Take the three area county park districts - Lake Metroparks, the Geauga Park District and Cleveland Metroparks - and see who sits on the three-person boards that decide each agency's fate.

Of the nine total number of appointed park board members between the three agencies only one is a woman. That is long-time Lake Metroparks' park board member Ellen Foley Kessler.

There are currently no women serving on the the board of park commissioners for either the Geauga Park District or Cleveland Metroparks.

The Geauga Park District did have a woman park board member up until four of years ago. That was Betty Cope who was also the face behind Cleveland's Public Broadcasting station WVIZ.

Cleveland has had two female park board members, the last one completing her term in 1988.

All park board members are appointed by the respective county probate court judge. And the appointing judge in all three cases is a male.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com