Letters to Editor
Disaster in the Making
On Sept. 19, a small group of us visited Frohring Meadows, a part of the Geauga Park District. What was surprising were all the changes made in the recent months.
First, twisty, dirt woods trails that are only 4 to 5 feet wide at most, that were opened just to walkers and joggers, are now open to walkers, joggers, bikes and horses. Having experienced this in the past at other parks, I can only say this is a disaster in the making. A bike moves quickly and quietly along the sand/dirt paths and when it suddenly rounds a corner (and there are many corners in this park) and meets a 1,000-pound animal and/or a group of walkers, the situation can become very dangerous for walkers/horse/rider or biker.
But even though many times it was brought up to the Geauga Park Board that bikes do not belong on horse paths and/or walking paths the park secretly opened up Frohring Meadows twisty paths to bikes and horses beside the normal walkers and joggers. The only
warning you get is the tape that is across the “no horses” sign. And there are also now fast moving bikes on the trails.
Second, though the Geauga Park District keeps trumpeting that the parks must be available to everyone which is why we need sports fields and bikes on walking paths, they took the one and only Frorhing Meadows shelter (sitting on a hill that overlooked the meadows) and enclosed it and locked it up. Yes, there now isn’t any shelter in the whole Frohring Meadows Park open for anyone to use.
To make it worse, they took all the picnic tables that were found in Frohring Meadows and put as many as possible in the enclosed and locked up shelter, and the rest were removed from the park. So, my group could not find a place to sit and enjoy the park after a hike nor could we quickly get out of the elements when a storm brewed up. Yes, we could go to our cars, but the get-together then ends.
Yes, this is your Geauga Park District in action. Feel free to pay to use the one and only shelter (and only with advanced reservations) found in Frohring Meadows. If you wish to sit on the hill and view the meadows like you used to from the shelter, forget it. You are not wanted.
Oh, and be sure to be ready to meet any and all fast moving vehicles on the Frohring Meadows walking paths.
Katherine Malmquist
South Russell
Morals, Ethics Abandoned
I recently emailed Mr. Oros and members of the Geauga Park Board about a video that has surfaced showing the firing of guns in a children’s day camp, sponsored by an outside organization, held at one of the Geauga County parks in July.
Mrs. Shumway responded she was investigating this and these were my “allegations,” despite video providing absolute evidence of this violation of GPD rules and regulations, which are posted on the park district website.
I felt I had to respond to her, due to history of casually dismissing violations by the Grendell/Shumway Board.
You see, Mr. Oros, the newly appointed executive director of the parks, permitted hunting and trapping in areas of our parks where such activities were not recommended by the Natural Resource Management staff and where there were clear violations of state laws in hunting and trapping in the state nature preserve of Burton Wetlands.
In this instance, Mrs. Shumway did an “investigation” and said the park “may” follow ODNR regulations and not “must” follow the regulations.
Shortly after, Mr. Oros was selected as executive director; the board chose not to interview any of the two dozen candidates who submitted applications for the position. So, I felt there was substantial doubt Mrs. Shumway’s “investigation” would lead to any actual resolution of the violation by an outside organization using the parks.
Here is my response:
Actually, President Shumway, these are not “my allegations.” This flagrant violation of the rules and regulations has been proudly and publicly released to the national media and on social media. You can view the video of the adults setting an example of breaking the law in the presence of a group of minor children whose care and supervision parents entrusted to the leaders of this camp. I would hope you would take this more seriously than you did Mr. Oro’s violations of hunting and trapping in our parks. I am upset with the erosion of ethics in this park district. You were sworn in to lead this system and have not only a fiduciary responsibility, but a moral and ethical responsibility to uphold high standards of behavior in our parks. The only “slap on the hand” Mr. Oros received was to be promoted to executive director, without even an interview with other applicants.
As you responded to another citizen’s inquiry, your pleasure in seeing the children playing tetherball on the video is only an illustration of the lack of understanding of the seriousness of this firearms violation. It does not matter what group violated the GPD rule — Boy Scouts, campers, hikers, personal acquaintances of the park administration or even political groups. A violation is a violation. If this is another “sweep it under the rug” investigation, you are setting up the scenario for other groups to realize there is no enforcement of the law in the GPD.
Mr. Oros was made aware of the use of firearms at another county’s similar program, so he was informed this was a definite possibility. If he discussed this with the sponsoring group and they went ahead with their plans, then that is even more indicative of a problem in the parks.
If he was aware of the violation and did nothing, then that is even more of an indictment of lack of leadership.
The rangers only acknowledge they know about the incident, but will not confirm or deny that an “investigation” is being conducted. I would hope at the October Board meeting the public would get some reassurance that the morals and ethics of this park system have not been totally abandoned by the Grendell/Shumway Board.
Sandy Buckles
Troy Township
Heads and Tails
If there is any doubt in people’s minds all is not well with our Geauga Park District, one need only attend one of the monthly Park Commissioners meetings to quickly quell that doubt.
At least twice in recent months I have asked about the status of the Park District Budget Committee that existed for at least 10 or 12 years prior to the Grendell takeover.
Budget committees typically review an agency’s budget and finances, and recommend correct actions and changes. The Ohio Auditors office always, to my knowledge, recommends agencies have a budget committee.
My queries to the administration on this subject at commissioners meetings have been unanswered and generally met with silence. Perhaps the present administration is uncomfortable with an entity that would likely see through strange administration fiscal wizardry that claims multimillion-dollar deficit spending one minute and unneeded tax revenue the next.
