Richfield Joint Recreation District board ratifies 800-page strategic plan

by Sue Serdinak

April 24 board meeting

The meeting of the Richfield Joint Recreation District board opened with the swearing-in of newest member, Steve McPeake, by Richfield Township Trustee Don Laubacher. A township resident, McPeake is the former president and CEO of North Coast Community Homes. He was executive director and manager of other development centers and served on many regional and state disability boards.

In the nearly two-hour meeting that followed, the board approved a strategic plan, a restoration agreement with the Friends of Richfield Heritage Preserve to restore the Amity House and a 15-year lease agreement with the Oviatt House Incorporated group. The theme for the meeting could have been, “It may not be perfect, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

Strategic plan

The strategic plan for the park includes proposals for trails, the Lodge, the former swimming pool, homes, shelters and other former Girl Scout structures within the park.  

Board Chair Anita Gantner called the 800-page volume, compiled under the guidance of a representative from Cleveland Metroparks, a living document that could be modified. That proved to be the tipping point for the board to ratify the plan to guide the park in the future. 

Gantner said the plan has undergone several changes since it was introduced. The champion process was amended, a new map was drawn and trail work was added.

Richfield Village and Richfield Township agreed nine years ago to support the purchase of the Richfield Heritage Preserve, property that had been a 336-acre Girl Scout camp. Many were skeptical that the park could be saved, and disagreements followed about the best way to do it.

It was the effort of former Girls Scouts, now called the Friends of the Richfield Heritage Preserve, that generated the energy and effort to bring the park back to life. Their vision has been to save as much of the park as possible.

With local residents joining the group, the Friends have worked thousands of hours each year since 2014 to repair, restore and mothball various structures and to eradicate invasive species. They argued against the portion of the strategic plan that called for razing buildings, cabins and shelters.

The plan grouped structures in three tiers as to how quickly they should be removed.  The plan also outlined a champion concept by which groups could take responsibility for a structure, because the park district budget does not have funds to restore them.

“I’ve tried to understand … the champion thing. I find the documents hard to reconcile,’’ said Mike Lyons, one of the newer members of the board.  “It proposes getting rid of buildings on its own. … It seems to be an unfinished document.”  

He added that the board would need formal agreements with any group that wants to champion a structure.

Holly Price, also a new board member, recommended that the strategic plan should more clearly define what determines whether a building should be razed and what procedures should be followed.

“Some of the [structures] are small but getting rid of a [swimming] pool is a big deal,” she said.

Board member Mike Selig said there would be a cost associated with any demolition. “Even if we wanted to tear them down, we couldn’t afford to do it,’’ he said. “We would first base [demolition] on safety and then each year based on budget.”

Board member Mark Rosen recommended the section about removing structures should be excluded from the plan and handled separately.

“I’ve never understood why we should take down the third tier buildings. Leaving them does no harm,” he said.  “The process is set up to evaluate all structures.”

Gantner repeated that the plan was a living document that could be modified. Robeson voted against the plan, but it passed with six votes.

Oviatt House lease

Nearly eight months ago, the Oviatt House group, OHI, was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Ohio Capital Budget. The funds were to be directed to the park district and used to restore the house. However, receiving the funds was stalled because the RJRD legal counsel said OHI should be required to sign a 15-year lease of the building first.

Board Treasurer Dave Wehner argued that before the lease is approved, the board needed a policy stating the conditions under which a lease could be signed for any group, to avoid another group from requesting a lease agreement.

“We don’t have a policy for every decision that we make,” said Selig.

Lyons pointed out that the restoration agreement that the board has with OHI speaks to the reason the board entered into the lease.

Judy Bowman, OHI president, explained that Ohio has a deadline for accepting the grant, and work should not be done before it is accepted.

Gantner added, “We should go ahead with this lease agreement, and come up with a policy later.”

The board unanimously approved the 15-year lease agreement with OHI and Bowman gave a quarterly report of the work done on the 1836 structure.

“A gas line, furnace, air conditioning and ductwork have been installed,’’ she said. “A concrete slab inside was removed. Volunteers contributed 143 hours this quarter. Broadview Heating donated the entire HVAC system, saving $9,000. Ohio Hardwood Furniture donated hardwood flooring.”

Amity House agreement

In addition to the Friends taking on the challenge of raising thousands of dollars to restore the water wheel and the Kirby mill, they have done repairs on other structures at the request of Park Director John Piepsny. Friends President Corey Ringle, an architect, has been project manager for all of the group’s projects.

Following the renovation of the Lodge for rental space, Piepsny asked the Friends to restore the 1936 Amity House, so it could be rented out and used for summer camp classes. The building is a former two-story brick home that overlooks the upper lake.

The Friends raised funds to buy materials and according to Piepsny have been working 24/7 to get the work done. He estimated the value of the labor and materials provided by the Friends to be well over $100,000.  

Piepsny has directed the work of the Friends for several months, but there has been no formal agreement with the board.

The board voted unanimously to approve an agreement that requires that the Friends fund 50% of the cost of the Amity House project, with RJRD event coordinator Shari Green and Piepsny choosing colors, fabrics, fixtures, finishes and furnishings for the building.

The agreement gives the Friends the right to request use of Amity House free of charge for fundraising events, including donor tours.

Operating levy

The 10-year .5-mill operating levy for the recreation district expires in 2024. The current effective millage is .46 mills because property values in the district have increased since the levy was passed. Gantner advised the board that a new levy could be put on the ballot in November 2023 or either May or November 2024.

Lyons said the board could get an official estimate from the county auditor about millage amounts for a replacement levy. A replacement levy would maintain the same .5 mills but would generate more for the park from new construction in the village and township.

The board agreed to request those figures from the auditor.

Grant request

Selig reported that the grant-writing committee has proposed applying for a grant to replace the metal pedestrian bridge over the upper lake dam. He said the board would ask for $61,000, and the board would be required to match it with $15,000 in supplies or volunteer labor.

Selig said the bridge is safe but people and dogs find the bridge and the steps frightening.

The board voted unanimously to apply for the grant.  

Director report

Piepsny reported that a park employee, Chris Moore, has obtained certification to use chemicals for invasive species. This will enable the Friends to restart that program which stalled after Jeff DeLuca retired from the board.

The asphalt work in front of the Lodge has been completed, and the broken pavement on the trail near the Garfield House has been removed and gravel has been laid on the hill.

Registration for programs can be done online, and village and township residents will soon receive a newsletter with all of the programs listed. ∞