OUTSIDE MEDIA COVERAGE OF MILL CREEK METROPARKS

Section of Mill Creek Park hiking trail will close for improvement project

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – A section of one of Mill Creek Park’s hiking and biking trails will be temporarily closed for construction.

The East Cohasset Bike and Hike Trail — mainly the northern 1.07 miles of the trail, from the Ottawa Drive entrance to Old Furnace Road — is expected to close early August and reopen by the end of October.

The project will improve storm-water drainage and surfacing along the trail. Drainage pipes and structures will be replaced, stone-retaining walls will be cleaned and repainted, and new asphalt pavement will be installed.

Mill Creek secured a federal grant for the project, which will supply 80 percent of the cost of construction.

 

Click to view on wytv.com

Section of Mill Creek Park hiking trail will close for improvement project

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The project will improve storm-water drainage and surfacing along the trail

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A section of one of Mill Creek Park’s hiking and biking trails will be temporarily closed for construction.

The East Cohasset Bike and Hike Trail — mainly the northern 1.07 miles of the trail, from the Ottawa Drive entrance to Old Furnace Road — is expected to close early August and reopen by the end of October.

The project will improve storm-water drainage and surfacing along the trail. Drainage pipes and structures will be replaced, stone-retaining walls will be cleaned and repainted, and new asphalt pavement will be installed.

Mill Creek secured a federal grant for the project, which will supply 80 percent of the cost of construction.

 

Click here to view on wkbn.com

Mill Creek MetroParks closing parking lots for repairs

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Several parking lots in Mill Creek will be closed on Wednesday for asphalt sealings. 

The following lots will be closed for several days: Lanterman’s Mill, Newport Wetlands, Davies Wetland Trail, and East Golf Bike & Hike (Shields Road Parking Lots).

The Mill Creek Marketing Manager advised that several minor lots along East and West Newport Drive may be affected as well.

Although the lots will be closed, the facilities will remain open and accessible and scheduled programs will not be affected.

View the full article at wfmj.com

Mill Creek Park Board gives director contract extension, raise

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With two-and-a-half years still left on Executive Director Aaron Young’s contract, a majority of Mill Creek MetroParks Commissioners decided to give him a three-year extension and a raise.

The vote came Monday after an executive session but was not made public until Wednesday by way of a statement from the commissioners. WKBN 27 First News was never sent a copy of the statement.

The statement about Young’s three-year contract extension — during which his salary will go from $92,000 to $112,000 a year — speaks to Mill Creek’s long-term plan.

“There’s a five-year plan that’s being initiated,” said Lee Frey, president of Mill Creek Park’s commissioners. “We wanted to give him the opportunity to finish that plan.”

Frey was one of four commissioners who voted for the extension and raise.

Tom Shipka was the lone “no” vote. He was okay with a raise through the end of Young’s contract but he did not want an extension.

“The board has just adopted a set of goals for guidance of the executive director,” Shipka said. “I wanted to observe how he performed within the framework of those goals.”

A year ago, large crowds at commissioners meetings demanded Young be fired after he abruptly terminated 13 park employees.

Bill Adams has been an outspoken critic of Aaron Young and the commissioners. He was not happy with how the decision on the extension and raise was made.

“They had this meeting — a private executive session — no prior notice that this was even on the agenda or even on the radar,” Adams said. “It’s what they call a fait accompli.”

“Now, Aaron’s worked very effectively, I think, with the board,” Frey said. “But those people are unforgiving. So what are you going to do? There is nothing that can possibly be done that will ever change their mind.”

Shipka called the contract extension premature, saying he wanted to see how Young would work with the seven new committees formed to help the commissioners make decisions.

Attempts to contact Young for comment were not successful.

View the full article at wkbn.com

Mill Creek Park Executive Director gets 3-year extension

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Embattled Mill Creeks Metro Parks Executive Director Aaron Young is holding on to his position for another three years.

Mill Creek’s Park Board approved the extension on Monday with a 4-1 vote. Young will receive a raise, as well, and is now on track to make $97,000 this year. His salary jumps from $92,000 to $112,000 per year.

Members of the board said Wednesday night they’re working on a new five-year plan for the park and keeping Young adds continuity to their long-term plans.

But not everyone is a fan of this decision.

“I was amenable to modest increases over the last couple of years to his current five-year contract,” said park Commisioner Tom Shipka, who voted against it. “But since we’re only halfway through his current five-year contract, I felt it inappropriate to grant an extension at this juncture.”

The decision was made following an executive session at the regularly scheduled meeting, which commissioners say there was a public vote on.

In a press release, Mill Creek Park praised Young, calling him a “recognized leader among those who manage park districts.”

“There’s a five-year plan that is being initiated,” Commission President Lee Frey said. “And we wanted to give him the opportunity to finish that plan. I think that’s important. He’s gone along with all the different changes we have made.”

But those opposed to Young, like Youngstown resident Bill Adams, have a lot to say about Young’s extended term.

“Just sticking with the facts, it doesn’t make any sense,” Adams said. “It’s such a glowing review, it makes you wonder, ‘Are we talking about the same thing?’

