By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
Back in the 1980s, young Brian Kelley played countless innings of baseball at Luke LaPorta Little League field at Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool.
Now Kelley oversees not only all of Onondaga Lake Park, but the entire county parks system.
Having worked for county parks in one position or another since 1995, Kelley was appointed commissioner in November. The appointment was unanimously approved by the Onondaga County Legislature.
Kelley was raised in Bayberry’s Irongate neighborhood by his father, John, and mother Valentina, who worked at Chrysler and Carrier respectively.
“Our house was literally just a stone’s throw from Liverpool High School,” he recalls. “So my brother, Sean, and I spent a lot of time over there, and of course we played Little League games down on the lakeshore.”
All those innings added up and, at Liverpool High School, Kelley developed into a promising right-handed pitcher under the tutelage of legendary coach Bob Yudin.
After graduating from LHS in 1991, Kelley continued hurling for Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.
“But I threw my arm out,” he said. “And that changed everything.”
Leaving Jersey and baseball behind, Kelley earned an associate’s degree in administration with a concentration in recreational leadership at Onondaga Community College and then a bachelor’s degree in recreation and tourism management from West Virginia University.
“WVU was awesome,” he remembers. “It really gave me a solid background in this field.”
His first contact with county parks was as an intern in 1995, working under the leadership of Bob Geraci and Jon Cooley. After a few short stints at New York State Parks and SUNY Oswego, Kelley began his professional parks career here in 2002 as a recreation supervisor at NBT Bank Stadium and Hopkins Road Park, before moving to Highland Forest as park superintendent.
Before long, he added Jamesville Beach, Pratt’s Falls and Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery to his list of responsibilities.
Deputy County Executive for Physical Services Mary Beth Primo is impressed with Kelley’s resumé.
“To say he is qualified is an understatement,” she said.
In July, Kelley and former Salina Town Supervisor Mark Nicotra were appointed as deputy commissioners when Commissioner Bill Lansley left parks after 11 years to take over as deputy commissioner of the county’s Department of Facilities Management.
“As deputy commissioner this past year, Brian has been a steady, guiding force as we have navigated our way through a crazy 2020,” Primo observed. “We’re looking forward to a bright future under his leadership.”
For his part, Kelley will rely on his co-workers to keep parks moving ahead.
“I am really blessed with a phenomenal staff here at 106 Lake Drive,” he said.
They include Deputy Commissioner Nicotra, Recreation Director Leiko Benson, Administrative Director Kim Hall and Park Superintendent Dale Grinolds.
“I couldn’t ask for a better team,” he added. “We all came up under the same people, learning the same things. They’re experienced and they understand our constituents and what they want.”
Although Nicotra is a new addition to the staff, Kelley welcomes him as “a great part of the team. He’s open-minded and optimistic and he knows so many people, from mayors to mechanics, and that makes him a very valuable contributor.”
Kelley also appreciates the support he receives from County Executive Ryan McMahon, and he’s proud of the way the parks department has responded to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Even with the pandemic, we’ve remained open for passive use,” Kelley said. “So we’ve cut our usual organized programs while encouraging people to walk, run, bike or hike a trail, go out on your boat, whatever way they can enjoy the parks. These are the reasons we exist.”
Although his roots are in Liverpool, the 48-year-old commissioner now lives in Jamesville with his wife, Laura, and their 4-year-old son, Dillen.
