Capturing 12 months of change and progress for a Year in Review post after joining the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities just five short months ago presents a unique set of challenges. My reflections on the past year will only take us back to August 1, 2024. I can claim no credit for the progress achieved prior to that date, and quite frankly, I can claim little credit for the progress achieved since that date. What I can do, is provide my observations on a year that can only be described as transformative.
Transformation, loosely defined, is a change in composition or structure over time. Incremental changes may be noticed as they occur, but fully realizing the scope of change requires one to step back, reflect, and appreciate how a series of changes truly impacts and transforms an organization and a community. Rather than walk us through 2024 from the beginning, I am going to start at the end and reflect cumulatively on the many changes we saw over the past year.
December’s Board meeting saw us honor and appreciate over 53 combined years of dedicated service to the Allen County Board of DD by retiring former superintendent, Theresa Schnipke, and Board members, Thomas Fleming and Phyllis Montrose, who both termed out after serving more than three full terms each. Their contributions undoubtedly helped to transform the agency throughout the years, and we gratefully celebrated those contributions with resolutions presented by both the Board and County Commissioner Beth Seibert. Commissioner Seibert also swore in two new Board members, Reba Wall and Scott Geier. Another notable transformation for the Board in 2024 is that Melissa Place began her tenure as the first person with lived experience as a person served by the Board to be appointed to the Board in January 2024.
In addition to the superintendency change in 2024, the agency experienced several other significant personnel changes. Several retirements, resignations, and internal promotions brought many new faces to the Board this year. These personnel changes helped us address the growing number of children and adults we support as well as experience lost to retirements and internal promotions.
Together, our team achieved a 3-year Accreditation Award, the maximum award issued by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, and successfully implemented a new three-year Strategic Plan through the intentional strategies and objectives outlined in our 2024 Annual Action Plan which can be found HERE. Â
Externally, we added a sensory wall to the Marimor Legacy All Abilities Playground, removed fuel tanks from our property which were no longer needed, and partnered with the LODDI Housing Corporation to purchase one new home.
Finally, and probably most significantly, by accessing funds through the American Recovery Plan Act via the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, we partnered with 18 entities throughout Allen County to bring 19 projects to life, transforming public spaces and offering transformational experiences, to create a more accessible Allen County for all citizens.
We look forward to seeing the impact of these positive changes as we continue into the New Year, and we wish all of you a happy, healthy, and inclusive 2025!
Written by: Renee Kohler, Superintendent
