GMHA Board Addresses Maintenance Staffing Shortage and
Advances Executive Director Search
Geauga Metropolitan Housing Authority (GMHA) - May 1, 2026
Meeting Info: Special meeting held on May 1, 2026 at 8:00 am (EST) in the Conference Room at Murray Manor at 385 Center Street, Chardon, OH 44024. The meeting was held in person.
Agenda: An agenda was provided at the meeting. It is not available online. The documented
proceedings below follow the agenda and are presented sequentially.
1. Call to Order - 8:08 am
2. Attendance: Chairman Jeff Markley, and board members Sandy Grassman, Michael Petruziello, Walter (Skip) Claypool and Susan Kemerrer were present.
Staff Attendance: Carrie Carlson, Chief Financial Officer, and John Hollo, Assistant Maintenance manager, were present.
Others Present: This Observer and four other members of the public were in attendance in person. One member of the public was recognized as Ben Young, Chardon City Manager.
Observer Note: The Board Chairman indicated they were recording the audio of the meeting. These recordings are not routinely published.
3. Pledge of Allegiance - Recited
New Business
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SW/CE/SA Lawn Mowing
The board first addressed maintenance operations, with the discussion centered on lawn mowing and the agency’s immediate staffing shortage. Ms. Carlson reported that the Maintenance department had recently lost multiple employees. One worker had turned in keys and left after accepting another job, while another employee had already given notice, with the last day occurring around the time of the meeting. Ms. Carlson said the agency still had some maintenance coverage, naming John, James, and Dan, but the discussion reflected concern about whether the department had enough capacity for the season.
Ms. Carlson described steps already taken to stabilize the situation. Tradesmen had been contacted, and a worker familiar with GMHA was expected to start the following Monday. Another candidate was also being processed, pending background check and drug screening. Ms. Carlson also reported that positions had been advertised for Maintenance I, Maintenance II, and Maintenance Manager. The board’s discussion suggested that outsourcing lawn mowing was being considered not only as a seasonal contract matter, but also as a practical response to the current maintenance-staffing gap.
Mr. Petruziello asked whether temporary or part-time workers, such as high school or college-age employees, could help with grass cutting. Mr. Markley noted that the work involved larger mowing equipment, including zero-turn mowers, rather than simple push mowing. Liability, equipment operation, age, and driver’s license requirements were all raised as concerns. Although the possibility was not dismissed, it did not appear to be an immediate solution.
The board then reviewed the scope of the proposed mowing work. Ms. Carlson explained that the contract was primarily for mowing and edging common areas, not for a full landscaping program. There was discussion of whether spring cleanup, mulching, fertilization, or flower bed work was included. Ms. Carlson indicated that GMHA generally does not contract for spring plantings or fertilization, and that maintenance employees handle certain work at Murray Manor and other specific sites. The proposed contract appeared to focus mainly on mowing and edging at selected properties.
The board also discussed cost and accountability. Ms. Carlson said a spreadsheet had been started to track mowing and edging time by property, but the data was still preliminary because only a first cut had been completed at some locations. Board members wanted a clearer sense of maintenance time, travel, fuel, and workload so they could compare in-house work with contracted services. There was also discussion of contractor performance from the prior season. Ms. Carlson and others said JFD Landscaping had some rough spots at first, largely because the contractor did not know all the areas to cut, but that the issues were corrected after being identified.
After discussion, the board considered the proposed 2026 season mowing contract. JFD Landscaping was described as the lowest bidder and as a contractor familiar with the properties. A motion was made to approve the 2026 season mowing contract with JFD Landscaping, not to exceed $19,100, and to authorize the Executive Director to sign the contract. The motion passed unanimously. Observer Note: The board discussed the need for interim Executive Director coverage because the outgoing Executive Director was expected to have limited availability after approximately May 13, despite remaining formally employed through June 30. Check-signing will be handled by one of the board members.
Executive Director - Work to finalize the interview process and continued discussion on open role
The board then turned to the Executive Director search. Mr. Markley thanked those who had worked on the process, including development of interview questions and setup of the application and video-interview system. The board discussed the applicant pool, which included 24 initial applications and one additional application received after the first review period. At the time of discussion, the posting was still open, and members debated whether it should now be closed so the board could proceed with the existing pool.
A significant part of the discussion concerned the one-way video-interview process conducted through WedgeHR. Ms. Carlson said nine applicants had completed the WedgeHR self-administered video interviews. There appeared to have been a technical issue early in the process, but applicants were later sent requests and reminders to complete the video portion. Board members wanted to be sure that all candidates had an equal opportunity to complete the WedgeHR interview before treating a missing video as a negative factor.
