in marketing and programming oversight at the rink for six years and is familiar with all phases of its operations. She also is a U.S. Navy veteran who has experience with heavy equipment and is knowledgeable about how to properly maintain our ice making equipment. We are planning a relatively austere budget to enable us to have a positive cash flow in a difficult economic environment. Mia is taking on the challenge of doing the manager's job as well as retaining a significant portion of her previous duties." Goldblatt said in an e-mail to The Day.

The restructuring of the Norwich Ice Rink's management comes during a particularly difficult time for the rink as the City Council has told rink officials that they must overhaul their operations and become more profitable this fiscal year or face the possibility of shutting down.

Goldblatt puts rough estimates of the current fiscal year, which ends Saturday, at a $60,000 deficit.

t.mccarthy@theday.com