Letters to the Editor
Middlefield Care Center NOT Closing
On behalf of the Middlefield Care Center, we are reaching out to address some rumors.
The Middlefield Care Center is NOT shutting down; we will continue to serve the Amish community like we have for the past 33 years, encouraging early prenatal care and low risk deliveries.
Due to safety concerns, we did have to take away delivery privileges of two of our providers. The reasons were explained in person and in writing to these providers.
Currently, the providers at The Middlefield Care Center are Dr. Cameron, Dr. Schubeck and Jaime Fisher. Since 2002, Dr. Cameron has delivered hundreds of babies at the Care Center. He has an office in Chardon and has clinic at the Care Center on Thursdays.
Dr. Schubeck has been delivering at the Care Center since 2020 and has clinics with Jaime on Tuesdays at the Middlefield Care Center or in their Burton office.
Jaime Fisher started her career at the Care Center in 2009 as an RN, and then became Director of Nursing in 2013. Jaime has trained with two direct entry midwives and has started a business — Fisher Integrated Care — with Dr. Schubeck. Jaime is a Direct Entry Midwife.
The Care Center will continue to be a home-like environment where visitors are welcomed and encouraged. Patients are provided with 24-hour care, allowing mom to sleep uninterrupted after birth, and aides who will take care of the newborn while mom get much needed rest.
Every patient is provided with a private room, private bathroom and a phone in their room to receive calls. All the patients are free to walk around and can make themselves something to eat if they feel up to it or visit with the other patients.
Newborns will continue to receive a visit from the Pediatrician, a PKU test, a hearing screen and parents will be given the option to have the GAP panel (from DDC). We have a lactation specialist on call if a new mom needs help with nursing. Once the patient is discharged, they receive a free home visit to check on mom and the newborn.
Evans Medical Center continues to be on call, 24 hours a day, in case the newborn needs additional support. The Care Center has a long-standing transfer agreement with our local hospital to transfer any patient that needs urgent care.
Please call the Middlefield Care Center at (440) 632-1900 with any questions you may have.
Middlefield Care Center
Middlefield Village
What a Disappointment!
As residents/taxpayers of Auburn Township and Kenston Schools, we’ve been waiting to read that Auburn Township and the Kenston school board have lowered their portion of inside millage or reduced a levy to help their residents deal with the new property valuation taxes due this month.
Unfortunately, both entities have chosen not to offer any reprieve as recommended by the county auditor, the county budget committee and the county commissioners — all of whom did their share of reductions.
Auburn has said it will not put on a new road levy on the 2024 March ballot, but they will not give anything back to their taxpayers now when it’s needed and would have a real impact.
Kenston is not doing its share to ease this burden either. Recall, if you will, that both these entities received an unnecessary windfall of hundreds of thousands of dollars during the pandemic from the federal government, for which they were scratching their heads in order to come up with some applicable expenses. Is any of that money still left in their coffers?
Now this windfall comes along. According to County Commissioner Lennon, Kenston is one of three county school systems “sitting on staggering amounts” of funds. As of this past summer, it was reported Kenston was sitting on $15 million. The Kenston school levy of this past November failed, probably because residents are well aware the previous Superintendent and Board did a lot of wasteful spending to bring the total down to the $15 million from a previous high. Apparently, greed is getting the best of them and they feel they are owed this unvoted windfall since the November levy failed.
Since they are not giving up anything to the taxpayers now, they will hopefully know not to run more levies for some time to come.
We have all seen the inflated home prices in our neighborhoods. As County Auditor Walder states, “people overpaid for their homes” in the past few years which, in turn, inflated property valuations across the county.
Historically, property values have not been a concern for Geauga County property owners as values have steadily increased over the years, with the townships and schools the recipients.
With the county politicians leading the charge, 14 townships, West Geauga Schools and the City of Chardon have lowered their inside millage or reduced a levy. Included in that group is Bainbridge Township, which shares Kenston Schools with Auburn.
Geauga County is making a strong statement to the state of Ohio that the new property valuations are heavily overstated and need to be reduced to provide relief next year. A temporary lowering by these political entities now is very much appreciated. Too bad the Auburn Township Trustees and Kenston Schools are not joining in this campaign. What a disappointment!
Linda Calvert Nokes
Auburn Township
Start Local/Act Local
“Always look where you’re not supposed to be looking.” Words to live by in the world of examinations. Like kids with proverbial hands in cookie jars, if someone is telling you not to look, or working to convince you not to ask questions, chances are, that’s exactly the place that needs attention.
In the worlds of business, government, clubs and non-profits, the idea is to create checks-and-balances by cultivating a strong board. Anything can be corrupted or go off-mission, so the board is meant to balance power and keep focus. Boards are the critical lifeblood of any initiative but are only as good as the people on them.
In his book “Good to Great,” author Jim Collins famously quips Job #1 is to “get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus).” After that, you can decide where the bus is going. Boards and leadership are, by design, in a constant and uneasy power struggle, from the board of your local school to your homeowners’ association, church and non-profits.
Leadership in such organizations often believe they have the answers and the board hinders them, while boards — the good ones — keep things in check by evaluating leadership, finances, hiring, recruiting, communications, mission, etc. By design, this slows or stops the spread of corruption.
From governmental entities to startups, that power dynamic plays out across the country. It’s a common desire of leadership to line their board with rubber-stamping yes-men. In the U.S., this is where ‘We The People’ come in. Because we have a system of government (and free markets), that is ‘Of, By, and For We The People,’ we can evaluate most any board, at any time. The value and power of this cannot be overstated.
Virtually all boards are forced to report information in ways designed to make it easy for us to evaluate and ask questions. And if we suspect a board is hiding something, conducting secret or hidden meetings, suppressing votes or issues, or their books and records are not accurate, this is where we should immediately be looking.
The same holds true for politics, although politics is the least likely to achieve transparency and most likely to become corrupted by an un-accountable board. Many examples exist but perhaps the most infamous is Tammany Hall. This is a fascinating bit of history very worth a few minutes in a web search. Throughout history stories persist of small, rural towns where a small group controls everything (the husband is the Sheriff and Mayor, wife is the Judge, and son is the Bailiff). Usually, it’s the power-hungry types who fall into this cycle.
Not unlike people who’ve left places like California, we moved here and join the chorus of “Don’t Cuyahoga my Geauga!” A list of Geauga board meetings can be found at FortifyGeauga.org. Go to meetings. If closed, ask that they’re made open to the public. Meet people and start asking questions. Unhappy about where our nation is heading? Start Local/Act Local.
Jonathan Broadbent
Newbury Township
Kolar: Captivating, Inspiring, Compelling
I had the good fortune to attend a program at The West Woods Nature Center. Chief Naturalist John Kolar captivated the audience from the moment he introduced himself to talk about John Muir’s contributions to our national parks.
What a delight it was to be in the presence of such a gifted teacher. He spoke clearly and eloquently.
He held my attention by inspiring me to think while listening. His creative demonstrations involved audience participation and incorporated other disciplines. He made me glow with laughter.
Mr. Kolar left me with a feeling of wonder and a compelling curiosity to learn more while inspiring me to tell people what I learned. He even prepared a mini-museum to showcase Muir’s books, quotations and letters.
I told Mr. Kolar if he could be cloned and sent to classrooms, students would run to his classes. He responded that he is available to all schools and grade levels. I hope teachers will read this and contact the Geauga Park District to invite John Kolar to speak to their students.
Eileen Marie
Russell Township
