Mill Creek finalizes severance agreements with nondisparagement clauses

CANFIELD

Mill Creek MetroParks recently finalized agreements with the last of the former park employees who had held off on signing severance or transfer agreements after a staff restructuring implemented in February eliminated 13 positions.

The MetroParks this week received a thank-you letter from former outdoor education manager Ray Novotny’s attorney, capping off negotiations in which the MetroParks agreed to grant Novotny the honorary title of “naturalist emeritus” as part of his severance package.

The MetroParks board approved and read aloud a resolution – which noted many of Novotny’s accomplishments during his 30-year career at the park system – to that effect at its May 16 board meeting. After passage of that resolution, according to the agreement, Novotny’s attorney was required to “send a letter to [MetroParks Executive Director] Aaron Young and the board expressing his appreciation to them for coming to an amicable resolution on this issue.”

The clause also stipulated that Novotny “make no public comments at the above described meeting.”

Young told The Vindicator the thank-you-note stipulation was included in the agreement to “demonstrate the good will.

Young declined to comment on the stipulation that Novotny not speak at the board meeting. Novotny declined to comment for this story.

Of the 13 employees whose jobs were affected by the staff restructuring, 11 signed severance agreements. All are bound by nondisparagement/nondisclosure clauses

Ellen Speicher, a former part-time plant curator, declined to sign an agreement.

Read more about the situation in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.