CCBDD transportation director committed to students, community
Trending
When John Wolf went on what he figured was a normal service call 21 years ago, he had no inkling as to how his professional life was about to change.
"At that time, I owned my own electrical service company, and the Columbiana County Board of Board of Developmental Disabilities was one of my customers. While I was on that service call, I learned that they were looking to hire a full-time person as Maintenance/Repair Worker," remembered Wolf. "That type of position interested me. I applied and they hired me. That was in March of 2002."
As Wolf's success in that initial position grew and grew, more duties were added to his position. In 2011, he was promoted to Buildings & Grounds Supervisor and transitioned in 2018 to his present position of Transportation and Facilities Manager for the CCBDD.
In this post, Wolf, a 1975 graduate of Lisbon's David Anderson High School, is responsible for maintaining the board's fleet of 30 vehicles and supervising all of the maintenance at their six facilities, encompassing over 84,000 square feet throughout Columbiana County.
"I have one full-time maintenance person and four full-time custodians. I also have two part-time custodians to work in the buildings," noted Wolf. "We also have 12 drivers and aides for the buses, who are hired through Allegiant Service Center. Allegiant does the maintenance on our seven buses, one van and 22 cars. My job is to ensure that everything is running smoothly."
"John's wealth of experience and his professional background definitely prepared him for this position," said CCBDD superintendent Bill Devon. "He is very well connected in the local community. Whenever we have a facility problem, he immediately knows how to fix the problem, or who to call, who can fix the problem. While his title may be manager, he will not hesitate to get involved in personally fixing the problem. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty."
As with any school transportation director, when there is a threat of inclement weather, it is not unusual for Wolf to be out on the roads at four o'clock in the morning checking the roads.
As Wolf's job expanded and grew, he earned operating certificates in pesticides, fire alarm, Level 2 building operation, as well as Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Class A as water and sewage operation. He has also earned certification as a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
Wolf disclosed what the biggest challenge has been in his job, saying, "Since the pandemic, the supply chain has been an issue for both our vehicles and our facilities. Getting parts for the vehicles has become a real challenge. In the past, it was normal procedure, to call a vendor and either go pick up the part or have them ship it to you in a timely manner. Nowadays, the vendor may not have the part, and I spend hours searching the internet for the part."
"In terms of building supplies, we now order more of a particular item at one time, than we did in the past," said Wolf. "There is always a concern that you might not be able to get it the next time around and you don't want to run out of a particular product when you need it."
Devon appreciates Wolf's knowledge of the community and willingness to serve others.
"John has a deep range of connections," said the superintendent. "He is very well-known. John is a life-long resident and has been a member of the Columbiana County Fair Board for over 20 years. He cares about his community, and he cares about our clients."
When asked about the greatest satisfaction he receives from his position, Wolf quickly responded, "It is a pleasure to help people with developmental disabilities. When you think you're having a bad day of your own you just need to take a look at what they and their families are encountering day after day. Working here definitely changes your outlook on life. I feel very blessed."