Turmoil Continues at GPD
The turmoil continues at our Geauga Parks — and wasting of our tax dollars continues. They have fired the fiscal officer and have contracted with a firm to provide fiscal advice — at $250 per hour — and do a search for a new fiscal officer at 20% of that person’s first hear salary — another $20,000 or so out the door. These are funds that should be spent on protecting natural areas, biodiversity and endangered/threatened species in our county.
Why did the park district separate themselves fiscally from the county auditor? Director Oros stated they have been considering doing this for some time. I talked with all the living past park directors and they all stated they have never considering doing this and have never had any problems having the county covering fiscal responsibilities that are now being handled by the park district.
In my view, Director Oros was ordered to do this by Judge Grendell in retaliation for the county auditor rightly refusing to pay some questionable bills submitted by his honor.
So what is the consequence of this diverting of funds from natural area protection? In the past, I’ve talked about the endangered spotted turtles in our parks. Several organizations, including our park district, have been working together to save these turtle populations. Recently I talked with a scientist in one of these other organizations who told me the turtles are now “functionally extinct” in our park district with probably only one or two individuals remaining. Shame on you Director Oros, for this tragedy is on your shoulders.
John G. Augustine
Parkman Township
Thank You, Chardon and First Responders
We would like to thank the kind first responders and passersby who stopped to help our two daughters and the other drivers in a recent accident on South Street in Chardon. When the call came we were about 20 minutes away stuck in road construction — a parental nightmare. Knowing that our fellow Chardon residents were with our girls brought comfort to us as we tried to reach the scene quickly.
A special thank you to the nurse who made sure they were safe and the lady who ran from her home to help and provided an inhaler for our one daughter. May the Lord bless each of you and the others involved in the accident.
Adrian and Jen Gorton
City of Chardon
