After a nearly six-month wait, Geauga County Probate Court Judge Tim Grendell has appointed the third and final member of the Geauga Park District Board of Commissioners.
Former Burton Village Councilman Brian Johnston — who is running as an independent candidate for county commissioner in November — was sworn in Tuesday to fill the remaining six-month term of former Park Commissioner Mike Petruziello.
Petruziello resigned following his election to the Chester Township Trustees board.
“Mr. Johnston brings his valuable experience in government and public budgeting from serving as a village councilman and his years of law enforcement service to the Geauga Park District board,” Grendell said. “He will be an excellent contributing member of the board.”
Grendell said he ran into Johnston over Memorial Day weekend and the two discussed the vacancy and Johnston’s level of interest.
“I had shown some interest early on and they had contacted me and asked me if I was still interested,” Johnston said, adding he was and filled out the necessary paperwork.
Between Johnston’s more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and his understanding of the budgeting process, Grendell said he hoped Johnston would “hit the ground running.”
“I look forward to it,” he told the judge.
Johnston said he hopes his “strong law enforcement background” can help augment the park district’s “top-notch ranger unit” and assist them with any further training. He also referenced his experience in union negotiations.
“I understand their union and hopefully can help them, too, in that role,” he added.
Johnston, who was elected in November 2011 to a four-year term on council and currently serves as council president, submitted his letter of resignation to Burton Village Mayor Nick Fischbach Tuesday morning.
Fischbach said he would solicit names of village residents to fill Johnston’s seat and choose the new member with council’s approval. All council members will then elect a new council president for the rest of the year.
Notably, Fischbach served two years as a park district commissioner before resigning his seat last December.
“For the record, I did not ask Mr. Fischbach to step down because he was mayor of Burton. It is my opinion that that is not a conflict to serving on the board,” Grendell said.
The judge referenced an Ohio Attorney General’s opinion that holds the positions of member of a board of county commissioner and a county park board are compatible.
Instead, Grendell said he asked Fischbach to step down in order to “clear the air” of all the anomosity surrounding Petruziello’s compeled resignation.
“You can’t clear the air by leaving one person (on the board). I had to ask them all to step aside so we could start fresh,” said Grendell.
Prior to swearing in the new member, Grendell said Johnston would work with the other park commissioners and park district interim Deputy Director John Oros to combat a growing drug problem in the parks.
“I figured with your background, you can work with John and the park rangers to figure out what it is we have to do to discourage this stuff,” the judge said, questioning whether trail cameras needed to be installed or people hidden in the woods.
Grendell added he has taken calls from residents complaining about drug paraphernalia being found in three different county parks.
Others attending the swearing-in ceremony were Oros, Johnston’s daughter, Greer, and Geauga County Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri.
Johnston previously was elected a member of the Burton Village Board of Public Affairs, where he served for more than 12 years.
While on village council, he served as council president for three years. He also has served council’s finance committee and as council liaison to the police/fire departments and service department.
Johnston said he was sorry to leave village council, but called his appointment “upward mobility” and a “logical progression up.”
“That 12 years there, it’s amazing how much goes on in one little square mile,” he said.
In addition to his seat on council, Johnston said Burton Village also has an opening on its Board of Public Affairs as a result of a recent resignation.
“There are two openings now,” he noted, adding council might be involved in the interview process to fill his seat.
Johnston is a retired sergeant from the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, with more than three decades of law enforcement experience.
In 2011, he received the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award from the Geauga County Bar Association and, in 1990, was given the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year award.
His community involvement includes his recent appointment as an advisory board member for Advocate for Recovery.
Johnston is an avid outdoorsman with vast experience enjoying and supporting everything the Geauga parks has to offer, Grendell said.