Board Reviews 2025 Annual Report Highlighting BODD’s
Services and Accomplishments
Board of Developmental Disabilities (BODD) Meeting - May 20, 2026
Meeting Details: The Board of Developmental Disabilities held a Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm on May 20, 2026 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 and board materials were provided in advance. For virtual meeting information contact Kellie Tvergyak-Oznowich at ktvergyako@geaugadd.org. This Observer virtually.
Public Comment: The 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 and Business Coordinator
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Megan Thirion - Employment First
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Meredith Myers - Early Intervention (via video)
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Janice Chesnes - Human Resources
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Kellie Tvergyak-Oznowich - Administrative Assistant
Others Present:
Ethics Council Meeting - The Ethics Council convened at 5:55 pm and took the following actions:
APPROVED - Minutes from the March 17, 2026 Ethics Council meeting.
RECOMMENDED APPROVAL - A new direct services agreement with Thomas Cummings. Mr. Cummings is the stepfather of a person who is both currently receiving services and serving as a BODD Board member.
Board Training Session - Before the start of the Board meeting, a training session for the Board was conducted by Ms. Setlock on Waiver Services and Medicaid.
The Board meeting was called to order at 6:55 pm by Mr. Lair.
Minutes: Minutes for the April 15, 2026 Board Meeting were approved without edits. Minutes can be found on the BODD website here.
The Board took the following actions:
APPROVED - The Board reviewed revised March 2026 financial statements. Ms. Davis explained that the revisions were due to delayed posting of revenue and expenses by the county accounting system that occurred after the April board meeting. The Board was informed that these delays are unusual and efforts are underway to improve reporting so future financial statements accurately reflect all transactions before presentation. Additional revenue posted in March was primarily related to grants.
APPROVED - Financial Transactions & Voucher Approvals - The Board reviewed and approved revised financial transactions, expenditures, and vouchers for the month of March.
APPROVED - Ms. Davis presented the April financial statements, noting the receipt of delayed first-half property tax revenue and a waiver reconciliation payment. Significant expenses included a large waiver match payment and annual fees paid to the county auditor. She noted the importance of monitoring cash flow during the first quarter due to the timing of property tax receipts.
APPROVED - Financial Transactions & Voucher Approvals - The Board reviewed and approved financial transactions, expenditures, and vouchers for the month of April. Included among the approved expenditures was the annual contract for mowing, grounds maintenance, and sensory garden upkeep. Total expenditures exceeded $3 million, largely due to waiver-related payments.
APPROVED - Locally funded service agreements (LFSA) with the following:
APPROVED - Amendments to several existing LFSAs to increase contract amounts based on current service utilization.
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Access Supportive Services, $60,000 for HPC (Homemaker Personal Care), HPC Transportation, NMT, ADS (Adult Day Support)/Vocab (Vocational Habilitation), and Money Management services.
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Vandeweel + Smetana Enterprises, LLC, in an amount of $45,000.00 for NMT, and ADS/Vocab services.
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True Community, in an amount of $38,000 for NMT, and ADS/Vocab services.
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Denise Notarian, in an amount of $15,000 for NMT services.
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Heather Sieracki, LLC, in an amount of $5,000 for HPC, HPC Transportation, and NMT.
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TV Trans LLC, in an amount of $7,000 for NMT services.
APPROVED - The Board approved revisions to Procedure 2.13 regarding the superintendent position as previously discussed in the April meeting. Observer Note: See the LWVG Observer report from April 15, 2026 for the discussion of this procedural revision.
APPROVED - The Board approved revisions to Policy and Procedure 3.1 regarding administrative resolution of complaints as previously discussed in the April meeting. Observer Note: See the LWVG Observer report from April 15, 2026 for the discussion of this procedural revision.
APPROVED - The Board approved modifications to the Service and Support Administrator (SSA)/PAWS (Payment Authorization for Waiver Services) Coordinator job description. The changes align the position with Medicaid Administrative Claiming requirements and remove direct caseload responsibilities.
APPROVED - The Board approved a request for outside employment from a management employee, Sarah Grice, SSA Manager, as assistant for the elderly working for Cherished Companions working in the evenings and on weekends. Because management contracts require Board approval for any outside employment, the request was reviewed to ensure there were no conflicts of interest, scheduling concerns, or interference with Board responsibilities. Mr. Carlson confirmed that the outside employment would not affect the employee’s duties or involve a program affiliated with the Board.
The Board received the following status and program reports:
Major Unusual Incidents (MUIs):
Population & Residential Services:
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Mr. Carlson noted an increase in the total eligible population and surmised that this was related to the school age population transitioning and people going through the eligibility process.
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Residential waiver waiting list was at 8. Mr. Carlson noted there were increases in Level One waivers due to efforts to maximize Medicaid funding.
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Employment & HR Updates:
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Community employment participation remained strong with 189 individuals employed.
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Human resources staffing was at 58. One position was filled during the month, and there are plans to fill another to bring staffing back to 59, full staffing level.
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Early Intervention reported a particularly busy month with 21 referrals.
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Npower Sports programs continued operating successfully.
The Board discussed the following issues:
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A draft Financial Fraud Policy designed to strengthen safeguards against increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The policy formalizes existing financial controls and protects both the agency and employees by documenting procedures and responsibilities. The draft will return next month for formal approval.
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Ms. Davis reviewed the annual IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Part B grant process. The Board was informed that public comment must be allowed regarding use of the grant funds, although no changes to the current plan are anticipated. BODD’s intended use of IDEA Part B funds is to help offset salary and benefit costs for two transition age SSAs. These staff members focus on supporting school age students as they transition from the educational system into adult services following graduation.
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The possibility of canceling the August Board meeting, consistent with past practice. A final decision will be made next month after reviewing scheduling needs and ensuring compliance with meeting requirements.
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A draft of the 2025 Annual Report for review. Members were encouraged to submit comments or suggestions before formal approval at the next meeting. Mr. Carlson commended the quality of the report prepared by Ms. Tvergyak-Oznowich and noted its importance in communicating agency accomplishments to the public.
General Announcements:
Mr. Carlson shared information about several upcoming events, including the Metzenbaum Foundation Golf Outing, the Captains game fundraiser, summer concert series in Chesterland, and Camp Ho Mita Koda Family Day activities. Ms. Davis reminded Board members to complete electronic acknowledgements for the agency’s Acceptable Use Policy.
Other Business/Comment: Mr. Lair asked if there were any comments from the floor. There were none.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:34 pm.
The next BODD meeting is scheduled for June 17 , 2026 at 6:00 pm.
Minutes when posted are available here: Board Minute Summaries|Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Observer: Carol Benton
Editor: Rooney Moy
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Submitted: May 31, 2026
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