Closed session launches board duty

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July 2, 2007

By Keith Gushard The Meadville Tribune Mon Jul 02, 2007, 11:15 PM EDT

07/03/07 — Can all or part of Conneaut Lake Park open for the 2007 season?

“It’s too early to tell,” John Swick, newly elected chairman of the Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park Inc., said Mon-day. “We’re looking at all available options. We’d like to have something open to give us continuity.”

The new 15-member board met for the first time Monday in closed session to get an update on the current status of the currently-closed 115-year-old amusement park.

Swick said the board, which oversees the park as a charitable trust, isn’t subject to Pennsylvania’s open meetings law under the state’s Sunshine Act.

“The board is committed to involving the public,” he said. “The board is united in the effort to communicate to the public.”

At its meeting Monday morning at the Shafer Law firm, Swick said the board elected the following officers: Swick, chairman; Jack Moy-ers, vice chairman; James Collins, treasurer; Carol K. West, secretary; and Roy E. Brant, assistant secretary/-treasurer.

The board also decided to retain George Deshner as the manager of the park at a salary yet to be determined. He is also one of the newly appointed board members.

The board was named Friday by Crawford County Court of Common Pleas Judge Anthony Vardaro to succeed court-appointed overseer LeRoy Stearns who asked the judge to terminate his position.

The board is responsible for the oversight of the amusement park, which came under court control when it was declared a charitable trust following a lawsuit filed by former park board member Dana Watson.

As a charitable trust, the board can make decisions regarding daily operations — except if they involve any legal action regarding assets of the park, such as leasing or selling property. Court approval must be sought for such action.

Swick acknowledged that “time is of the essence” with regard to getting all or some of the amusement park open for this season.

“It’s premature to take substantive action regarding the park,” he said. “For a 15-member board to acquire information and make a decision is a daunting task.”

The next meeting date for the board hasn’t been set, but it’s expected to take place sometime during the week of July 8.

The board will honor all requests for refunds that have been submitted for any weddings scheduled at Conneaut Lake Park. “We’re sensitive to the fact there’s a lot of planning time with a wedding,” Swick said.

Persons requesting wedding refunds can contact the park’s administrative office at 382-5115, ext. 100.

The board also will continue to accept any assistance, financial or otherwise, to aid in the efforts to open some operations of the park this season, Swick said.

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Closed session launches board duty

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