Board of Developmental Disabilities Anticipates New Levy on the Ballot in 2026
Board of Developmental Disabilities (BODD) Meeting - April 16, 2025
Meeting Details: The Board of Developmental Disabilities held a Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm on April 16, 2025 in the Administration board room at the Metzenbaum Center at 8200 Cedar Rd., Chesterland, OH 44026. Virtual access is available via Zoom, and the agenda was provided in advance. For Virtual Meeting Information contact Kellie Tvergyak-Oznowich at ktvergyako@geaugadd.org. This Observer attended in person.
Public Comment: Board of Developmental Disabilities has a written public comment policy, first approved by BODD in 2001, and was most recently reviewed by the Board in October 2023. See policy here. Observer Note: This Observer had previously indicated that there was not a written public comment policy but Mr. Carlson provided the policy at this meeting.
Board Attendance:
Developmental Disabilities Staff:
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Dave Carlson - Assistant Superintendent
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Rean Davis - Business Operations Director
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Tami Setlock - Support and Service Administration
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Richelle Mills - Transportation (via video)
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Megan Thirion - Employment First
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Janice Chesnes - Human Resources
Others Present:
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Sara Clemson - Executive Director, Maple Leaf Community (via video)
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Carol Benton - LWV Geauga Observer
Training Session
A training session was conducted by Ms. Setlock regarding the functions of Service and Support Administration (SSA) and an overview of Medicaid waivers. At the start of the session, Ms. Setlock provided Board members with a “Ohio Medicaid Waiver Comparison Chart” and a brochure titled “Alphabet Soup - A Guide to Disability Related Acronyms.” Key highlights from the work session included:
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Overview of SSA responsibilities, structure, and rule reference (ORC 5123-4-2).
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Explanation of the Ohio ISP (Individual Service Plan) and its transition to a statewide standardized plan.
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Review of provider support processes, including compliance, certification, and local vendor registration.
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Overview of the Medicaid Waiver system, types of waivers - including the Individual Option (IO), Level 1, and Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF) - general funding split of service coverage of 60% by Medicaid and 40% local county funding, and the importance of waivers in supporting individuals outside institutions.
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Discussion on budgeting for individuals through waivers.
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Challenges with Medicaid eligibility changes and family education needs.
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Budget implications tied to waivers and upcoming levy considerations.
The training session ended with an acknowledgment of the complexity of the SSA role and appreciation for Ms. Setlock’s expertise.
After the working session, the Board meeting was called to order at approximately 7:00 pm by Mr. Lair.
Minutes: Minutes for the March 19, 2025 Board Meeting were approved without edits.
The Board took the following actions:
APPROVED - February Revised Financials - Ms. Davis noted that the February financial statements and transaction voucher reports were updated after discovering unposted transactions occurred after the previous month’s Board meeting when the February financials were originally approved.
APPROVED - March Financial Transactions & Voucher Approvals - Ms. Davis presented the March financials and noted that overall results are tracking as expected. She pointed out one change to the presentation of revenue, where some revenue was now classified separately as "Federal Grants" rather than included in “Other,” per updated state guidance. She also clarified that Account “901 Other” included subscription and other miscellaneous operational costs.
APPROVED - Locally Funded Service Agreement - An agreement for transportation services with Edward Brown for $5,000 covering the period through the end of 2025.
APPROVED - Grant to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio - This grant from BODD in the amount of $6,000 was made to support this program that sends free, high-quality books every month to children from birth to age five, regardless of their family’s income. The action was taken in recognition of the critical importance of fostering literacy and supporting educational opportunities for children in Geauga County.
APPROVED - Agency Calendar - The annual calendar covering the period from August 2025 to July 2026 including holidays and operational closures was approved. Mr. Carlson explained that the range of the calendar dates to when BODD operated as a school. BODD’s fiscal year is based on a calendar year.
The Board received the following status and program reports:
Major Unusual Incidents (MUIs):
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Mr. Carlson reviewed the MUI (Major Unusual Incidents) report, noting that MUIs remained low with 7 reported during the month of March.
Population & Residential Services:
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Mr. Carlson reported that the total population served of 977 was the same as the prior month.
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Residential care population was 194 individuals in March. Residential waivers and the waiver waiting list remained stable. A total of 295 individuals were receiving waivers while two were on the waiver waiting list.
Employment & HR Updates:
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Mr. Carlson reported that 186 individuals served by BODD were actively employed, down from 190 in the prior month.
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Mr. Carlson also noted that the BODD staff remained at 60.
Program Reports:
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Rainbow of Hope - Mr. Carlson reviewed a report provided by Rainbow of Hope School, an educational institution primarily serving children in the Amish community with developmental disabilities. The report included a breakdown of the prior year’s expenses including costs related to transportation, instruction, facility and therapy for students. Rainbow of Hope included heartfelt commentary expressing their gratitude for BODD’s ongoing financial and programmatic support.
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NPower Program Report - Mr. Carlson summarized the NPower Program report which detailed social and recreational programs provided by NPower during the month. Observer Note: See the LWVG Observer Report for March 19, 2025 for more information on NPower.
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Transportation Report - Ms. Mills reviewed the list of transportation providers and noted that the list of providers is growing steadily, ensuring that individuals have options to meet their unique travel needs. She clarified during discussion that transportation providers appearing on the BODD’s approval lists are those funded locally. Waiver-funded providers, while critical to overall service delivery, are not always included in the BODD’s direct approval process but are still tracked for operational oversight. Overall, Ms. Mills reported that transportation services remain stable, with ongoing efforts to monitor provider engagement and maintain a ready pool of contracted vendors.
The Board discussed the following issues:
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Budget Commission - Mr. Carlon reviewed the FY2026 budget draft provided in the meeting materials and reported that the Geauga County Budget Commission approved the BODD budget by a 2-1 vote. He explained that the next step in the process is to review the budget with the County Commissioners at a meeting on May 6, 2025. Noting that current projections show a deficit in 2027, Mr. Carlson explained it would be necessary to place a new levy on the ballot in 2026 for funding in 2027 to maintain service levels. The Board discussed the need to proactively communicate to the community the services provided by BODD and the reasons the new levy is needed.
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IT Updates - Mr. Carlson provided an update on the onsite IT support that was finalized with the ADP (Automated Data Processing) Board. Dedicated IT support staff are now available Wednesdays and Thursdays at BODD, and Mr. Carlson stated that the arrangement is working well.
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Annual Plan Goals - Mr. Carlson noted steady progress on 2025 Annual Plan goals regarding organizational capacity planning, security upgrades, public information campaigns and system/data strategy work.
General Announcements
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An announcement was made of the upcoming Walk and Scavenger Hunt at BODD scheduled for May 17, 2025, with community festivities including hot dogs and snow cones.
Public Comment: Mr. Carlson asked if there were any comments from the floor. There were none.
Executive Session - The Board voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the employment and compensation of a public employment, pursuant to O.R.C. 121.22 (G)(1). Mr. Flair announced that there would be no report from the executive session.
The regular meeting was adjourned at 7:29 pm.
The next BODD meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2025 at 6 pm.
Minutes when posted are available here: Board Minute Summaries|Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Observer: Carol Benton
Editor & Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Submitted: April 28, 2025
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