As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session S. R. No. 216

2025-2026

Senator Huffman

Cosponsors: Senators Antonio, Blackshear, Blessing, Brenner, DeMora, Hicks-Hudson, Ingram, Landis, Liston, Manchester, O'Brien, Patton, Reineke, Reynolds, Romanchuk, Schaffer, Smith, Timken, Weinstein, Wilkin, Wilson

A R E S O L U T I O N

Honoring the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft on receiving the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the 136th General Assembly of Ohio are pleased to commend the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft on being presented with the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association; and

WHEREAS,  This is a prestigious achievement, and it provides an ideal time to acknowledge the exceptional work done by the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft. Time and again, the organization has diligently protected Ohio’s natural resources while also maintaining an impressive commitment to innovation, accessibility, and conservation, and it has engaged in an array of worthwhile activities and projects aimed at strengthening our state’s park system, including the recent development of Great Council State Park; and

WHEREAS, The ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft has attained a praiseworthy record of service to the residents of Ohio, and it has earned the well-deserved respect and appreciation of all those it has served. Indeed, it has set a fine example for other such agencies in neighboring states, and receiving this year’s National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management is a justifiable source of pride and an excellent reflection not only on the organization itself but also on its hard-working staff and volunteers; and

WHEREAS, All those associated with the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft, including the director, Mary Mertz, and the division chief, Glen Cobb, have applied vision and expertise to the task of protecting and preserving the environment while providing the public with recreational opportunities. They are to be congratulated for their foresight, dedication, and selfless donations of time, energy, and ability far beyond what was required or expected. We are proud to note that it is through the diligent efforts of conscientious individuals such as these that the State of Ohio continues to grow and prosper and remains a pleasant place in which to live and work; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 136th General Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this Resolution, applaud the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft on its national accolade and extend best wishes for ongoing success; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a duly authenticated copy of this Resolution to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft.