Geauga Park District Announces Capital Projects for 2025;
Offers Thanks to Senator Vernon Sykes for Funding
Geauga Park District Board - September 16, 2024 Regular Meeting
The Geauga Park District (GPD) Board met on Monday, September 16, 2024 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 attendance option.
Public Comment Policy: The Park District Board does not have a formal policy and in practice never permits public comment.
Board Attendance: Commissioners Howard Bates, Jolene Carnabuci, Ray Guarino, and Frank Stein were present. Commissioner Les LaGatta was absent.
Staff Attendance: John Oros, Executive Director, Matt McCue, Deputy Director, and Jessica Alpers, Administrative Assistant. Also in attendance were Dennis Sloan, Chief Ranger, new Ranger Robert York, Chief Naturalist Paul Piro, Land Steward Matt Kneitel and Lucas Beamer, IT Manager. There were other members of the staff present, but they were not identified. Attorney Todd Hicks from the firm of Thrasher, Dinsmore Dolan was also present. Dawn Sweeney, Finance Director was absent
Public Attendance: Members of Protect Geauga Parks, reporter from Chagrin Valley Times, and this Observer.
Approval of Agenda/Addendum Items - There were no items added to the Agenda. The Agenda was approved.
Minutes: Minutes from August 19, 2024 meeting were approved and are posted online here.
Financial Report: In the absence of Dawn Sweeney, Finance Director, Mr. Oros verbally reported these individual fund balances as of August 31, 2024:
-
Beginning balance as of 8/1/24 in the General Fund: $5,515,423
-
Ending balance as of 8/31/24 in the General Fund: $5,872972
-
Beginning balance as of 8/1/24 in the Land Improvement Fund: $1,698,651
-
Ending balance as of 8/31/24 in the Land Improvement Fund: $1,617,388
-
All Funds beginning balance on 8/1/24: $7,214,074
-
All Funds ending balance on 8/31/24: $7,490,360
There were no questions and no discussion. Observer Note: The ending balance in the General Fund and in all Funds has increased with no explanation.
Presentation of Payment Report for August 2024. Mr. Guarino asked about the payment to Microsoft 360, and Ms. Carnabuci asked about who they got their Microsoft license through. The IT director, Mr. Beamer, said they got it through MNJ Technology. Observer Note: The amount listed for Microsoft 360 was $15,251.26 in the Board packet. This observer obtained the Board Packet through an emailed request to Executive Director John Oros.
Observer Note: There is no approval or motion regarding the payment report as the payments have already occurred.
Old Business - Planning Update.
Planning Update: Mr. McCue reported that most projects are near completion. He said they are still working on West Woods and Orchard Hills, and the Cold Stream Restoration project is still in progress as well. He showed a map of the Veterans Legacy Woods Cold Stream Restoration project depicting the three tributaries impacted by this project, and he explained how they converted an area that was a pond into a floodplain. Mr. McCue said that the cold water stream now “looks more like a stream.” He said they hope to be finished by the end of the year and start planting in the spring.
New Business
Mr. Oros reported that the Geauga County Budget Commission approved their budget and certified the rates for their three tax levies which are as follows:
-
0.70 mill (20 Year, Nov. 8, 2005) yield $996,642.00
-
0.90 mill (20 year, Nov. 5, 2019) yield $2,510,190.00
-
1.0 mill (20 year, Nov. 6, 2012) yield $3,235,156.00
Observer Note: Dates listed are when each levy was first passed. Yields are for the next budget year (2025).
Mr. McCue reported that these will be the major projects undertaken by the Geauga Park Board for 2025:
-
Beartown Lakes - There will be a new playground and shelter. They will be adding a fire pit and seating as well as a dock overlooking the Lake. Mr. McCue said this was a 149 acre property with 22 acres of Lake property and 2.8 miles of trails. Project estimated cost is $450,000 (see below for funding information).
-
Big Creek - There will be wo projects totalling $275,000 (in-house and contractors)
-
Big Creek - adding a treehouse, repairs to the lean-to and tent pads for camping
-
Tupelo Pond - Adding platforms for fishing, improve parking, construct a 20’x18’ picnic shelter
-
Maple Highlands Trail - At the north end where the trail enters Lake County, there will be improved signage, a seating area and a pull off area. Project estimated cost is $50,000.
-
Frohring Meadows - There will be an expansion of two wetlands and a boardwalk to provide access to this area. He said that naturalist Paul Piro is working on a grant to fund this project.
-
Sunnybrook - Asphalt resurfacing -Project estimated cost is $70,000.
Commissioner’s Time
Deer Management - Chief Naturalist Paul Piro and Land Steward Matt Kneitel gave a presentation on the deer management program at the Parks.
Mr. Piro said that the aim is to have a constant, consistent stable community of deer. Mr. Piro said that the deer population in 1900 in Ohio was basically zero. There was restocking in the 1930s, and the numbers have escalated exponentially since then. In 2006 the Geauga Park District (GPD) started a deer management program. He said that wolves and cougars have disappeared from this area, and humans are historically the primary way to control the deer population.
Mr. Keitell described various survey techniques the Park has done and is doing to gauge deer presence in the various parks. They started doing Browse Impact Surveys in the early 2000s, and they have adapted this process and have completed two cycles at Sunnybrook and one cycle at five parks of a more intense survey process. The purpose is to identify where the deer population is the largest. With this information, and along with Chief Deputy Sloan, GPD determines the best places to hunt based on deer population, size of the property, and closeness of neighbors. Chief Ranger Sloan said that they also work with hunters to determine the maximum number of hunters that can hunt on a particular property.
Other Information
Mr. Oros read a proclamation from the Cleveland Italian American Club honoring Board President Ray Guarino as an honoree for the 2024 Cleveland Italian American Heritage Month.
Mr. Oros thanked Senator Sykes for obtaining $344,075 from the 135th General Assembly Budget Bill that will be used for the Beartown Lakes Reservation renovations. Observer Note: Senator Sykes said this on his website: “. . state Senator Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) commended the Ohio Senate's passage of the state's capital budget (House Bill 2),which includes $20.7 million for 33 projects within Ohio's 28th Senate District, which includes parts of Summit and Geauga Counties, and all of Portage County. See more information about this here.
State Audit - Mr. Oros praised the Finance staff for a successful audit. The 2022 audit by the State Ohio Auditor is posted online. Observer Note: The current Finance Director, Dawn Sweeney was on staff but not the Director in 2022.
Veterans Legacy Woods - Forty-five residents participated in a celebration of the new rainbow bridge which is in honor of lost pets, military dogs and service dogs.
Mr. Oros reported that 732 people reserved boats at Headwaters Park, and 158 people utilized the High Ropes Course at Claridon Woodlands. Mr. Oros said that these programs ended after the Labor Day weekend. The Meteor program at Observatory Park drew 410 participants.
At the Great Geauga County Fair, 16,775 individuals visited the GPD nature area at the Fair, with the Monarch Butterfly area as a signature attraction. The public top 10 Parks winners were announced and can be seen here.
In July there were a total of 88 programs with 11,801 participants in all programs (including Geauga County Fair participants).
Mr. Oros reported on a favorable email he received from a family that used the Veterans Legacy Woods facility for their daughter’s wedding.
There were no comments from the Board members.
Executive Session - Mr. Oros said he had nothing to propose for Executive Session.
Public Comment - Per Geauga Park District Policy, no public comment permitted.
Reviewer Comment: Without public discussion by the Board of Agenda items or the opportunity for members of the public to comment and ask questions, the ability of the public to fully understand the business of the Geauga Park District and its use of Geauga County taxpayer funding is hindered.
Next meeting – Monday, October 21 at 8:30 am.
Motion to adjourn was made and approved unanimously at 9:26 am.
See the GPD Website for Additional Information and Minutes
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor/Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date Submitted: September 23, 2024
The League of Women Voters of Geauga is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. They do not support or oppose individual candidates or parties. Learn more about the LWVG at www.lwvgeauga.org.