Geauga Park District Board - December 18, 2023
Meeting: Monday, December 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 never permits 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, and Jessica Alpers, Administrative Assistant. Also in attendance were Park Ranger Chief Dennis Sloan, Marketing Coordinator Sandy Ward, Events Coordinator Holly Sauder, Chief Naturalist Paul Pira, Naturalist Chris Mentrick, and Project Crew member John Ing.
Public Attendance - Members of Protect Geauga Parks, a Reporter from the Maple Leaf, and this observer.
Minutes: Minutes from the November 20 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 as of November 30, 2023:
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Beginning balance General Fund: $4,672,930
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Ending balance General Fund: $4,292,396
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Beginning balance Land Improvement Fund: $1,849,120
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Ending balance Land Improvement Fund: $2,035,190
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Ending Balance Total: $6,327,586
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Observer Note: There was additional revenue in the Land Improvement Fund of $330,830 which was not explained.
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There were no questions and no discussion.
Presentation of Payment Report for November 2023 - There was no discussion and no questions. Observer
Note: There is no vote on this payment report as the payments have already occurred.
Old Business
Planning Update. Mr. McCue reported on several items:
The Holbrook Hollows project in Bainbridge Township is almost complete. They are completing the restroom and the connecting trail. Most of the rest of the projects are complete.
Planning for next year is underway, in particular:
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Veterans Legacy Woods- they are sending out RFQ (Request for Qualification) for a grant on reforestation from the US Forest Service
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Rookery- will go out to bid next year on asphalt work; preparing bid specs now.
New Business:
2024 Prequalified Consultants - This list is generated every year (Information only)
2024 Printing & Mailing Services for Activity Guides - APPROVED
Four bids were received and the lowest qualified bidder was Premium Printing from Warrensville, Ohio at $74,601 (below the $75,000 bid threshold).
Resolution 17 - 2023/2024 Final Appropriations - Approved
Total Appropriations were $11,859,575.66 (under the $12 Million proposed for this year) and included $9,240,025.48 in the General Fund and $2,529,566.04 in the Land Improvement Fund.
2024 Final Budget - Approved with no questions
Observer Note: This draft had been presented at the November meeting and in this Board packet a Financial Worksheet was included. Comparing the figures in the draft budget (in the Board packet for November, 2023 and the Financial Worksheet received in advance of this meeting) and the Financial Worksheet, they appear to be substantially the same.
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The beginning 2024 balance estimate is $2,073,937.78. Last year’s beginning balance estimate was $3,245,396.69. The estimated ending general fund balance for 2024 is $1,635,31833.
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Revenues last year were estimated at $8,068,566.57; for 2024 revenues are estimated at $7,079,090.00.
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There is a decrease in estimated real estate property tax revenue from an estimate for 2023 of $6,935,591.01 to $6,662,575.00 for 2024. Observer Note: This projected decrease in real estate property tax revenue was not explained. Also not explained was why the category of Other Revenue was reduced from $591,398 in 2023 to $50,000 in 2024, as well as a decrease in interest income from $68,000 to $30,000.
Reviewer Comment: Due to the fact that there is no public discussion of the budget among the Commissioners and no questions are permitted from citizens attending in the public, it is difficult to understand the budget as approved.
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The Land Improvement estimated beginning fund balance for 2024 is $220,831.93. The estimate for 2023 was $1,635,859.55
The Canine, Capital Reserve and Retirement Reserve funds have been closed.
At the November meeting, Mr. Oros had stated that there was an overall decrease of 7% in revenue. This was not explained at that meeting or at this meeting.
There were no questions and no discussion.
Resolution Approved for 2023/2024 Tax Advance Resolution
Commissioner Time
There was a presentation on plans for the Total Solar Eclipse for April 8, 2024. Chris Mentrek, Naturalist and “Astronut,” and Holly Sauder, Special Events Coordinator, presented the plans for the day, which will be held at the Geauga County Fairgrounds.
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The grounds will open at 10:30 am. There will be craft projects from 11am - 2pm
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The map of the eclipse area was shown, and they reported that they are prepared for over 6,000 people. Eclipse glasses for 6,000 have been ordered.
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Members of Geauga 4-H plan to watch their chickens to see if they in fact will engage in roosting behavior during the over 3 minutes of the eclipse.
Other information presented by Mr. Oros:
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When reservations for the new year opened at noon on December 1st, they received 524 facility rental reservations, with 341 reservations being received during the first hour. All Saturday and Sunday rentals for Claridon Woodlands Lodge are already taken.
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Greens for Giving went well - 350 evergreen centerpieces were constructed and delivered to the Office on Aging (for Meals on Wheels) and the Veteran’s Food Pantry. Mr. Bob Rogish (Rogish Farm) was thanked, as he donated all the greens. A clip from Fox 8 News was played about the Greens for Giving program.
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West Woods will have snow shoe rental.
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In November there were a total of 3,008 patrons across all parks.
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The 182 acre Kittridge Property was acquired at the end of September. They are considering a new name, and it was suggested to name the Park Hambden Hills, to which the Commissioners had no objection.
Observer Note: During the May 21, 2022 meeting, Mr. Oros was authorized to apply for a CLEAN OHIO 319 Grant for a Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Grant Funding for the purchase and protection of the 181.9-acre Bates Creek Preserve property located in Hambden Township. This is apparently what is now called the Kittredge Property. In October 2022, Mr. Oros was authorized to enter into negotiations for purchase of “a property in Hambden Township.” In May 2023, it was reported that the State of Ohio Clean Ohio Fund was contributing $1,000,000 to the Kittredge property acquisition. See the LWVGeauga Observer Report for May 15, 2023. See the minutes for the October 16 meeting by scrolling down and clicking on the link at the bottom of the page. At the October 16 meeting, the GPD Board approved a use agreement between Geauga Park District and the Buckeye Retriever Club. No other uses for this park or improvements were listed for capital improvements for 2024. In a separate email, Mr. Oros stated that no improvements are currently planned.
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The automobile survey of the parks revealed that the #1 visited park in Geauga last year was Frohring Meadows; second was Big Creek, 3rd was Beartown Lakes; 4th was Swinecreek and 5th was Orchard Hills.
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It was announced that Howard Bates had been appointed for another 3-year term. Oros thanked Mr. Bates for his service.
Executive Session - The Commissioners went into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the compensation of public employees and collective bargaining with the rangers. Mr. Oros was not included in the Executive session and no attorney was present or entered the Executive session.
This Observer was not present when the Commissioners came out of Executive Session, but has verified the following:
Mr. Bates stated that there would be two resolutions:
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To approve the contract between the Fraternal Order of Police and the Geauga Park District for Park Rangers and Sergeant Ranger for the time period 1/1/24 to 9/31/26.
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To approve a 2024 compensation increase of 3.5% for all union and non union employees and to approve additional merit compensations for eligible employees not to exceed 1.5%.
Observer Note: It is not clear if these raises were already included in the budget that was presented for approval and was approved at this meeting. The Financial Worksheet for 2024 listed salaries going up from $381,038.40 to 425,853.41. The draft budget submitted at the November 2023 meeting did not list salaries in the same way, so it is impossible to know if this is the same as in the draft budget.
Public Comment - none permitted.
Reviewer Comment: 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 as it was for this meeting in regard to the 2024 Budget and in regard to the history and acquisition of the Kittredge aka Bates Creek and now Hambden Hills Park/property.
Next meeting – Tuesday, January 16 @ 8:30 am (Change due to Martin Luther King Jr Holiday)
See the GPD Website for Additional Information and Minutes
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor & Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date Submitted: December 21, 2023
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