New Developmental Disabilities Levy Delayed Until 2027 &
2 New Board Members Recommended by BODD for Board Appointment
Board of Developmental Disabilities (BODD) Meeting - October 15, 2025
Meeting Details: The Board of Developmental Disabilities held a Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm on October 15, 2025 in the Administration Board Room at the Metzenbaum Center at 8200 Cedar Rd., Chesterland, OH 44026. Virtual access was 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 most recently reviewed by the Board in October 2023. See policy here.
Board Attendance:
Developmental Disabilities Staff:
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Don Rice - Superintendent
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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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Meredith Myers - Early Intervention
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Janice Chesnes - Human Resources
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Kellie Tvergyak-Oznowich - Administrative Assistant
Others Present:
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Sally Contizano - Metzenbaum Foundation (via video)
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Sara Clemson - Maple Leaf Community Residences (via video)
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2 candidates for the appointment to the BODD Board seats expiring on December 31, 2025
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Carol Benton - LWV Geauga Observer
Ethics Council
Before the Board meeting was called to order, the Ethics Council, comprised of Mr. Lair, Ms. Keiper and Mr. Welty, approved the minutes of their previous Ethics Council meeting on September 17, 2025 and reviewed a Locally Funded Services Agreement Addendum with Christopher Kortan, in an amount of $2,500.00 for homemaker/personal care (HPC), HPC Transportation, and non-medical transportation (NMT) purposes. Mr. Carlson confirmed compliance with the service agreement checklist and no unusual items. The agreement was approved.
The Board meeting was called to order at approximately 6:05 pm by Mr. Lair. Mr. Rice introduced the 2 candidates for the Board seats expiring on December 31, 2025 in attendance.
Minutes: Minutes for the September 17, 2025 Board Meeting were approved without edits. Ms. Wilder abstained since she was absent from the prior month’s meeting.
The Board took the following actions:
APPROVED - The Board reviewed the revised financial statements for the month of August and the financial statements of September. Ms. Davis explained that the revision was due to a late auditor journal entry for $908 reflected in the “901 Other” line on the income statement. She confirmed that no other changes were made. For September, she highlighted $583,000 in Ohio Department of Education (ODE) pass-through revenue that flows to county school districts for services they provide to BODD clients.
APPROVED - Financial Transactions & Voucher Approvals - The Board reviewed and approved a revised report for August and approved various financial transactions, expenditures, and vouchers for the month of September.
ACCEPTED - The Ethics Council’s recommendation for a parent-provider contract in which parents will provide for HPC, HPC Transportation and NMT to their own child.
APPROVED - A $1,470,000 transfer from General Fund Transfers Out account to the Residential Services Fund Transfer and matching supplemental appropriation in the Residential Services Fund Contracted Services. These transactions were required to facilitate the timely pass-through of unexpectedly higher fiscal year 2025/2026 ODE reimbursements to districts.
APPROVED -
Locally Funded Service Agreements with:
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Barb King, in an amount of $2,000.00 for HPC and HPC Transportation services
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Kerry Banks, in an amount of $500.00 for HPC and HPC Transportation services
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Lillian Moore, in an amount of $2,500.00 for NMT services
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Vandeweel + Smetana Enterprises, LLC, in an amount of $10,000.00 for NMT and Adult Day services
Locally Funded Services Agreement Addendums with:
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Alexis Nicole Marin, in an amount of $1,500.00 for HPC and HPC Transportation services
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A Better Choice SLS Inc. (ABC), in an amount of $23,000.00 for HPC, HPC Transportation, NMT, & Adult Day services
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BR549, LLC, in an amount of $9,000.00 for HPC, HPC Transportation, NMT, and Adult Day services
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Sunshine Training Center, in an amount of $25,000.00 for Adult Day services
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Tru Community, in an amount of $4,000.00 for NMT and Adult Day services
APPROVED - NEON (Northeast Ohio Network) contract, an annual renewal for 2026 for services including:
submit Medicaid waiver match payments not to exceed $6,100,000.
NEON is a Council of Governments organized under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 167 to provide services to County BODD’s including quality assessments and fiscal management. Total annual fees capped at $60,000. Observer Note: Learn more about NEON here.
APPROVED - Annual pass-through agreements with local school districts and the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve for fiscal year 2025/2026. Mr. Rice stated that this is the same type of agreement BODD has had in the past since 2017.
APPROVED - Job description changes to roles primarily in the maintenance area. Ms. Chesnes clarified that the revisions did not result in any major role changes and gave examples of the changes, such as the clean-up or removal of obsolete duties and the removal of licenses no longer required.
APPROVED - Mr. Rice was named the delegate from BODD to the OACB (Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities) annual convention taking place in person in Columbus, Ohio from November 19-21, 2025. Mr. Rice will miss the next BODD meeting to attend this convention, and Mr. Carlson will lead the meeting.
APPROVED - Disposal of Assets - Approval was granted to dispose of an obsolete laptop and charger cord and a broken glass-door refrigerator.
The Board received the following status and program reports:
Major Unusual Incidents (MUIs):
Population & Residential Services:
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Mr. Rice reported that population service numbers were 990 in September, down from 998 in August.
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Total children in Supported Education/ESC was 147 in September, up from 126 in prior year.
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The waiver breakdown was as follows: IO - 188, Level 1 - 97, Support Living - 9, SELF - 2. Observer Note: SELF means self-directed.
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The residential waiver waiting list was at 5.
