The three Wood County Park District Board members will wait until two more persons are appointed to the
board before granting employee raises for 2010.
At Monday’s meeting, the board reviewed the 2010 operating budget, which will be voted on at the Dec. 14
meeting. Parks Director Neil Munger asked for direction on giving employees salary increases.
“The one question up in the air is salaries still,” Munger said. “I would suggest, with the board
expanding to five members after the first of the year, that we wait.”
At last month’s meeting, the board voted 2-1 to expand to five. Wood County Common Pleas/Probate Judge
David Woessner is accepting applications until Nov. 18 and will make the appointments effective Jan. 1.

“I couldn’t agree more. It’s been a hot-button issue with some people,” said Board President George
Thompson.
He said he didn’t want to strap new board members with decisions that the current board had made.
Munger also suggested that the board mirror what the county commissioners approve for employee raises
next year.
Also at the November meeting, the board approved a pay compensation plan for its 20 employees that calls
for virtually no salary increases. Two park rangers, a maintenance specialist and the stewardship
coordinator could receive small hourly raises.
On Monday, Munger said the largest raise was from approximately $11 an hour to $14 an hour.
Board member Char Scherer said the scale, with those increases, should be implemented. She said the board
needs to show the public that “we’re making good use of this study that we paid big bucks to get.”
Clemans, Nelson and Associates, which is based in Dublin and has an office in Lima, was hired at a cost
not to exceed $5,852.
The firm was hired last winter after the park board recommended huge salary increases — ranging up to 74
percent with the average salary increase being 32 percent — for its 20 employees.
After public outcry, the raises were rescinded and 4 percent increases were given to employees who had
been with the district 10 years or less; 3 percent raises were given to the rest of the staff.
The 2010 operating budget is $2.67 million, about $300,000 more than this year’s. Compensation for the
staff, including part time and full time, is budgeted at $183,728 for 2010, compared to $173,128 for
this year.
Munger said the budget was just bumped up when a 9-year-old vehicle used by the programming department
broke down. It needs “major repairs,” including a new transmission.
A new mower is also in the budget.
The major capital projects include a new shelterhouse, stone trail, picnic tables, landscaping and
seeding at Cedar Creeks Preserve in Walbridge
A new entrance sign will be installed at William Henry Harrison Park in Pemberville. There will also be
asphalt repairs there and at the park headquarters on Mercer Road.
Plans also call for tuckpointing the stone hall at Otsego Park and renovating the new garage in Rudolph.

In January, Munger said, he will start work on a master plan for he parks, which will make it easier to
obtain grant money.
Cricket Frog Cove is a priority on the list. Munger plans to solicit input froman advisory committee, the
public and building and staff.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Heard the district has received a $43,235 grant from GameTime Playground Equipment that will be built
at Bradner Preserve. Last fall, the district received a $47,636 grant from the same company for
equipment at Cedar Creeks Preserve.
• Appointed Assistant Director Jeff Baney to the Wood County Historical Society Board.
• Heard the office would be closed Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving. Munger said it is not a paid
holiday and employees could use a “floating” holiday or compensation time.