Letters to the Editor
What Do You Think?
Many of you folks know of the lovely park owned by the Village of South Russell that abuts onto Washington Street just east of Chagrin Falls.
The park is mostly a natural area, with trails for folks to hike and enjoy the sounds and sights of nature.
The fields in the park are one of the few areas in this region where uncommon field nesting birds, such as bobolinks, are able to nest. Field nesting birds have been decreasing in population at an alarming rate for many reasons one of which is habitat loss. Modern farming methods are not very amenable to these birds as are many of the pesticides used and they have further problems in their winter range that extends well into South America.
The village has been considering developing a substantial part of this park as athletic fields for soccer as an example. Many of us feel we already have too much emphasis on sports in this land and the park should be protected as a natural area with passive recreation and habitat protection in mind, not as vacant acreage just waiting to be developed for the next sport or hobby to come along.
Some in the village feel otherwise. What do you think?
I’m sure the village Mayor William Koons would like to know how you feel. Write to him at 5205 Chillicothe Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 or call him at the village administration offices, 440-338-6700
John G. Augustine
Parkman Township
Mean-Spirited, Indefensible
Our forefathers almost 200 years ago built a County Home to care for poor Geauga County natives who were too old for work. This powerful demonstration of social justice is a source of pride for all of us. After all, these people are our neighbors, friends and family. They need to be kept among us.
That present county commissioners wish to cancel a historic contract with their community is so mean-spirited it is indefensible.
When they were elected, they may have know of The Great Geauga County Fair, the oldest in the state, but they probably had no idea that Geauga even had another such venerable institution.
Everyone among the dozens to whom I have spoken in the past week is opposed to this. We are privileged to be among the richest counties in the state and have an obligation to maintain democratic standards.
Never have the voters failed to meet the responsibility of keeping our county the best in the nation.
William McCullam
Newbury Township
Spending Priorities Shortsighted
Perhaps some of the taxpaying citizens in Geauga County would like to “Give Feedback” to the Geauga Park District Board on this interesting fact: The advertising budget for the Geauga Park District has ballooned from $22,147 in 2013 to a whopping $244,100 projected for 2018! That is an increase of over $220,000 in five years — all with no public input.
The public is no longer allowed to comment or ask questions at the public meetings. Surveys from 2008 and 2015, where over 80 percent of respondents favored passive recreation have been ignored.
Waste on ads is not all. They spent over $1.5 million to develop the new (Liability Land) “Adventure” park at Claridon Woodlands this year. Then suddenly, at the June GPD board meeting, the board noticed that the park budget will be in the red by 2022. This not a surprise to those of us who have been tracking the spending and the “spend down” of the fund once set aside for land acquisition — but evidently the board did not choose to look at those numbers before spending the $1.5 million to create this boondoggle.
Still to be counted are the costs of employees to supervise and guard the equipment plus the ongoing maintenance.
In fairness to the GPD board, it is hard to track the finances when you are new on the job and have no history with the parks. The judge’s constantly revolving board assures that the big picture is obscured.
When (GPD board member) Mr. Lah asked what would happen if the 2019 levy failed, the answer from GPD Director Oros was that buildings would be closed, services would stop (staff would be let go), but mowing would continue. Really? (See, the video on the website ProtectGeaugaParks.us)
Hmmm, I wonder how long it will take before they start justifying the sale of park land to developers?Top of Form
Kathryn Hanratty
Chardon Township
