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Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve is part of the Heritage Trails park system.
NEW BREMEN - The Heritage Trails Park District is entering a new era after locking in its first property tax levy that will provide a reliable source of revenue for at least five years.
Park commissioners this week met with the public to discuss plans for the park's future. Among the suggestions were connecting surrounding communities with park trails and developing wetlands, woodlands and wildlife habitats.
The district preserves over 110 acres of land and water in Auglaize County, including the Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve, E.J. Mackenbach Nature Preserve, Lock 14 Park, Deep Cut Historical Park, Bloody Bridge Trail Head and Towpath Trail.
Established in 1996, the park previously operated from a small fraction of local government funds allocated to various organizations in Auglaize County. It's served by a board of three commissioners - Allison Brady, Dave Stilwell and Matt Teeters.
St. Marys Towpath Trail is part of the Heritage Trails park system.
The metro park's five-year, 0.5-mill property tax levy for park development and operation passed with a 57% approval at the Nov. 7 general election. It can be used to maintain, conserve, develop, improve, acquire and protect land and water for the purposes of parks, parkways and forest preservations.
It will collect $620,000 annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $18 per year. Allison Brady's husband, Neil Brady, said the money should start coming in next month.
Commissioners want to involve the public as much as possible in mapping out the park's future, Stilwell said.
"We want to involve our stakeholders as much as possible in our planning for how we want to see the park grow, develop and thrive," he said. "What we want to do today is try to get some input, kind of brainstorm a wishlist, if you will. We want to get ideas from people: Where you want us to go, what you want us to do, where you want us to head."
Neil Brady kicked off the discussion by sharing the park's mission statement.
"The mission of the park district is to continue to create and preserve park land within Auglaize County for the purpose of conservation, leisure, environmental education, for all to enjoy and appreciate," he said. "I've got down here short term plans and goals. What do you think? What would you recommend the first thing that this park district ought to be doing? Any idea?"
One of the first suggestions was to connect surrounding communities by park trails.
"This canal is connecting communities along the western part of the county, but there's some old rail beds on the other side of the county that have potential," Neil Brady said.
Another prospective idea was to develop wetlands, woodlands and wildlife habitats.
"(We want to) provide passive recreational opportunities on all levels of mobility," Neil said.
Passive recreation involves activities that do not require prepared facilities such as sports fields or pavilions, according to http://epa.gov.
Miami Erie Canal Lock 14 Park is part of the Heritage Trails park system.
Attendee Ned Lawler of St. Marys recommended park commissioners practice better communication.
"How about communication with a capital 'C?'" Lawler said. "Getting the information out to all parts of the county, so that everyone in the county that voted for this know they're going to get something out of it."
Steve Dorston of Montezuma then suggested commissioners seize on the education opportunity afforded by the levy.
"You're going to be developing land out here. As you're developing it's a good time to explain as to why you're developing it the way you are," he said." Why do we have a wetlands here? Why does this trail go here? Why do we have water going this direction and what have you? You (can) have school tours going out there. You're just breeding ground for more people to come out and visit the park."
Allison Brady said one of commissioners' top priorities is to hire an executive director.
"We are in the process of considering how we will fund our and define our first full-time employee. We anticipate that to be an executive director," she said. "The person that would start with us, that executive director may be the person that gives this organization its next chapter. It's a person that sees into the future and sees what the future of the park district could be."
In a draft job opening passed out at the meeting, the full-time position was summarized as a "top level, executive position serving as the administrative head of the park district and directing all aspects of activities in accordance with the policies of the Board of Park Commissioners and the laws of the state of Ohio."
An official job opening will be posted on the park district's website this spring.
Bloody Bridge Trail Head is one of the parks in the Heritage Trail system.
Another goal is to establish a park within every township and have a presence on the eastern side of the county.
"One of our goals is to not just be on the western side of the county," Allison Brady said. "We want to grow to the eastern side of the county. … We want to consider growing and developing more park land."
Dorsten recommended that commissioners stay positive throughout the expansion process.
"Always stay positive and make your small steps," he said. "They'll lead (to) bigger steps … Make sure that you never take a negative view, that it can't be done. Just always say, 'Yes, it can. How do we get there?'"
For more information on the park district, visit htparks.org/ or contact administrative assistant Terry McDonald at 781-816-PARK (7275) or info@htparks.org.
Heritage Trails first property tax levy will collect $620,000 annually.
