Environmentalist, ODNR fixture, to retire after 32 years

CELINA - Lifelong Montezuma native Brian Miller will retire today after a 32-year career with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

During his time with the stage agency, Miler has played a huge role in galvanizing the people of the Grand Lake region into collectively tackling a very tough environmental crisis. He's served as ODNR's Southwest District manager since 2015.

The lake for years has suffered from toxic algal blooms that have led to state-issued water advisories due to unsafe algal toxins in the water. The lake's blue-green algae is fed by excess nutrients that run off mostly farmland in the agriculture intensive watershed area that drains into the lake

"In 2009, we all had a wake-up call that we couldn't take our natural resources for granted," he said. "I became the face of Grand Lake St. Marys state park. The EPA had let us know we had to put up signs telling people not to touch the water because of a toxic algae called microcystin and people were angry and looking for answers."

Things worsened in 2010, when an entirely new type of toxic algae covered the entire lake and its channels with a slimy, smelly blanket.

"It was Aphanizomenon gracile that took over the lake," he said. "Things were bad. But it was when the picture of a guy on a jet ski in pea green water hit local and then national news that businesses really struggled and land values plummeted around the lake."

The losses hurt the park system too.

"We had to pull the dredges off the lake, refund dock fees. The dock fees were how we paid for things out at the parks," he said.

State officials were able to get projects done, however, by managing the state park like a business.

"At the end of the day, we needed to maximize the funding we had, looking for grants and other funding opportunities to move our projects forward," Miller said.

He points to improvements such as walking trails on the east and west sides of Grand Lake and boat ramp replacements as just a few examples of their successful management plan.

Miller credits the Lake Restoration Commission, formed in December 2009, with coalescing various stakeholders into a united front to address the root causes of lake algae blooms.

"I am proud to say I helped bring those folks together and proud of the progress that has been made in the last ten years," he noted.

Miller said many organizations stepped up to help improve lake water quality, among them the Lake Improvement Association. LIA publicized restoration initiatives, raised money and highlighted ways to reduce phosphorous loading in Grand Lake.

Miller said wetlands created at Prairie creek and Coldwater creek are filtering out heavy nutrient loads.

Wetlands provide an area for water to spread over, allowing sediment and nutrients to drop out. Wetland plants and trees protect against erosion and their roots take up nutrients.

"Even when the rainfall is low and the creeks aren't flowing into the lake, the pumps pull in lake water and redistribute it into the wetlands to be cleaned," he explained.

He anticipates further positive results as the Burntwood-Langenkamp wetlands come online and more wetlands are added at the Chickasaw and Little Chickasaw creeks.  

Dredging has also helped extract phosphorus from the lakebed.

The state now has three dredges on the lake each summer. Last year they pulled out almost 400,000 cubic feet of silt, depositing it on dry land to be harvested for free by local landscapers and private citizens.

As to the future of the lake, Miller has an optimistic outlook.

"As long as we maintain our wetlands, and continue to look for better conservation practices, I think it will get better," he said.

Many stakeholders in the region are conscious of their role in maintaining lake health, he added, calling that another sign of positive change.

Water quality testing has shown significant improvement as well and has been recognized on a national level. For example, in September 2019, the Wall Street Journal published a story about the success of cleanup at Grand Lake.

His familiarity with the area and its people enabled him to help Grand Lake.

Miller has lived his entire life around Grand Lake. He learned how to repair small boat motors and electric motors at Bayview Marina on the south side of the lake. The Miller family owned Bayview Marina in those years, first Miller's uncle then his parents, Jack and Alice Miller. The marina is now known as Bayview Sun and Snow Marina.

"As kids, in the summer we would fish for crappie and swim off Club Island where my parents had a home," he said. "We mostly stayed on the south side of the lake. In winter it was waterfowl hunting, ice-skating when we were young and snowmobiling as we got older."

He went to Franklin Elementary in Montezuma and graduated from Celina High School in 1986.

Miller launched his career with ODNR in the summer of 1989, when he was hired as a seasonal assistant dredge operator at the suggestion of his dad. Miller said he did have his doubts about applying for the job.

"I told Dad there was no job security and no pension in a seasonal job, but Dad said 'neither does the marina.' It was the best advice my dad ever gave me," Miller said.

He also worked for Franklin township in the 1980's, plowing snow in the winter months when business was slow on the lake. He went on to be elected as a Franklin Township trustee, serving from 1992 until 2000.

In 1994 he was hired as a full time dredge operator and for six years operated one of the two dredges on the lake. Miller also worked as assistant park manager and park manager.

With his state work with the state coming to an end, Miller will operate his own full-time shop, Miller Small Engine Services, at 325 W. Leona Street in Celina.

He plans to be open Monday through Saturday beginning Friday. Miller will service any type of small motor or engine except boat motors. He noted there are ample businesses for the repair of boat motors but a growing need for other engine repair services.   

The idea of a small engine repair shop came to him a few years ago.     "I was fixing motors for friends at my house. Then it was becoming work for friends of friends, and I could see a definite need for this kind of business filling a niche in the community," he said.