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‘A Historic Day’ || Expanded park board eager to begin new era
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TAKING AN OATH: Judge Mark A. Belinky of Mahoning County Probate Court, foreground, swears in the new commissioners to the Mill Creek MetroParks Board. They are, from left, Daniel De Salvo of Boardman, John Ragan of Canfield and Dr. Robert Durick of Struthers. They were sworn in Wednesday.
New Mill Creek MetroParks commissioners want to focus on drawing in more people.
By Elise Franco
YOUNGSTOWN — The three new Mill Creek MetroParks commissioners have one common goal.
John Ragan, Daniel De Salvo and Dr. Robert Durick were sworn in Wednesday at Mill Creek Park’s D.D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens by Judge Mark Belinky of Mahoning County Probate Court.
The new members agreed they want to familiarize more people with the parks system, especially younger generations.
“We’re moving into a new chapter for the park,” Judge Belinky said. “Mill Creek Park is the most important legacy in the Mahoning Valley by far.”
This expands the board from three to five members for the first time in the more than 100-year history of the MetroParks, said commissioner Jay Macejko.
“It’s a historic day,” he said. “The expansion to five marks the end of one era and the beginning of the next.”
Macejko, a Youngstown prosecutor, has been on the board for one year.
“We’ve chosen three qualified people. ... They will help us move away from the politics,” Judge Belinky said.
The judge had urged the board to expand from three to five to gain better diversity of Mahoning County and its outlying communities. The park board voted 2-1 in favor of the motion at its Oct. 19 meeting. Commissioner Virginia Dailey, who has been on the board since 1998, dissented.
These are not paid positions.
Durick, of Struthers, and Ragan, of Canfield, both said the board needs to work on promoting the park.
“Mill Creek is such an asset, and it’s been underutilized,” Ragan said. “I’d like to get the school-age kids involved again.”
Durick, who will serve a one-year term, said it’s a matter of educating residents about the park.
“So many people don’t know about the parks. ... It drives me crazy,” he said.
He said he wants to see area schools take more field trips to visit the facilities.
“When you get the kids involved, they go home and tell their parents and bring them down here,” he said. “I’ll go to the schools and talk to the kids myself if it will get them involved.”
De Salvo, who was appointed to a three-year term after former Commissioner Carl Nunziato declined reappointment, said he would like to see the park create memories for children the way it did for him.
“So much of me was a part of Mill Creek growing up,” he said. “I have so much recollection of my childhood and my father here. ... The park’s been everything.”
De Salvo, of Boardman, said his No. 1 priority for the park is change.
“We have to form new relationships and new partnerships with surrounding communities,” he said. “That includes existing parks.”
De Salvo said he’d like to see the MetroParks take some steps into the green movement.
And while the previous board experienced some internal conflict, all five members of the new board are confident they’ll work well together.
“It’s a matter of being able to talk civilly,” Durick said.
Dailey said she’s looking forward to starting over and doesn’t foresee any issues.
“It’s wonderful to have fresh commissioners,” she said. “It will be nice to have new ideas from those who are energetic about the job.”
efranco@vindy.com