Increasingly, the head does not seem to know what the tail is doing. I’ve brought the issue up twice of plans in progress to tear down a park-owned house at Burton Wetland and the Park Naturalist living there being told he must vacate the premises by the end of the year. My concern here was that a Park Naturalist on premises is of great value in that someone living there can keep a watchful eye on the Burton Wetlands Nature Preserve, during off hours, at no extra cost to the parks.
The Park Commissioners denied any knowledge of what was going on, yet several park administrative people sitting in the audience, including Director Oros, had full knowledge of this for several months, but remained silent. Perhaps Director Oros does not want someone present who may keep an eye on his trapping buddies at the nature preserve?
Increasingly, it seems that the Park Commissioners have been left in the dark and vulnerable. One wonders if the real people running the park are John Oros and Judge Grendell, with Oros taking direct orders from his honor.
The Commissioners know from past experience the judge has no qualms about immediately firing or not reappointing any commissioners for whatever reason and, consequently, experienced park employees are unlikely to stick their necks out and discuss what has been going on in the parks with the commissioners. The commissioners may well be gone shortly and fear is that the Park co-directors will find a way to step on the honorable employee.
Clearly, the problem is at the top with Judge Grendell in his actions, not only with our park district, but in other matters as has been very well explained by Maple Leaf Editor John Karlovec in his excellent recent special editorial.
A great park system deserves leadership that hires and appoints great people with knowledge and vision of what parks are for and lets them do their job. Time is now for a change in that leadership. I’m signing my name to that Protect Geauga Parks petition asking the Ohio General Assembly to remove Judge Grendell from office.
John G. Augustine
Parkman Township
Earned our Vote
Glen Quigley is seeking re-election as Newbury Township Trustee.
When weighing who will get our vote, we should consider the scope of a candidate’s knowledge about the functioning and complexities of the office sought. Past experience and performance, if any, in an elective office and the candidate’s involvement in the community should also to be heavily considered.
As a 39-year resident, Glen has served on various boards and volunteered for numerous organizations, including Newbury Scoutmaster, rec board soccer coach, Geauga County Fair Adult Coordinator, Newbury Jaycee’s, 4-H advisor and a longtime member of the Newbury Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as a lieutenant and trustee of the corporation.
Glen has a proven record of fiscal responsibility. He led the effort to update the Newbury Schools’ treatment plant, its tie in to Mangia, Mangia septic facility and the needed improvement in the school parking lot, all at no cost to the taxpayer.
He successfully secured federal funding for Oberland Park, helped bring home thousands in road improvement dollars and multiple grants to improve two community centers.
Glen worked with the sheriff’s office to use their non-violent offender program to repair and refurbish Newbury’s aging cemeteries. Again, using innovation costing zero taxpayers dollars.
Glen is committed to protecting the rural nature of our township. He successfully guided the Newbury Concerned Citizens Group in keeping an asphalt plant out of our community and has continued to work protecting our water and property values.
Glen has encouraged growth in the existing commercial and industrial zones that has enhanced local retail convenience while providing additional employment opportunities and an expanded tax base.
The ongoing effort to build a Veterans Memorial Park in the center of our town to honor those who have selflessly served in the various branches of our military services is a project for which Glen has shared the leadership to make it a reality.
Glen is my choice this November. Join me in voting for Glen Quigley, he has earned our confidence and our vote.
Denver Sallee
Newbury Township
Real Shame
Ms. Hanratty and her small group of petition seeking malcontents want to undo the vote of over 20,000 Geauga County residents who elected me as judge last year. Prior to that, I received over 70 percent of the vote in my last contested election for judge.
It is a real shame that Ms. Hanratty and her crew are seeking to waste our legislators’ valuable time with a frivolous and factually false “petition.”
Followers of Ms. Hanratty have raised all of these false allegations in grievances previously filed with the Supreme Court of Ohio, all of which grievances have been summarily dismissed by the Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Counsel as meritless.
Ms. Hanratty and some of her crew do not want Geauga County children and families to use our county parks, even though our taxpayers have spent over $100,000,000 for these parks. It is unfortunate that all Geauga County residents have to keep paying for this small self-serving group and its slander of me and the park district just because they are not getting what they want — their own private preserve paid for by Geauga County residents.
Judge Tim Grendell
Geauga County Probate Court
Support Issue 29
I am writing in support of It’ssue 29 for Metzenbaum Center.
My two young daughters attended Play, Learn, Grow classes at Metzenbaum from 18 month to 3 years. These classes are open to the community when space is available and they provide early exposure to the rhythm and structure of a classroom setting, including times for music, crafts and free play.
My older daughter was very quiet and reserved when we started at Metzenbaum, but with the caring guidance of the staff she found her voice in the classroom. She marched into preschool with confidence and enhanced social skills, and I attribute her comfort there to the experience she had at Metzenbaum.
My daughters played alongside friends with developmental disabilities who receive critical therapies through Metzenbaum. I would support this levy on their behalf even if we hadn’t personally received any services from Metzenbaum, but it also serves the broader community.
In addition to offering classes for children, Metzenbaum opens its therapy swimming pool to seniors and children, and the staff goes out into the area with programming for children at local parks and libraries.
For as many people as Metzenbaum serves in our community, it earns my support on It’ssue 29.
Karen Wright
Russell Township