“He’s in the middle of a five-year contract,” Adams added. “At this point, if they wanted to buy him out of a contract, it’s relatively inexpensive. But by increasing the length of the contract and giving him a raise, it’s like they’re done with that.”

MetroParks board grants Aaron Young raises of 5, 3 and 3 percent

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A three-year rollover contract and a pay increase was approved by the Mill Creek Metroparks Board of Directors Monday for Executive Director Aaron Young.

The new contract – when added to the remaining two years of his current contract – will keep him in his position through 2022.

Along with the contract extension, Young will receive a pay increase; a 5 percent increase in 2017 followed by 3 percent increases each year after.

After the pay raise, Young’s salary in 2017 will be $97,125. His final salary in 2022 will be $112,594.

Lee Frey, board president, said the salary increase will bring Young up to a “midrange” salary based on a 2009 board salary suggestion.

“Compared to other parks, what we’re offering is low and we’ll stay low,” Frey said.

View the full article at vindy.com

Two reports set future plans for geese population at Mill Creek

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Last week, two reports were issued examining geese overpopulation in Mill Creek Park, which has been a problem for three years now, ever since 240 of them were rounded up and killed.

Both reports will be used to determine future park policy.

AUDUBON CANADA GOOSE REPORT FOR MILL CREEK PARK

USDA-WS REPORT OF GOOSE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WITHIN MILL CREEK PARK

“It basically gave them a baseline of how many geese were found at the park on this specific day,” said Jeff Harvey, President of the Audubon Society/Mahoning Valley.

The Audubon Society/Mahoning Valley counted 146 geese in Mill Creek Park on June 26 — all of them around lakes Newport and Glacier.

Two months earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture counted 131 geese in the park. It also counted 28 nests and 114 eggs, almost all around the Newport Wetlands. Those eggs were addled — shaken — to make sure they wouldn’t hatch.

The Audubon Society count found only six goslings.

“So that means USDA did their job,” said Denny Malloy, chairman of the Mill Creek Wildlife Committee. “They located the nests correctly. They went in eight times. It was money well spent and now there’s going to be a no net gain of geese in Mill Creek Park.”

Both Malloy and Harvey are okay with the process of addling.

“It’s proven to work really well to keep the urban goose population down in human conflict areas,” Malloy said.

“At least you’re not killing the geese,” Harvey said. “You’re trying to control them. That’s probably an effective method you can use.”

One thing Harvey would like to see is the baseline number for the number of geese allowed in Mill Creek Park but he could not say what that number should be.

“There’s no set numbers of geese per acre of water or anything like that that we can recommend to the park,” Harvey said.

Mill Creek Metro Parks Commissioner Tom Shipka said he expects the two reports to be forwarded to the park’s wildlife committee and eventually, a policy on geese to be developed.

The two reports also recommended stricter enforcement of the “don’t feed the geese law.” The Audubon Society suggested changing the habitat of the Newport Wetlands, making it harder for geese to nest.

Both studies suggested the addling program be continued.

Mill Creek MetroParks gets state funds for land acquisition

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The Ohio Public Works Commission has awarded Mill Creek MetroParks $43,980 from the commission’s Clean Ohio Conservation Fund.

Those funds will cover 75 percent of the $58,640 cost of acquiring five undeveloped parcels located on the west side of Glenwood Avenue and the south side of Devonshire Drive.

MetroParks Planning & Operations Director Steve Avery said the parcels, which comprise 2.86 acres, are located in wooded areas that are adjacent to park land.

The acquisition is part of an effort by the MetroParks to obtain and preserve open space in the Glenwood Avenue corridor.

View the full article at vindy.com

Top young golfers from all over the world playing in the Valley

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The field included players from 23 states, along with Canada, Russia, and China.

“Anytime you can bring in the world’s best juniors, it’s pretty solid, especially here in the Mahoning Valley,” said Brian Tolnar, Director of Golf at Mill Creek Metro Parks. “Your last three U.S. Open champions have won right here on the AGJA, the one that won this past week, Brooks Koepka. He won it in 2005 and won 14 events on the AGJA total.”

This is one of 14 similar tournaments around the country, and the Youngstown area fits the event’s needs.

“It’s a terrific venue. It’s highly ranked, 26th golf course municipal in the United States. It’s overall a great experience for our players, we have great feedback from them, and obviously, it’s mutual between the two of us,” said Ryan Flanigan, Midwest Regional Director of the AGJA.

This year’s field includes two local golfers, including Cardinal Mooney’s Jayne Bernard and Brookfield’s Connor Stevens.

“It means a lot, knowing that kids from the area really want to golf. They don’t think it’s cool,” said Stevens. “Hopefully some younger kids see what our golf team did last year, and they’ll come out and play.”

This is the second year the Metro Parks has hosted this event, and it’s brought in more than $500,000 economically.

“It means to Metro an opportunity to showcase what we got here at Metro Park’s golf course. It means more for the community than it does the golf course,” said Aaron Young, Executive Director of the Metro Parks. “Because the economic impact to the region last year was over $250,000, expect to see the same thing this year. It’s an impact for everyone and an opportunity to showcase the Valley.”

View the full article at wfmj.com