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Letter to editor miffs MetroParks commissioner
YOUNGSTOWN
At least one member of the Mill Creek MetroParks Board of Park Commissioners took exception to a letter to the editor published in Sunday’s Vindicator that criticized the board.
“With all the money issues in Mill Creek Park, maybe there should be a vote by the taxpayers to lower the wages of the board. It’s ridiculous the amount they get paid for how little they do,” wrote Joan DeApolito-Toth of Youngstown, who argued that tax dollars would be better spent on dealing with drug addiction in the community than on costly fixes to water pollution in the park.
Board member Dr. Robert Durick publicly responded to the letter at a board meeting Tuesday, pointing out that park commissioners are not compensated.
“This just irritates the hell out of me,” he said. He felt the need to say something, he said, because he’s gotten several questions from community members since Sunday about whether board members get paid.
Board President Louis Schiavoni addressed ongoing efforts to address the park’s water-quality issues. The Mahoning County District Board of Health is in the last week of a 12-week water-testing program at the park, which will help park officials get a better understanding as to why some locations have been found to have higher levels of E. coli bacteria than others.
In other business, the board approved a resolution that will allow the park to move forward with a program that allows it to use Ohio Department of Transportation funds for road maintenance projects.
The park has been allocated $108,820 from the ODOT Road Improvement Fund for 2016-17. The park will use those funds, and cover any additional costs, to repave Memorial Hill Drive.
The next regular board meeting will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at Yellow Creek Lodge in Struthers.