LISBON — The Columbiana County Park District is looking for a new board member and a new administrative assistant after the resignations of acting board Chairman Tom Butch and administrative assistant Lisa Shafer during a meeting Tuesday that kicked off with accusations and name-calling.

Butch announced he was resigning and that Shafer had resigned and then board member Dave Hughes launched into a verbal attack against board member, now chairman, Joe Lawhorn, accusing him of putting out misleading information and saying bad things about Butch and former board member Eileen Dray-Bardon, who resigned in the fall.

“You’re just a no good, rotten son-of-a-gun,” Hughes said to Lawhorn.

Part of the dialogue centered on the Friends of the Park, with questions raised about whether the Friends were going to give money to the park district and a back-and-forth between Butch and board member, now vice chairman, Crystal Siembida Boggs. Apparently a post told people to donate directly to the park district, adding that money donated to Friends of the Park doesn’t automatically go to the park district.

Butch said all she had to do was ask for the money from the Friends of the Park, but then she commented that Butch was on the Friends of the Park and she assumed he had made the request. She noted that it’s not a requirement for her to go to their meetings.

“If you want to ask for money, you should be there,” Butch said.

Lawhorn then commented that it seemed like the park district was supporting the Friends more than what the Friends were doing for the district, which drew some objection from Butch and Hughes. Butch said the money was approved, with Siembida Boggs questioning why it wasn’t given to the park district.

Butch shared copies of emails between him and Lawhorn on Jan. 2 when Lawhorn talked about supposed backyard deals, that board members should not be members of the Friends of the Park and criticized the operations under the previous board, including Dray-Bardon and Butch. Butch said the park district has not been spiraling down hill and didn’t have a bad name, telling him he was talking to the wrong people.

On Jan. 3, Lawhorn responded in another email and said he was looking forward to working with Butch “to save our park district that the previous management has ran into the ground and ruined its name.”

Hughes again spoke up during the meeting, saying words hurt, but Siembida Boggs said Lawhorn had not called Dray-Bardon any bad names and hadn’t called Butch any bad names.

“He’s not saying anything wrong,” she said.

Then Lawhorn made a comment about backdoor deals and questioned why he didn’t know that Butch’s daughter had a personal connection to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.

“What’s that have to do with anything whatsoever?” Butch asked.

Butch then reminded Lawhorn that he told him she never worked for the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. Butch walked out of the meeting and Hughes told Lawhorn he won’t work with him and said “you’re an evil person.”

Lawhorn made a comment about four failed levies and Hughes said “you say a lot but know little.”

After all that, Siembida Boggs took control of the meeting, which was the first one for new member Megan McMaster, who was appointed to a new four-year term, taking the spot previously filled by Dray-Bardon.

Now the board needs to find someone to fill Butch’s unexpired term, which had just started and doesn’t expire until Dec. 31, 2029.

Anyone interested in the unpaid, volunteer position is asked to submit a letter of interest to the Columbiana County Park District at 130 Maple St., Lisbon, Ohio 44432. Board members must live in Columbiana County.

The board also needs to fill the position of administrative assistant and will be looking at the job description, salary and hours. The plan is to advertise the position, but if anyone has an interest, they’re welcome to send a resume to the park district office on Maple Street.

During the meeting, the subject of the Friends of the Park came up again and Hughes said the laws changed two years ago. For years, the park district couldn’t take direct donations. They had to go through Friends of the Park, but with the change, now the district can take donations directly. Siembida Boggs said the language needed to change so that people know if they donate to the Friends of the Park, it’s not going directly to the park district.

She moved to request $5,000 from the Friends of the Park for the programming for this year. She said she’ll draw up a letter to make the request.

During new business, she moved to nominate Lawhorn as the new chairman of the board, saying he’s out there working in the community all the time. Hughes voted no, but the motion passed. Lawhorn then nominated Siembida Boggs as vice chairman, saying she’s highly intelligent and knows the job really well. Hughes abstained, with the motion passing.

Other discussion related to training and waiting to talk to the prosecutor’s office regarding proposed policy changes. The next meeting of the park district board will be 3:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at the park district office.

When asked for comment about what happened at the beginning of the meeting, Lawhorn didn’t want to comment further, but Siembida Boggs said, “There are a lot of different personalities that do things in different ways. It takes time to get used to change. Change is necessary to stay relevant.”

Hughes commented, “You don’t drag people through the mud to feed your own needs.”

Both Butch and Shafer submitted written letters of resignation, effective immediately, with Butch’s effective Tuesday and Shafer’s effective Jan. 12.

“It is with a heavy heart that I make this decision, but I feel that it is the right decision for me at this time. I have enjoyed my 18 years as a member of the board, and I am proud to have been able to help the park district. I only wish the best for the future of the Columbiana County Park District,” Butch wrote.

“I appreciate the opportunity to have worked with the organization and value the experience I have gained during my tenure. I am committed to supporting a smooth transition and will assist as needed during my remaining time,” Shafer wrote.