YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – After a monthlong search, Judge Robert N. Rusu Jr. of Mahoning County Probate Court appointed Jim Houck and Katharine Paul as new Mill Creek MetroParks commissioners.
A six-member selection committee analyzed 21 applications filed for consideration and recommended Houck and Paul for appointment. Their three-year terms will begin Jan. 12, 2026.
Houck is the owner of Houck Agency, a local marketing and public relations firm. He earned a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. He serves as treasurer for Potential Development School for Students with Autism and previously served as a board member of Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens Inc.
Paul, who earned a master’s degree in education from Youngstown State University, was a longtime educator for Youngstown City Schools. She has volunteered at local organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and Boy Scouts of America. She also was a volunteer on the Mill Creek Park Educational Committee.
“Both Mr. Houck and Mrs. Paul have extensive ties to the community and with the park,” Rusu said in a news release. “I believe that they will be able to quickly add depth and their unique talents to the current park board and continue to move the park in a positive direction for future generations.”
Ruso thanked commissioners Germaine Bennett and Tom Frost, whose terms will end at the end of the month.
“Our park is so diverse and encompasses so many different aspects of recreation, from trails, education centers, golf courses, flower gardens, nature preserves to baseball fields and playgrounds. Most people don’t understand what it takes to keep the park on budget and relevant for today’s users,” Rusu said. “They both will truly be missed, and I wish them well in their future endeavors.”