The board also discussed what kind of background would best fit GMHA. Some candidates appeared to come from large urban housing authorities or large property-management organizations. Mr. Claypool and Ms. Grassman questioned whether experience in a large urban system would translate well to a smaller, rural/semi-rural housing authority. The board discussed asking candidates directly how they would approach working in a smaller community and whether they understood the differences between GMHA and larger housing systems.
HUD experience was another recurring topic. Some board members favored candidates with direct housing-authority or HUD-related experience, arguing that GMHA operates in a regulated environment and needs a leader who can understand compliance quickly. Mr. Petruziello emphasized broader leadership skills, including managing employees, handling budgets, solving problems, and leading an organization through transition. The discussion did not settle on one ideal profile, but it showed that the board was trying to balance technical housing knowledge with general executive leadership ability.
Board members then compared their individual assessments of candidates. Several had sorted applicants into “yes,” “maybe,” and “no” categories. Some members said they gave added weight to candidates who completed the WedgeHR interview. Others noted that strong resumes did not always match strong video responses, and vice versa. One member said the video-interview responses helped move some candidates up or down in consideration based on how clearly and professionally they answered.
Candidates discussed included Ball, Enders, Kriz, Ruffin, Aston, Carruthers, Lampkin, Price, Royster, Starling, Thomas, and Williams. A late-arriving applicant, Sadler, also drew interest because she had previously served as Executive Director of the authority. Mr. Petruziello expressed interest in interviewing her to better understand her prior experience with GMHA and what had changed since then.
By the end of the discussion, the board appeared to narrow the field to a smaller group for first-round interviews. The final list included Ball, Enders, Kriz, Ruffin, and Sadler. Mr. Claypool emphasized that even though the board had narrowed the list, it was possible that none of the candidates would ultimately meet the board’s needs. He reiterated his desire to keep the posting open for a longer period of time.
The board next discussed how to conduct first-round interviews. Members favored a structured format in which all candidates would be asked the same core questions, while still allowing follow-up questions based on individual answers. The board discussed limiting each first-round interview to about 25 to 30 minutes, with a short interval between candidates for transition and brief discussion.
The first interview question identified was why the candidate is interested in leading the Geauga Metropolitan Housing Authority. Other possible questions focused on employee leadership, communication, keeping a team focused and motivated, and the qualities most important in an Executive Director. Feedback gathered for the process emphasized housing experience, clear communication, team development, fairness, and awareness of upcoming HUD-related changes.
The board also outlined a timeline for the next steps in the search. Members discussed conducting first-round interviews by Zoom, with each candidate receiving a separate link. The primary interview date was Friday, May 8, with proposed interview blocks from 9:00 to 10:30 am and from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. A Thursday, May 7, block from 3:00 to 4:00 pm was discussed as a backup time for candidates who could not make the Friday schedule.
Mr. Markley also asked that shortlisted candidates who had not yet completed the WedgeHR one-way video interview be prompted to do so.
Members then discussed scheduling additional special meetings for later stages of the process. A May 15 special meeting was discussed for compensation or salary-range issues, with some debate over whether that discussion should occur in open session or executive session. Members also discussed Monday, May 18, as a possible date for second interviews, with the goal of reaching a final direction soon after that if a suitable candidate emerged. The board noted that the timing was important because the outgoing Executive Director’s availability would become more limited, and the agency might need to consider an interim Executive Director depending on how quickly the search progressed. The board agreed to keep the posting open until May 15 and to monitor incoming applicants for possible board interviews.
4. Hearing of the Public
The board did not call for public comment before moving to the next agenda item.
5. Executive Session
The board moved into executive session under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22 for discussion related to employment and compensation. The motion passed by roll call. Board members, Ms. Carlson, and Mr. Hollo were asked to attend the executive session.
6. Any Further Business
After the executive session, the board returned to public session. Mr. Markley stated that no further board action was needed following the executive session.
7. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 10:57 a.m.
Next Meeting: The next meeting will be a Special Board Meeting to interview applicants remotely. Exact timing for each candidate is to be determined. The plan is to hold these interviews on May 8, 2026 from 9:00 to 10:30 am and 3:30 to 5:00 pm. A backup meeting was set aside for May 7, 2026 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in the event candidates can not accommodate the May 8 date. The next regular meeting of the board is Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 4:00 pm at Murray Manor. More information about the Geauga Metropolitan Housing Authority can be found here.
Observer: David Lewis
Editor: Rooney Moy
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date Submitted: May 5, 2026
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