Notice - New Board Appointments

Ravenna, OH – On Thursday, January 14, 2021, the Portage County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to appoint two new board members for The Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Tom Grist and Maureen Haska.

Grist and Haska are replacing John Gargan, who served for 10 years and 10 months as a board member, and Carol Fruscella, who served as a board member for four years.

John Vennetti, Superintendent for Portage DD, is thankful for Gargan and Fruscella’s years of service and is excited for Grist and Haska to join the agency. Vennetti noted, “there are a lot of exciting things going on at Portage DD. Our agency is working towards improving our current services, creating new services for ages 3-21, and providing the finest support to the Portage County community..”

Grist has been a self-employed attorney in Ravenna since 1994 and has an adult child who receives important services from the board. Grist noted that he has “come to appreciate the important services the Board of DD provides to families like mine, and I would like to give back.”

Haska has been a teacher for over 30 years. She has worked with special education teachers and students during her entire career. Haska noted that the “reality is that Portage DD is responsible to accomplish much more than educate children from pre-school and beyond. DD needs to work to educate the community. We are all people.”

Portage DD has their next regular board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at 5:00 pm. At this meeting Grist and Haska are expected to be sworn in as new board members by Judge Robert Berger. Additionally, Judge Berger will swear in two returning board members, Tim Moran, his third term, and Michelle Sahr, her second term. Kelly Butler, Cheri Michael, and William Tarver will continue as board members in 2021.