West Creek Preservation Committee

“The form 990 is presented to finance staff, executive director and finance committee to review and correct as needed, following which a recommendation of approval is made to the board. The board then has final review of the 990 and approves for filing.”

“Each year, all board and staff members are required to review the organization's conflict of interest policy. Among other things, the policy makes it clear that all decisions of the board members and employees are made solely on the basis of a desire to promote the best interest of the organization and the public good. The conflict of interest statement requires board members and staff to identify to the best of their knowledge affiliations with organizations that may be potentially related to the financial or other substantive operations of the organization. They are also asked to identify circumstances involving either themselves, or a member of their extended family, that may be construed as a conflict of interest.the organization's employees also ensure that there are no conflicts of interest when considering the engagement of a vendor. If a potential or actual conflict is identified, appropriate steps are taken to both assess the nature of the potential conflict and, subsequently, to ensure that the issue is mitigated. Such mitigation is managed and the letter and spirit of the conflicts policy are upheld. ....”

“The executive committee annually evaluates the performance of the executive director. Compensation is based on performance and comparison to other area mission-comparable organizations of similar size. This compensation is a component of the budget, which is reviewed and approved by the board as a whole.”

“The organization's current governing documents, form 990, conflicts of interest policy, and financial statements are made available to the public upon request. The public inspection version of the form 990 can also be found on several publically-accessible websites.”

“Our mission is to enrich the lives of people in northeast ohio by conserving natural habitats, restoring the ecological value and sustainability of urban lands, and expanding neighborhood opportunities to experience nature.”

“Volunteer hours amounted to 1,543 in 2020.”

“West creek conservancy (fka west creek preservation committee) protects and restores natural areas, open spaces, stream and other water resources throughout northeast ohio. We're actively reclaiming unsustainably developed lands, restoring them to their natural condition and function. Many of our initiatives include restoring streams, creating or enhancing wetlands and reforesting degraded areas. In many circumstances these protected areas link to one another, creating linear corridors that are not only beneficial for water and wildlife, but also for passive recreation and trails. Such trails and greenways provide a crucial link between people and the amazing natural resources found in northeast ohio, providing equitable benefits that only can be enjoyed now but have generational impact. At west creek conservancy, we believe that clean streams and rivers, abundant natural areas, neighborhood greenspace, and equitably accessible walk and biking trails are an important part of healthy and thriving communities. Parks, trails, and greenways compliment benefit the traditional infrastructure of our region, and as such,should be protected and restored to the highest extent possible. We are dedicated to our mission of conservation because northeast ohio is our home and lake erie is our source of drinking water, a source of recreation, and a key driver of our economy. We invite you to help west creek conservancy make northeast ohio a greener-greater place to live. The organization collaborates with a vast array of individuals, landowners, nonprofits, community groups, municipalities, and businesses on many different types of conservation, restoration, land reuse, and recreational trail projects. We offer many opportunities to engage volunteers, as well as opportunities to get outside, learn about, and enjoy our local environment; throughout the year, we host clean-ups, plantings, tours/workshops, seasonally guided hikes as well as various trainings. Whether you attend a meeting, outing, or event, make a donation, protect your land, or volunteer your time and energy, your participation and support makes a vital and lasting difference. If 2020 taught us anything, it's the imperativeness of our work. When faced with social distancing, and restriction on indoor gatherings,our parks, trails, and public spaces quickly became overwhelmed. The demand for natural places to recreate,relax, or explore is out-stripping the supply, especially within our urban core and heavily developed metropolitan areas. It's crucial that we continue our work to ensure equitable distribution of greenspace, parks, and trails that are accessible and safe for all people.”

“Expense on 990 not on financials -325,450 expense on 990 not on financials 325,450”