PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
FINAL REPORT … Scott Gordon, former Pony League Commissioner, gives his final report and farewell to the Montpelier Park Board of Recreation.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Montpelier Park Board held its regular meeting on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Recreation Office.
The session was called to order by Sandy Gordon, with members Angela Hillard, Brent Saneholtz, and Matthew Reid in attendance.
A motion was accepted to approve the minutes from the May 2025 meeting as well as the financial statements for May, June, July, and August.
During the meeting, Scott Gordon delivered his final report as the Pony League Commissioner. He reported that overall expenses were down compared to previous years, thanking the Montpelier Eagles for their generous donation for players’ fees.
An $8,700 remaining balance of funds for the Pony League was left over after the summer season ended. This will be transferred to the Montpelier Little League Baseball Association as they take over in the upcoming year.
Gordon stated that the reverse raffle event went very well, with almost $15,000 raised for baseball and softball divisions. “We did see a drop in numbers for our attendance. We sold all of our tickets, so that’s the main goal,” he said.
“After ten years of Pony League,” recounted Gordon, “we were able to accomplish great things. My first coach, all of those years ago, was a park board member. They always helped me in my time of need, and I wanted to do the same thing.”
“It’s been a great run. From helping to improve our facilities to helping with coaching, we thank you,” says Saneholtz.
The board also heard from Pool Manager Amy Riggenbach, who provided an introduction and a recap of the summer pool season. After hiring 16 lifeguards to keep up with the increased demand, Riggenbach noted a very successful few months.
She announced a total attendance of 10,617 people over the summer. This significant increase is due to the donation made by the Montpelier Eagles and Moose that paid for all pool entry fees.
Attendees from all over the local area, including Hillsdale and Angola, frequented the pool often, totaling 18.76% of all visitors.
Riggenbach also noted that this level of attendance rivals the Defiance local pool, almost reaching the same turnout.
Nick Ramos, head of park and pool maintenance, gave a detailed report on various repairs made around the Montpelier Park in the last few months.
He has officially closed the pool for the season and is currently exploring different maintenance options. His main focus is achieving a quote for blasting and epoxying the baby pool to help prevent chipping.
Recreation Director Sandy Gordon gave a brief overview of her previous four monthly reports. She regretfully announced that out of the 217 Top-Ball games scheduled, only 145 were played, leaving 72 cancelled and unable to reschedule. She credits this to the large amount of rain received in May and June.
The free lunch program officially ended on August 13, 2025. A total of 1116 lunches were served over a period of 51 days.
A motion was approved to allow Gordon to apply for a grant with Parkview Hospital on behalf of the Friends of Montpelier Park, for $5,000 to offset summer lunch program costs.
Gordon mentioned that there are 12 soccer teams with 131 kids registered this year for Montpelier Parks and Recreation. Soccer began practice and games on August 18, 2025, and will be held until October 6, 2025.
The Iron Horse “Storywalk “ for the Montpelier Library is hosting a dedication on September 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., and she invited all interested to attend.
Reid updated the board on his progress of getting a Disc Golf Course quote for the Iron Horse trail. He stated that it will most likely be a nine-hole course and will be reaching out to the company on September 10, 2025, for further details.
With no further business, the Montpelier Park Board adjourned its meeting at 7:51 p.m.