MANSFIELD — A special meeting Thursday night revealed the Richland County Park District is searching for a new executive director.
The five-member Richland County Park District Board of Park Commissioners met at the Gorman Nature Center for the “promotion and discipline of a public official.”
A few minutes after the meeting opened, board members voted to go into executive session — which lasted approximately 75 minutes.
After returning to regular session, a motion was made and unanimously approved to appoint Rhonda Berry, board chair, and Gail Laux, board member, as the interim co-executive directors of the Richland County Park District during its search phase.
“The position of executive director will be developed and refined and it is hoped that a new director will be hired within six months,” Berry said in an email sent Thursday evening.
The reasoning behind the separation from former executive director Jason Larson was not disclosed. The timing of his departure was also not discussed, though he was not listed on the district website as of Thursday.
“Jason (Larson) is a very talented naturalist and has worked for the park district for the past 12 years,” Berry said. “However, after careful consideration, the (board) has determined that a change in leadership is necessary at this time.”
Additional questions regarding the nature of Larson’s departure were emailed Thursday evening to Berry, but Richland Source did not receive a response by the time this story was published.
Richland Source also submitted a public records request to the board at Thursday’s special meeting to review Larson’s personnel file.
About 30 seconds after returning to regular session, the board voted to return to executive session for the purpose of “discipline of a public official.”
What is the RCPD Board of Park Commissioners?
Commissioners are appointed by the Richland County probate judge per Ohio Revised Code Section 1545.05, according to the park district’s website. Each commissioner is appointed to a three-year term as a public official and serves without pay.
The RCPD Board of Park Commissioners create an annual and long-term plan of operation that protects the Richland County Park District’s vision.
Commissioners currently serving include Berry, Laux, Anthony Wheaton, Jean Taddie and Patricia Dollisch.
Meetings take place at 5:30 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month at Gorman Nature Center, 2295 Lexington Ave, and are open to the public.