Facts About GSSN Funding
In a letter to the editor published in the Feb. 23 Maple Leaf, titled “Claypool Rants,” Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery member Walter “Skip” Claypool laments that “millions are being spent on failing [mental health] programs … that I believe will waste your hard-earned tax dollars.”
The only program he actually mentions in his letter is the Geauga SOGI Support Network (GSSN), a non-profit organization. This organization is funded by private donations and staffed by volunteers. It has never received public funding from the Board of Mental Health. It receives no taxpayer money whatsoever from any source.
How do I know? My wife is both the secretary and treasurer of GSSN. I just want to be sure Maple Leaf readers are accurately informed.
Rich Sones
Munson Township
Plant a Tree . . . or Two
There’s a magic machine that’s been around for eons. It builds itself, costs very little to obtain and maintain, and, most importantly, it sucks carbon out of the air. We all need these machines, but far too many are being destroyed. Why? Ever expanding populations and development are causing the ever-increasing destruction of trees, which is causing detrimental effects on our one and only livable planet; and we don’t really know when we will have reached the tipping point. When that red line is crossed, we will no longer be able to save our beloved Earth and ourselves.
We should all be thankful for trees’ contributions to our existence and survival, but instead we cut them down, often en masse, to use their space for our own “more important” activities.
As I drive around on my daily travels, I see trees being cut down everywhere, but not too many being planted. It’s time to seriously reconsider how we use our land and plant more trees wherever we can.
Plant one (or more) in our yards. More should be planted on public lands and the green spaces along roads and freeways. We should plant them anywhere they can grow, thrive and provide us with that most important element we need to stay alive: oxygen.
You too can help. Just plant a tree — and more if you have room. And please don’t complain about the leaves. Just clean them up and let them compost for future use in your garden. They, too, are an important part of the cycle of life on our beautiful planet so let’s take care of it. After all, we need it more than it needs us.
Rosemary Balazs
Chester Township
An Open Letter to Elected Officials
Township Trustees, Mayors, Council People, County Commissioners and the People of Geauga County:
We are at a precipice for the future of Geauga County. It may be irreversible if we do not act now.
The current Board of Geauga County Public Health and Administrator have overtly, or by the consequence of their actions, led us to the real possibility of losing all of our public health employees to a contract with Lake County Public Health to supply all of our services; a county that has a different philosophy than ours, different demographics than ours and a different passion about protecting our semi-rural atmosphere, environment and large lot zoning.
It is not too late to reverse this direction. We must speak up now and take a stand. As our elected officials, you have been entrusted to protect our precious Geauga County and its citizens. Citizens you must have your voices heard before it is too late.
Please join me in voicing our sentiments and DON’T LAKE – GEAUGA. The future of our way of life is in all of our hands.
Personally, I am in this fight to save our health department. Contact your local officials and make your opinions known.
Imagine a county of our size having only a part-time health commissioner who has no office, no desk and no phone extension. A board that eliminates a successful environmental program, while not fully implementing the state-mandated replacement program, O. & M., both of which has hurt us financially.
On Wednesday, March 15, at 7 p.m., members of the HDAC (Health District Advisory Council), made up of your local elected officials, will be gathering on the 3rd floor of the Geauga Administration Building to appoint a member to the Geauga Public Health Board from the fur candidates who have applied. This is open to the public.
Mary Briggs
Geauga County Resident
Gov. Mike DeWine, Why the Toast?
After the chemical plume in East Palestine, Gov. DeWine attempted to convince the people that everything is OK. In someone’s small kitchen, the governor filled his wine glass with tap water and performed a toast. Cheers to normalcy was his intended message to the public.
Why the toast governor? Pets, chickens, fish and other wildlife are dead or dying. People are claiming unusual rashes, difficulty in breathing and other symptoms. Yes, we all desire normalcy, but some scientists claim this won’t happen until 3023 or beyond.
As independent testimonies come forth, the toast seems less and less genuine. Here are two: First, a chemical engineer went on record by calling this burn as uncontrolled, as a controlled burn would have never created a plume. He explained there is a plant in Liverpool, Ohio, that routinely does this by controlling oxygen.
Second, burning 1,109,400 pounds of vinyl chloride not only created dioxin, a carcinogenic toxin, but phosgene gas as well. Phosgene was used in World War I and has been banned ever since. This might explain some of the communities’ rashes and breathing issues.
Governor, we can forget the toast if you deliver justice. Something horrible happened in East Palestine and the people are suffering. These are our people, Ohioans.
Proverbs 21:15 states, “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” Let’s deliver some terror to these culprits. Ohioans deserve justice!
Joe DeBoth
Geauga County Republican Committee Member
Precinct #1: Auburn Township A
Claypool Unwilling to Help ALL Residents
I am writing with grave concern about the recent remarks made by a member of the Geauga County Board of Mental Health, Skip Claypool.
Claypool has been quite vocal in his opposition to the LGBTQ community in Geauga County. As such, he has proved himself unwilling and incapable of supporting the mental health of all Geauga County residents.
Mr. Claypool has also spread falsehoods about Geauga SOGI Support Network, an organization which provides support for our LGBTQ individuals and families in Geauga County.
Although I am a straight, cisgender, white Christian male, I understand that I benefit from a community which supports a diversity of views and values. A healthy community is one in which all residents feel seen and valued. Also, LGBTQ residents are taxpayers, and their money is just as green as anyone else’s.
Mr. Claypool’s term on the Board of Mental Health expires in June. Please urge the Geauga County Board of Commissioners to appoint someone who is willing to advocate for the mental health of all Geauga County residents, not just the ones who fit the particular profile Mr. Claypool advocates.
Barrick Stees
South Russell Village
