Following a brief executive session at the August 28 meeting, the Metroparks Toledo board of commissioners approved an agreement with the parks’ employees association.
The union represents 80 full-time and five part-time employees, all of whom are non-management personnel working in park operations and as park rangers.
The process included a fact-finding proceeding over two outstanding issues: wages and holidays. Park commissioners accepted the report, which the union had previously voted to accept.
Terms of the three-year contract call for adding Juneteenth as a holiday.
It also calls for wages to be adjusted as follows:
•Full-time employees– 3 percent wage increase, retroactive to the first pay period in March and 3.25 percent increases effective the first full pay of March 2025 and March 2026.
•Part-time employees–a $1 per hour increase retroactive to March, and 4 percent increases in March 2025 and 2026, all effective with the first pay period of the month.
“Metroparks employs a talented, diverse staff who are committed to keeping the parks clean, safe and natural 365 days a year, and we appreciate them every day, said Dave Zenk, executive director.
He added, “We are pleased to come to a final agreement that is fair and equitable to employees, management and Lucas County taxpayers.”
Other Business
In other business, the park board:
•Entered into an agreement with the City of Toledo to receive $679,895 in grant funding to support tree planting efforts at Glass City park and the former International Park locations.
Metroparks staff will plant and provide annual maintenance to more than 1,500 trees at the parks, explained Allen Gallant, director of grants.
“This is a really exciting grant program that we are happy to be a part of,” he said, adding that the program runs over a five-year period.
•Amended the 2024 appropriations and resources to reflect updates for grants and programs. Revenues were adjusted to $96.03 million and appropriations, $78.27 million.
•Approved a request to seek grant funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The $200,000 grant requires no matching funds .
If received, it will be used to mitigate invasive forest insect and disease impacts; reduce runoff through green infrastructure, and restore and connect coastal and riparian forest habitats.
•Approved an amount not exceeding $5.1 million to renovate the building at 1030 Water Street as part of a joint cooperation agreement with Toledo Pickle LLC.
The company will develop and operate a family entertainment facility in the Metropark-owned building.
•Paid bills for July totaling $3.4 million.
The next park board meeting will be at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 25, and is open to the public. The location is yet to be decided.
~Jane Maiolo