Employment & HR Updates:
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Mr. Rice reported that 189 individuals served by BODD were competitively employed, consistent with prior months.
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Mr. Rice also noted that the BODD staff remained at 60. He projected that this figure would be 59 at year-end 2025 after the retirement of 2 custodians and only 1 replacement.
Program Reports:
The Board discussed the following issues:
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BODD Property Tax Levy - The County Commissioners Office requested a delay until 2027 to place a BODD property tax levy on the ballot. Mr. Rice recommended aligning with that request. Mr. Carlson conducted a detailed financial review to ensure that BODD would be able to fully operate through 2027 without additional levy dollars. He stated he was confident they could, based on the following: 1) a trend of favorable revenue in the range of ~$0.85M–$1.0M annually, 2) close management of cash flow, 3) the retention of more cash by staggering grantee payment timing, and 4) cost control measures including not backfilling one retiring custodian and canceling two planned expansion positions. Mr. Rice pointed out that he will be retiring in April 2027, and his successor would have to lead the levy drive. Observer Note: After not seeing the BODD levy as a topic in recent LWVG Observer BOCC reports, this Observer followed up with Mr. Rice to inquire with whom the BODD discussed the levy. Mr. Rice clarified it was covered in a discussion with County Commissioner Carolyn Brakey, County Administrator Amy Bevan, Finance Manager Adrian Gorton, and Commissioners’ Clerk Christine Blair.
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Grant Changes - As part of efforts to extend funding and delay a levy request until 2027, the Board discussed reducing or pausing capital-related grants to providers. Key points include:
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These grants have historically supported items such as vehicles and facility/building-related costs.
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For 2026, the Board had previously budgeted $250,000 for provider capital grants.
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A plan to remove or pause these grants beginning in 2026 would help manage cash flow and preserve operating reserves.
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Mr. Rice noted that providers cannot independently raise service rates since they are set by the State of Ohio. Providers may need to cover capital needs from their own budgets moving forward. This change aligns with broader belt-tightening measures needed to navigate financial constraints.
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Continuation of Operations - Mr. Rice reviewed a one-page plan describing how remote operations utilizing staff laptops and cell phones would be conducted if the Metzenbaum Center building was unavailable. He stated that it will be filed with county emergency services.
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Credit Cards - The Board reviewed a draft Credit Card Use Policy that would allow the agency to use standard credit cards for purchasing needs such as travel and online orders, rather than relying solely on store-specific accounts (e.g., Giant Eagle, Walmart). The policy outlines which departments may hold cards, spending limits, required documentation, and employee responsibilities. It also specifies that misuse of a credit card may result in revocation of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or personal financial liability. The intent of the policy is to increase purchasing flexibility, improve efficiency, and reduce the need to handle cash. Additionally, the administration is working with the county-approved vendor, Catalyst, to begin accepting credit card payments for services like background checks and training sessions. This will allow secure online payment options and reduce unnecessary cash handling and staff time. The Board will provide feedback on the draft, with a formal vote planned at a future meeting.
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Annual Planning Meeting - Mr. Rice reminded the Board that the Annual Planning Meeting was scheduled for October 22, 2025. He asked that Board members let him know if they will attend since per the open-meeting laws if four or more board members plan to attend, the Superintendent will need to provide notice of a public meeting.
General Announcements: Ms. Setlock announced the upcoming BODD Art Show on November 6, 2025 at the Metzenbaum Center and explained that the BODD artists retain 100% of proceeds from the sale of their art. She also announced that the annual Geauga County Housing Coalition (GCHC) Chili Cook-off will be held on November 14, 2025 at the Metzenbaum Center. Observer Note: Learn more about the GCHC here.
Other Business/Comments - Mr. Lair asked if there were any comments from the floor. This Observer asked what the process was to recruit potential Board members for the 2 current members whose terms expire on December 31, 2025. Mr. Rice provided an overview of the standard recruitment process stating that it starts with notifications in the newspaper and posts on the BODD Facebook page. Any persons interested complete a letter of interest that is reviewed by him. He meets with the candidates to ensure there are no conflicts of interest and to answer any questions the candidates may have about the Board and its operations. Candidates are then interviewed by the Board who make recommendations for the final appointments by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and the Probate Court Judge, Timothy Grendell. Mr. Rice noted that the appointing bodies are not required to accept the recommendations and sometimes do not. He also noted that if no one comes forward, they sometimes have to recruit Board members but this time 5 candidates expressed interest. Observer Note: For more information about the appointment responsibilities and required composition of the BODD Board see the Guiding Voices in County Board Governance by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.
Executive Session - The Board voted to go into Executive Session for the purpose of considering the appointment of a board member, pursuant to ORC 121.22(G)(1). Mr. Rice said that the Board would announce their recommendations after the interviews.
The regular meeting adjourned at 7:05 pm.
This Observer asked Mr. Rice to provide the names of the candidates recommended to the appointing entities after the meeting. He communicated that the Board would recommend Rebecca Bennett for the Board seat to be appointed by the BOCC and Bill Mann for the Board seat to be appointed by the Probate Judge. Ms. Bennett has experience with local non-profits focused on children. Mr. Mann is in business development with a video production company and has a family member receiving services from BODD.
The next BODD meeting is scheduled for November 19, 2025 at 6:00 pm.
Minutes when posted are available here: Board Minute Summaries|Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Observer: Carol Benton
Editor: Gail Roussey
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Submitted: October 27, 2025
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