Geauga Park District Board - September 18, 2023
Meeting: Monday, September 18, 2023 at 8:30 am at Big Creek Park Meyer Center, 9160 Robinson Rd, Chardon, OH 44024. This meeting was in-person only with no virtual option.
Public Comment Policy: The Park District Board does not have a formal policy and in practice, does not permit public comment.
Board Attendance: Commissioners Howard Bates, Jolene Carnabuci, Ray Guarino, Les LaGatta and Frank Stein were all present.
Staff Attendance: John Oros, Executive Director; Dawn Sweeney, Finance Director; Matt McCue, Deputy Director, Jessica Alpers, Administrative Assistant. Also in attendance were Park Ranger Chief Dennis Sloan, and Sandy Ward, Marketing Coordinator.
Public Attendance - Todd Hicks, Attorney for Geauga Park District, and members of Protect Geauga Parks.
Minutes: Minutes from the August 21, 2023 meeting were approved without discussion and when available are posted online.
Agenda: Approved without discussion.
Financial Report: Dawn Sweeney, Finance Director, verbally reported these individual fund balances:
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Beginning balance General Fund: $5,647,696
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Ending balance General Fund: $5,122,705
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Beginning balance Land Improvement Fund: $2,728,213
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Ending balance Land Improvement Fund: $2,548,255
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Ending Balance Total: $7,671,961
There was no discussion.
Presentation of Payment Report for August 2023 - There was no discussion and no questions.
Old Business
Planning Update. Mr. McCue reported that the asphalt work at Swine Creek Reservation and Observatory Park is complete. They are still working on the Holbrook Hollows picnic shelter and parking area.
Troy Wetlands (formerly the Brede property) has work being completed by in-house staff, including trails and boardwalks. Mr. Oros said that he had walked the property and was very proud of the work that was being done by the in-house team. No date was announced as to when this facility will be open to the public.
New Business: Resolution No. 14 – 2023-2023 Tax Amounts and Rates Certification Resolution
This is a Resolution Accepting the Amounts and Rates as Determined by the Budget Commission and Authorizing the Necessary Tax Levies and Certifying Them to the County Auditor.
Accepted - Unanimous
There were no questions.
Surplus Property - All voted yes. Items listed for the public were a wood desk and chair.
Commissioner Time – There were several videos shown at this point:
Archery for Everyone - a video from FOX 8 New Day that highlighted the archery program. Naturalist Rennell Roebuck wrote the grant for the purchase of the archery equipment and was featured in the video.
The second video was produced in-house and was about the 1000 Trees planting project that took place in conjunction with Earth Day in April. Mr. Oros stated that there will also be tree planting in the fall at Veterans Legacy Woods.
There was a clip of a Homeschooling Activity Day held at the park and organized by Naturalist Nora Sindelar.
Mr. Oros also reported on the following programs:
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Rangers assisted at Chickagami Park in a program for hunters
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West Woods had 223 patrons for the West Woods Art Festival
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683 people accessed the high ropes course
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There were 86 naturalist-led programs for the month and they had a large group of participants in their area at the Geauga Fair.
The commissioners had no comments.
Executive Session - Mr. Oros stated that there was no need for an Executive Session.
Public Comment - none permitted.
Reviewer Comment: Due to a lack of discussion of agenda items, this was a very brief meeting. Without discussion or the opportunity for the public to comment/ask questions, the ability of the public to fully understand the business of the Geauga Park District may be hindered.
Next meeting – Monday, October 16 @ 8:30 am
See the GPD Website for Additional Information and Minutes
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor: Anne Ondrey
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Submitted: September 19
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