MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Five Rivers MetroParks recently welcomed a new commissioner.
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Michael “Mike” Brigner, of Dayton, was appointed to the Board of Park Commissioners on Sept. 8, according to a MetroParks spokesperson.
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“It’s an honor to step into this role,” Brigner said. “I have been a longtime advocate for Five Rivers MetroParks and the land the agency stewards. I see this as a continued commitment, building off my years as a volunteer and as a founding member of the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation, including serving as the foundation’s inaugural president and other leadership roles from 2014 to 2021.”
Bringer replaces the late Bear Monita, who served on the board from 2019 to June 2025.
“During his tenure, Monita provided leadership that helped the community identify MetroParks as a safe place to find respite during the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforcing the agency’s role as an indispensable public asset,” the spokesperson said.
He will work alongside the board’s newly appointed Vice President Jessica Turner and President Jessica Salem.
Brigner is a former reporter for News Center 7, a family law attorney, Montgomery County judge, and acting Dayton Municipal Court judge, according to the spokesperson.
He joined Sinclair Community College in 2000, was named Professor Emeritus for his teaching, and currently serves as the hearing officer for Title IX sexual harassment cases.
Bringer earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wright State University and has a law degree from Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase School of Law.
Five Rivers MetroParks is governed by a three-member volunteer board, which establishes regulations and rules, approves developments and land acquisitions, and oversees all funds, the spokesperson said.
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