Letters to the Editor
Let the Court Decide Log Cabin Ownership
Eleven years ago, the Burton Chamber of Commerce initiated an internal audit review. As part of the review, it was noted that the Chamber had listed the log cabin as an asset on tax filings. To ensure accuracy of the filings, one of the recommendations of the Audit Committee to the Chamber Board members was to procure legal research for validation.
The Audit Committee also conducted extensive historical research at three local libraries and held oral interviews resulting in no evidence to support Chamber ownership.
Many sources described the log cabin as “the only municipally owned sugar camp in the world.” This slogan was widely promoted in newspaper articles, books, postcards and signage, even one on the Log Cabin door, supporting municipal ownership.
The Audit Committee report to the Chamber’s Board of Directors recommending procuring legal determination was not acted upon. If this had happened, protection would have been provided to the Chamber and a lawsuit most likely would have been averted.
At this point, since considerable money has been spent by both parties, the lawsuit filed by the Burton Chamber of Commerce should stay in the legal system so as to leave the decision of “who owns structures built on municipal land” up to the court.
Jacqueline Samuel, Ph.D.
Member 2007 Burton Chamber of Commerce Audit Committee
******
A Judge for All the People
For the last 13 years, I have enjoyed working with David Ondrey as he served as solicitor for South Russell Village. He has kept us up-to-date, law abiding and informed. He has always maintained the highest level of integrity and dignity.
David brings experience, knowledge and a no-nonsense approach to law enforcement. He balances his strict interpretation of the law with compassion and common sense. He has the ability to find middle ground when settling disputes, so that all parties are respected and the law is maintained.
David will manage the court in a fair, efficient manner.
South Russell will lose an outstanding solicitor while Geauga County residents will gain a judge for all the people.
On Tuesday, Nov. 6, I encourage Geauga County residents to vote to elect David Ondrey as the next judge for the Geauga County Common Pleas Court.
Bill Koons, Mayor
South Russell Village
Ondrey for Judge – Experience Matters
I am urging voters to elect David M. Ondrey to be the next Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge. I have years of working with David in his role as Solicitor for Burton Village, as I served as Mayor, on Council and on the BPA. David has both the litigation experience and public presence to be an outstanding judge.
Neither of David’s opponents in this race can match his Geauga County experience, both in court and in the community. The Democrat candidate has largely served as a staff attorney for Cuyahoga County judges. The Independent candidate just moved into Geauga County this year. His litigation experience derives from being a public defender, not from civil lawsuits that constitute the vast majority of cases in this court.
Meanwhile, besides having an active private practice, David has chaired the Board of Geauga Hospital, the Geauga United Way, Geauga Bar Association and for Birthright Lake Inc.
In my opinion, David Ondrey has the best legal background and appropriate temperament for the job of judge. He has demonstrated a commitment to Geauga County again and again. I endorse him wholeheartedly.
Nicholas Fischbach
Burton Village
Competence and Character
Our electoral system is the standard by which all other nations should strive for. Everyone has an equal opportunity to express their opinion about who they wish to govern, protect and lead their country and their community.
One of the greatest challenges in this system is that most voters never get to see for themselves the two most important characteristics that need to be considered in a candidate: competence and character. All too often they select a candidate because the name is familiar to them, or lacking anything else, they fall back on whatever party they identify with.
I have had the privilege and honor of working with David Ondrey for over a decade when I served on South Russell Village Council. We retained the services of David as our Village Solicitor year-after-year because of his competence. His excellent legal advice is always well thought out, informed and based solidly in the word – and the spirit – of the law.
His grasp of issues that frequently have many facets, numerous stakeholders, and are not clearly defined by law, is what makes him exceptional. David is clear thinking and communicates complex legal matters in a way that other officials can grasp and base decisions upon.
Character, on the other hand, is something that can only be proven over time. It is defined by consistency, compassion, understanding and integrity. These are the words that describe David Ondrey and I have witnessed this in both formal and informal settings.
If the law addressed every issue that could arise, and cases were always clear-cut, the role of judge might be more of an administrator. However, the law requires interpretation, thoughtfulness, knowledge and experience. That is why David Ondrey is the right person for Common Pleas Judge.
Jack Binder
South Russell Village Council (Former)
