The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners of Mill Creek MetroParks has been scheduled for Monday, March 9 at 6 p.m. at Birch Hill Cabin on McCollum Road in Youngstown (GPS Coordinates: +41.086759, -80.681641). The agenda will be available after 2 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

For more information or questions, please contact Mill Creek MetroParks at 330.702.3000.

A recent financial audit of Mill Creek MetroParks by the Auditor of State’s office has returned a clean audit report and excellent record keeping, therefore earning the MetroParks the Auditor of State Award. The Auditor of State Award is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit. Entities that receive the award meet the following criteria of a “clean” audit report:

• The entity must file timely financial reports with the Auditor of State’s office in accordance with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles);
• The audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs;
• The entity’s management letter contains no comments related to:

o    Ethics referrals

o    Questioned costs less than $10,000

o    Lack of timely report submission

o    Reconciliation

o    Failure to obtain a timely Single Audit

o    Findings for recovery less than $100

o    Public meetings or public records

This award will be presented at tonight’s Regular Meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners of Mill Creek MetroParks, held at 6 p.m. at the MetroParks Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Rd. Canfield, OH 44406.

While most may be anxiously awaiting spring, Mother Nature’s recent cold weather has once again given Mill Creek MetroParks a unique opportunity. Over the past few weeks, the temperatures have enabled the Lily Pond to freeze, allowing Mill Creek MetroParks to provide a safe outdoor skating experience to visitors.

Mill Creek MetroParks will host supervised ice skating at the Lily Pond beginning today from 3 – 6 p.m. Hours for this weekend will be Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. If conditions allow, supervised skating will continue next weekend on Friday, February 6 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. and will continue on Fridays from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturdays & Sundays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. through February 22. Unsupervised skating is permitted during normal MetroParks hours. Benches and a fire pit will be provided for the convenience of those not hitting the ice or those who need to rest or warm up. Interested skaters are asked to please bring skates as no skate rental will be available. Safety is a priority for the MetroParks so at any time that the ice is deemed unsafe for use it will be closed.

Mill Creek MetroParks is soliciting public comment for an upcoming improvement project. Rogers Bridge and Orchard Meadow Bridge are two historic stone arch bridges located along Bear Creek in Mill Creek Park. The proposed rehabilitation project will improve the experience and safety for vehicular and non-vehicular traffic, preserve the bridges’ original function, and restore their aesthetic appeal.

The project consists of furnishing labor, materials and equipment necessary to clean, repair and tuck point stone masonry, construct retaining curbs and replace the pavement over the bridge with asphalt concrete, a waterproof paving mat, and underdrains. The bridges will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic during various construction phases of the project.

The project is substantially funded by a Federal Highway Administration Transportation Alternatives Grant.

Public comment will be received by the MetroParks for a period of thirty (30) days from this posting. Please submit comments to: Mill Creek MetroParks; RE: Slippery Rock Bridge; P.O. Box 596; Canfield, Ohio 44406-0596.

The project is anticipated to commence in the summer of 2015. Please call 330-702-3000 with questions.

Mill Creek MetroParks Outdoor Education Manager Ray Novotny has received both the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Meritorious Service Award and the Thomas Say Naturalist Award of Excellence for Outstanding Event or Program. The awards were presented at NAI’s national workshop in November in Denver, Colorado. NAI recognizes excellence in interpretation through their professional awards program. Ray has worked for Mill Creek MetroParks since 1985 and is a Life Member of NAI.

Each year the Meritorious Service Award honors members who have performed extensive and invaluable service to NAI, especially on the national level. “Ray has dedicated himself to preparing and submitting nominations to honor those special individuals among us. He has done this year after year; with little more than a simple thank you so that the interpretation community is aware of their individual achievements. He has continued with this mission with no desire to self-promote or to receive any recognition. His only purpose has been to expose his colleagues doing good work to the greater membership of NAI,” said Cem Basman, NAI Vice President for Administration, who nominated Ray for the award.

“Award nominating has evolved into my unique niche in life,” said Ray. “I submitted my first ever nomination in 1985, and after about a dozen successes began to increase my efforts substantially in 2000. It’s a privilege for me to serve as the catalyst for well-deserved recognition. I deeply appreciate NAI ‘turning the tables’ on me.”

The Thomas Say Naturalist Award of Excellence, bestowed by NAI’s Interpretive Naturalist Section, strives to honor naturalists who have demonstrated the highest accomplishments of the profession and have inspired greater understanding, awareness, and stewardship of our natural resources. The award was presented to Ray for his Reptile Exhibit/Bug Day programs. “These have been my signature events for decades, and I hope will be my legacy,” said Ray. “I would like to share this award with all of my past and present MetroParks colleagues, volunteers, exhibitors, and visitors who helped make these special events so successful.”

This award is named after self-taught naturalist Thomas Say (1787-1834), who identified more than 1,500 species of insects and animals unique to North America and was a brave naturalist who helped blaze a trail for future naturalists. This award program is named in his honor, as are numerous species such as (a western bird) Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya. He represents innovation, commitment, and a passion to contribute to science.

“Both awards speak to the level of excellence that Ray exhibits as an interpretive professional, which in turn serves to reflect on the level of professionalism of our MetroParks naturalist staff led by Ray,” said Carol Vigorito, Mill Creek MetroParks Recreation and Education Manager. “We are all so proud of Ray. These awards are much deserved.”

 

About the National Association for Interpretation (NAI)

The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) professional association for those involved in the interpretation of natural and cultural heritage resources in settings such as parks, zoos, museums, nature centers, aquaria, botanical gardens, and historical sites. For more than 50 years, NAI and its parent organizations have encouraged networking, training, and collaboration among members and partners in support of our mission: inspiring leadership and excellence to advance heritage interpretation as a profession. NAI’s growing network of members includes volunteers, docents, interpreters, naturalists, historians, rangers, park guards, guides, tour operators, program directors, consultants, academicians, planners, suppliers, and institutions. NAI has 5,000 members in over 30 countries with three international affiliate organizations: NAI-Greece, NAI-Korea, and NAI-China. For more information about the November workshop or the organization, contact NAI Executive Director, Margo Carlock in Ft. Collins, Colorado. (1-888-900-8283) or visit our website at www.interpnet.org.