Letters to the Editor
Make It Right
I’ve been a Claridon resident for 23 years, and Max Motil and Anne Clouser are absolutely appreciated for saying what those who are unaware and absent would say on the matter during the trustees meeting on the 20th.
This was not a good move made by the board and the fact that the minutes spells out that Brockway specifically used past events of clearing the land to essentially make things hold up with hardly anything more than a handshake from Mountain Run, much less a contract.
The noun trustee has TRUST in it because they are supposed to be worthy of it in Claridon residents’ honor. I don’t author much opinion on publicly controversial events, but this really upset me because when called out, Brockway backpeddled and gave excuses.
I grew up playing catch with friends on that field and playing hide-n-seek in those woods. I’d appreciate if I could extend those memories and keep the Claridon Park around for my own kids someday, forest and all.
We trust you, David, Mike, and Roger, to keep our community as quaint and special as long as you are empowered to do so.
Please make this right.
Brian Steinhoff
Claridon Township
Support Destination Geauga
I read with interest and a bit of sadness the article presented recently covering funding of Destination Geauga.
This organization runs on what I might call a shoestring, yet even so its effectiveness is quite significant.
As a small business owner in Geauga County and member of Destination Geauga, I find that it continues to provide a very effective support system directed at both early stage business development as well as long term continued growth.
Some of the more evident functions include publication of the annual tour guide as well as various trail functions that help drive consumers, both local and, in fact, global, to local businesses.
The less obvious services provided by Destination Geauga include access to both the organization personnel as well as other local merchants to get informal help and advice on growth strategies, marketing, websites and so forth.
Destination Geauga supports a website for tourists to peruse, with links to specific businesses in our area.
Destination Geauga’s primary function is to support business and growth in our county. The benefits from this activity end up in increased revenues, which in turn grows our tax base and helps fund our county government. It would seem reasonable for our county government to provide at least a part of the funding to maintain and grow the services provided by Destination Geauga, supplementing the funding from the state-directed bed tax, member fees, as well as various self-fundraising activities.
I sincerely hope that our commissioners take an in-depth look at Destination Geauga, what it provides and how, in the long run, it is an important investment for Geauga County to consider.
I sincerely hope that the commissioners consider re-instating and increasing financial support for Destination Geauga.
Rich Hill
Laleure Vineyards
Parkman Township
‘Cruel, Fringe Extremist’
I had the very interesting opportunity to attend a Tea Party meeting this week hosted by Judge Tim Grendell, former state Rep. Matt Lynch and County Commissioner Walter “Skip” Claypool.
I’m not sure how many Geauga County residents have ever attended one of these bizarre meetings, so I thought I’d share my experiences.
The first thing that struck me about the meeting was the decidedly mean tone. After starting the meeting with a prayer, Claypool read parts of a letter from a Geauga County resident in a mocking voice while the crowd laughed.
At one point, one of the speakers made a joke about stepping over an immigrant at an airport who had been “taken down.” The audience thought that was hilarious.
One man in the audience asked this question: If his neighbors knew of illegal immigrants, could he have his neighbors arrested for aiding and abetting a criminal? (Note: This man lives here. He could be your neighbor, and he wants to send people to jail just for knowing an illegal immigrant.)
By far the most disturbing thing I heard all night was from Claypool about our schools.
“Public schools indoctrinate children, and then they go to college, and they turn them into a little pile of snowflakes,” he said.
Claypool went on to say, “Our universities are disgusting. Go to John Carroll University, a Catholic school where Muslim professors are teaching. Go to West Geauga High School and see what they’re teaching in history.”
Well, I know exactly what they are teaching at West Geauga High School. I have a degree in history. I used to teach high school history. Seems to me, Claypool is one of those individuals who prefer his warped version of history, instead of the scholarly work of actual researchers and historians.
Let me add, I didn’t disturb their meeting in any way; I listened quietly and jotted down notes. However, one man pointed me out to the police, as if attending a public meeting in a public place was against the law.
This meeting was fueled by hate. The theme was, “I am only looking out for myself. I don’t care about anybody else.”
I couldn’t help thinking of the irony: How they started the meeting with a prayer. They forget that, as Christians, they are obligated to help their fellow brothers and sisters, not tear them down.
Skip Claypool, as a county commissioner, is supposed protect our children, our families and our seniors, not ridicule and belittle them.
Claypool actually asked if “anybody had the cojones” to stand up to him and his supporters.
Despite what Claypool believes, I know Geauga County is a compassionate county. We support our excellent public schools. We help our neighbors and those in need.
Geauga County deserves better than Skip Claypool.
So, do you have the “cojones” to stand up to Claypool and his supporters? We need to take Geauga County back from these cruel, fringe extremists.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “First they ignore you, then laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
Nicole Mulloy
Russell Township
