Township parks supervisor retires

July 16, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Joyce Gottron said a variety of factors helped forge her decision to leave her post as township parks supervisor.

Gottron, 57, said she will retire Aug. 1 after 34 years working in Austintown Township.

“It feels right, and in my personal life, it’s a good time for me,” she said. “But also, with the issues involved with Senate Bill 5, there [is the] potential of loss of retirement benefits. It was a combination of those factors.”

Gottron joined the township in her early 20s and worked for 16 years as the assistant township clerk. She said she then became the parks-department program education coordinator and has been the parks supervisor for the past seven years.

She said she’s leaving with the feeling that she’s accomplished everything she can for the parks department.

“I’ve reached the point where our [parks] budget is what it’s going to be for a long time,” she said. “I’ve reached the point on my bucket list of what I’m able to do with the funding that’s available.”

Township Trustee Lisa Oles said Gottron’s absence will be felt by all township employees.

“Joyce was instrumental in getting a lot of grant money into the park system, and she had an ongoing relationship with the schools,” Oles said. “She’s represented the township well in her position.”

Oles said because of budget constraints, the trustees don’t intend to fill Gottron’s position or that of Gloria Dunlap, the township’s administrative clerk who retired Friday after 30 years.

“We’re going to disperse a lot of the parks supervisor’s work to our zoning inspector,” Oles said. “Zoning will now take over all of the high-grass nuisance complaints that Gloria previously handled.”

Trustee David Ditzler said it would be difficult to really replace Gottron, even if the township were able.

“It’s going to be a void we actually can’t fill because she did an educational program that I don’t think anybody in the area is as versed or experienced to be able to do,” he said. “She provided a unique opportunity for the kids in the school system that is really going to be sad to see be phased out.”

Ditzler said residents shouldn’t worry about the condition or quality of the park, however. He said Austintown Township Park’s two current maintenance employees also will take on some of Gottron’s responsibilities.

“They will be more of an influence in keeping our residents’ perspective of the park consistent,” he said.

Gottron said it will be difficult for her to leave behind not only employees and co-workers, but residents she came to consider friends.

“It feels like a good time, but at the same time, you never leave a job you enjoy without some regrets,” she said. “I will miss my co-workers and the people I’ve met in the community through my association with the park. These people have become friends to me.”