YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - On the heels of two resignations from the Mill Creek MetroParks board, 21 News learned of another resignation.

Administrative director and treasurer Kevin Smith sent in his two weeks notice earlier this week. Executive Director Aaron Young tells 21 News it was for professional advancement.

Meanwhile, the process to select the two new board members is underway. The list of applicants was finalized Friday.

"When qualified experienced board members bail out on the Mill Creek MetroParks we've got a serious problem," said candidate Tom Shipka.

Two Mill Creek Metroparks board members resigned and now 16 people are vying for these unpaid volunteer positions that have been under scrutiny of late.

One of the applicants is retired YSU professor Tom Shipka who is also active in the park. 

Shipka explained what he listed as the park's most pressing issue on his application.

"I listed first the need to restore public confidence in the leadership of the park and I think the primary way to do that is through transparency," said Tom Shipka.

Layoffs in February sparked public outrage and after that the process for board member applicants changed. Now there is a selection committee that will screen the applicants and give Mahoning County Probate Court Judge Robert Rusu five to seven candidates. 

Rusu will then conduct his own interviews of those candidates and choose two.

"I was hoping that we would have somewhere in the area of  30 to 40 (applicants) so I'm a little disappointed in that but hopefully we're going to have good qualified candidates out of the ones that have applied," said Rusu.

Another applicant, former Canfield mayor and teacher Lee Frey, said "I think I can help. I think I can go in with an impartial mind and maybe sort some things out."

Shipka's wife is on the selection committee. He said that she will recuse herself from considering and voting on his application. 

If any of the committee members object, he will withdraw his application but he feels that he has the time and the experience to serve.

The candidates also include architect Ray Jaminet, Senior and attorney Jim Callen.