Providing benefits of flood reduction, conservation and recreation since 1933
Governance
Conservancy Court
The MWCD is governed by a Conservancy Court made up of one common pleas court judge from each of the 18 counties in the district. Chapter 6101 of the Ohio Revised Code provides that the Conservancy Court shall be vested with the power to exercise jurisdiction over the Conservancy District, including the appointment of the Board of Directors, which oversees the operations of the MWCD.
| Current Court: | County: |
| Honorable Damian J. Vercillo | Ashland County |
| Honorable John M. Solovan II | Belmont County |
| Honorable John S. Campbell | Carroll County |
| Honorable Robert J. Batchelor |
Coshocton County |
| Honorable David A. Ellwood | Guernsey County |
| Honorable Michael K. Nunner | Harrison County |
| Honorable Robert D. Rinfret | Holmes County |
| Honorable James Ronk | Knox County |
| Honorable Thomas M. Marcelain | Licking County |
| Honorable D. W. Favreau | Morgan County |
| Honorable Mark Fleegle | Muskingum County |
| Honorable John W. Nau | Noble County |
| Honorable James D. Henson | Richland County |
| Honorable Jim James | Stark County |
| Honorable Paul J. Gallagher | Summit County |
| Honorable Edward E. O'Farrell | Tuscarawas County |
| Honorable N. Edward Lane, Jr. |
Washington County |
| Honorable Latecia Wiles |
Wayne County |
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is appointed by the Conservancy Court. The Board is empowered to handle all items necessary or incident to the fulfillment of the purposes for which the Conservancy District was established. Meetings of the Board are open public sessions, and are routinely held on the third Friday of each month at 9:00 am.
| Current Board of Directors: | Term Expires: |
|
David L. Parham, President (Sherrodsville, Carroll County) |
June 8, 2016 |
|
Richard J. Pryce, Vice President (North Canton, Stark County) |
July 18, 2017 |
| William P. Boyle Jr. (Mansfield, Richland County) |
July 18, 2014 |
| Harry C. Horstman (Scio, Harrison County) | June 3, 2015 |
| Joanne Limbach (New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County) | June 3, 2018 |
Harry Horstman was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2002. A former chairman and member of the DAC, Horstman also is an inaugural member of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy Foundation Inc., Board of Trustees. A retired teacher and administrator, Horstman spent more than 30 years as the camp manager for the United Methodist Church's Camp Aldersgate on property leased from the MWCD at Leesville Lake. A graduate of Ohio University and Kent State University, he also served as commodore of the Atwood Yacht Club in 2002, is a member and the chairman of the Conotton Creek Trail Development Committee and the president of the Scio Development Committee, Inc.
Joanne Limbach was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2013 for a second stint on the Board. She previously served on the Board of Directors from 1996-2006. A former teacher, Ms. Limbach served as the tax commissioner for the State of Ohio in the administration of Gov. Richard F. Celeste, and was a former elected member of the Tuscarawas County commissioners and New Philadelphia Board of Education. She later founded a public tax consulting firm. She is a graduate of Muskingum University and Bowling Green State University.
William P. Boyle Jr. was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2009. Boyle, who owns a home located on land leased from the MWCD at Charles Mill Reservoir, is retired from the J.M. Smucker Co. at Orrville, where he served as president international, senior vice president-director of marketing and as a member of the company's Board of Directors. Boyle owns two Ohio farms with formal soil conservation and forestry plans in place, and has traveled throughout South America with the Farm Bureau. A graduate of Cornell University, he also served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
David L. Parham was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2006. A former member of the DAC from 2002-06, Parham served as its chairman in 2004. A retired attorney in the Cleveland area, Parham is a former member of Shaker Heights City Council and a former president, chairman and member of numerous advisory boards and planning committees in the community. He owns a cottage on land leased from the MWCD at Atwood Reservoir. A graduate of the Case Western University School of Law, Parham also served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force.
Richard J. Pryce was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2007, following two years as a member of the MWCD's Development Advisory Committee (DAC). Pryce retired as the president and chief executive officer of Aultman Health Foundation in Stark county with more than 20 years of service. A graduate of the University of Michigan and a former U.S. Navy officer, Pryce also was employed by Arthur Andersen & Co. and was the chief operating officer for St. John Hospital at Detroit. He is a member of numerous community and environmental improvement programs in the Stark County region, and has served on several committees appointed by the Ohio governor's office and the Ohio General Assembly.
Board of Appraisers
The MWCD Board of Appraisers is a three-member panel that approves the methodology for determining assessments of the MWCD based on the benefits to property owners. The Board also makes recommendations to the Board of Directors on property sales and acquisitions based on presentations by MWCD staff.
Board members are appointed by the Conservancy Court and serve staggered terms.
| Current Board Members: | Term Expires: |
| Mark J. Waltz, Chairman (Dover) | July 14, 2016 |
| James Navratil (Medina) | July 18, 2016 |
| Bradley Stubbs (Zanesville) | July 14, 2016 |
Administrators
The day-to-day operations and business of the Muskingum Water Conservancy District primarily are handled by the full-time and part-time MWCD staff, under the leadership of five administrators appointed by the Board of Directors.
Administrators:
John M. Hoopingarner, Executive Director/Secretary
Boris E. Slogar, Chief Engineer
James B. Cugliari, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
Scott D. Barnhart, Chief of Recreation/Chief Ranger
Sean D. Logan, Chief of Conservation
John M. Hoopingarner was appointed as the executive director/secretary of the MWCD in 1989, after previously serving as legal counsel to the conservancy district for 10 years. A graduate of Muskingum College (bachelor's degree) and the Ohio Northern University College of Law, Hoopingarner has served as a member of numerous professional, and social boards, associations and organizations. He is the MWCD's third chief executive since its organization in 1933, following Bryce C. Browning and Raymond Eichel.
Boris E. Slogar was appointed chief engineer of the MWCD in 2007. Slogar performs the work of the chief engineer as prescribed in Chapter 6101 of the Ohio Revised Code, including general supervision of operations as superintendent of all the works and improvements of the MWCD and its subdistricts. A veteran of public service, Slogar has served as executive director of the Ohio Partnership for Excellence, chief of staff for the Ohio Department of Taxation and as a manager of dam safety and repair programs for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. He is a graduate of Ohio State University and DeVry University.
James B. Cugliari has headed the MWCD's finance and budget operations as chief financial officer/treasurer since 1995, and has been with the conservancy district since 1985. Cugliari, a graduate of Marietta College, manages and directs the finances of the MWCD, including planning and preparation of the annual budget, conducting audit functions and related items. Prior to coming to the MWCD, Cugliari served as an auditor for the Auditor of State's Office.
Scott D. Barnhart was named chief of recreation for the MWCD in 2009. A graduate of Hocking College, Barnhart has served the MWCD in numerous capacities for more than 20 years. Barnhart has helped manage Atwood Lake Park and served as superintendent at Tappan Lake Park prior to his current appointment. As the chief ranger for the MWCD, Barnhart oversees the conservancy district's peace officer and law enforcement programs, and also heads the recreation offerings of the MWCD (which include camping, lake parks, land leases and other programs).
Sean D. Logan was named chief of conservation for the MWCD in 2011. A former director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Logan oversees the MWCD's conservation operations and management, which include forest and timber harvest and planting, agricultural activities, water quality testing, partnerships with other agencies involved in flood reduction and water conservation, and mineral resources management. He served as ODNR director from 2007-10, was an elected member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1990-2000 and was a Columbiana County commissioner from 2001-07. He is a graduate of Muskingum University with bachelor's degree in political science and speech communication, and received a law degree from Capital University.
