PERRYSBURG — He started 30 years ago as seasonal help and will end 2022 as the 20-year director of the
Wood County Park District.
At a special meeting of the park board on Friday at W.W. Knight Preserve, Neil Munger announced his
retirement, which will be in February of next year. Friday was also Munger’s 62nd birthday.
“I just want to give you all plenty of heads up,” Munger said. “I’m ready to spend more time with the
grandkids.”
Munger started with the park district 30 years ago as seasonal maintenance employee. He worked his way up
to park ranger, then into administration. He has been director for 21 years.
When he started with the district, there were three parks, William Henry Harrison Park in Pemberville and
Otsego Park and the Wood County Historical Center, both in Bowling Green.
There were plans for Cedar Creeks Preserve, which has a special place in Munger’s heart.
“All of them offer so many different things. Probably, if I had to pick one, it would probably be Cedar
Creeks,” he said. “Cedar Creeks, when we took that over, it was just a field.”
Munger is also fond of Carter Historic Farm, which had some board opposition when it was first proposed.
The Bowling Green park is a working farm, with animals, trails and programs that feature agricultural
practices.
“It’s really taken off,” he said.
The park district properties include a quarry, archery park and pristine woods.
“That’s listening to the public. To me that’s been the most important thing, is to ask people what they
want to see,” Munger said. “My hopes were that we could grow it into something like this. It’s been a
lot of work with a lot of good people.”
Now there are 19 parks, plus a headquarters.
It’s likely the board will hire the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association to conduct a national search.
Munger said the search could cost $12,000 to $15,000, but the association is uniquely qualified to find
the next director.
“They’re very specialized in dealing with park directors and park districts,” he said. “They’re very well
versed at it and they’re good at it.
“Not to say that there aren’t any people here or in our own backyard that could be interested in doing
it.”
Munger said he would assist in the search.
“I will be as involved or uninvolved as you need me to be,” he said.
Board member Tom Myers said he appreciated the notice.
“It gives us the luxury of planning,” he said.
Board President Sandy Wiechman said Munger has been an excellent leader with good listening skills and
excellent planning.
“It’s grown leaps and bounds since you took over,” Wiechman said of the park district.
