Coffee, Kids, and Council Business: A Conversation with Village Administrator Paul Osborne

Name Withheld for Privacy Reasons
Apr 16, 2025
5 min read

☕ Coffee, Kids, and Council Business

A Conversation with Village Administrator Paul Osborne

📞 Interview date: April 14, 2025, 10:00 a.m.

Hello again, my dear readers! I’m back with another unfiltered, slightly over-caffeinated deep dive into what’s happening in our corner of the world.

The day this interview marked the start of spring break for my kids (pray for me), and I have to give them a shout-out: They were absolute champs while I squeezed in this interview. While the toddler napped, my oldest entertained the middle child with a board game, giving me just enough peace and quiet for a phone call with Village Administrator Paul Osborne just hours before the emergency council meeting on the park renaming.

So we sat down, I with my coffee, Paul with six years of paperwork and a very long memory for a conversation powered by caffeine and curiosity. Because let’s be honest: all the best deep dives start with a good cup of coffee.

The topic? You already know. The ongoing discussion about renaming the village park is a story that has now gone from small-town bulletin boards to national news cycles.

And let me be clear: this conversation happened before the April 14th special meeting. With all the chatter online, everyone’s got an opinion (and some folks seem to be broadcasting theirs from a rooftop). But instead of forming mine in the comment section, I figured I’d go straight to the source.

🗺️ So… Was It Ever Actually Named “Alger Park”?

Here’s the first twist: the park has never technically had an official name.

“My feeling is, it’s a park with no name,” Osborne told me. “The only reason it’s called the Alger Park is because it’s in Alger.”

That’s right, according to Osborne, no ordinance, resolution, or legal naming is on record. He’s planning to double-check older grant documents from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) in case something got tucked away years ago.

“I’m gonna have to revisit that,” he said. “I have a notebook here of all the grants I’ve gotten. I’ll peruse that and see if it says it there anywhere.”

So, renaming? Maybe. But in Paul’s words:

“I don’t think we’re changing the name. I think we’re giving it a name.”

📝 The Survey: Real Deal or Junk Mail?

You’ve probably heard some residents question whether the survey about the park name even happened. Spoiler alert: it did.

“I sent out 430 of them. Thirty-three came back,” Osborne said. “We got 29 yeses and four noes.”

That’s a 7.6% response rate, not exactly overwhelming, but according to Paul, it tells its own story.

“I think it perfectly represented it, because 90% of the people ignored it,” he said. “Most people don’t care one way or the other.”

The survey was mailed to the address listed on the village water bills. It wasn’t random or digital, just a simple yes-or-no question about the proposed park name.

“It was valid,” Osborne said. “They had to bring it to the office, and it had their name and address because we mailed it.”

⚾ Who Was Ray Brown — And Why Now?

Ray Brown was born in Alger, attended the local school, and grew up playing baseball right here. He went on to become one of just ten pitchers from the Negro Leagues inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

And up until a few years ago?

“I had never heard of the guy in my life,” Osborne admitted.

It all started with a 2018 newspaper article about Brown that caught the attention of Ohio Northern University history professor David Strittmatter. He and his student, Alex Laird, reached out to Paul in 2019 with a proposal: apply for an Ohio Historical Marker to honor Brown.

“They were going to help with the paperwork to go to the Ohio Historical Society and recognize Ray Brown with a historical plaque,” Osborne explained.

Between ONU, the Ada Historical Society, historian Jerry Cramer, and local supporters like Donnie Thompson, the community raised funds through a GoFundMe and restaurant fundraiser nights to pay for the $3,500 plaque.

“We ordered the plaque. It just hasn’t come yet,” Osborne said. “That was over a year ago.”

The whole movement started long before this current controversy.

🔥 Why Did This Blow Up Now?

Osborne’s answer? Timing and tension.

“I’ve worked on this project for six years,” he said. “We’ve generated more publicity in a week than I was able to cobble together in six years.”

Some say it’s a race issue. Others say it’s about change. Osborne says it’s a mix — but mostly the latter.

“I think people are afraid. They don’t want stuff coming in here,” he said. “I’m not saying there’s not a racial undertone, but I think most of it is a fear of change.”

Despite some vocal backlash and heated Facebook threads, he’s not backing down.

“I’m grieved. I’m terribly grieved,” he told me. “But I am of the mind that I’m going to run like fire with this.”

🛠️ The Bigger Picture: Dreams for the Park

According to Paul, the Village of Alger has big plans beyond the name for a while now, if it is able to secure funding. From better infrastructure to family-friendly features, the village has been sketching ideas for years.

“We put together a little group, maybe five of us, and just spitballed,” he said.

Some of the ideas tossed around over the years? Think practical meets creative:

A paved walking track with mile markers to encourage movement
A full refresh of the concession stand and restrooms — “the kind of update that makes people want to hang out longer,” as Paul put it
A splash pad or small water park for the summer months
Static outdoor exercise equipment (no moving parts, just good old-fashioned muscle work)
Courts for basketball and pickleball — because yes, pickleball is apparently the sport now
Better bleachers, updated fencing, and more parking (which has always been a challenge)
And perhaps the most unexpected idea: a dog-washing station for muddy pups post-park visit

There’s even a plan for vending machines with security cameras that could be managed locally, not just for convenience, but to create a steady revenue stream for the park itself.

“We can generate all the money off that,” Paul said. “I got big plans.”

🧱 Final Thoughts from Paul

For Osborne, this isn’t just about a name or a plaque. It’s about a story, and giving that story the recognition it deserves.

“He took it all the way,” Paul said. “It was a ride that went all the way to the Hall of Fame. I can’t believe it.”

Whether you support the park name or not, it’s clear this has been years in the making, driven by history, community, and a whole lot of effort behind the scenes.

And now? At least you’ve got the full story — not just the Facebook comments. All Images provided by Paul Osborne and the Village of Alger local government.