Letters to the Editor
No Snowmobiles in Geauga Parks
When Observatory Park got its designation as a dark sky park, the dedication speech said, “There is nothing in the world which can compare to Observatory Park.”
The park system website also declares that, “It is Geauga Park District’s intent to protect this natural area in perpetuity.”
In spite of this lofty promise, at the Jan. 12 Geauga Park District board meeting, Executive Director John Oros announced to the board that he intends to unilaterally issue a special use permit for a trial program of 40 snowmobile permits per day on weekends in Observatory Park. He claimed he has the authority to implement this program without a vote by the board.
The rules of the Geauga Park District include the following condition:
“The Executive Director may issue permits for otherwise unauthorized activities if he or she determines such activities are in the best interest of the park district and if the activities are not prohibited by state or federal law.”
Mr. Oros did not present any evidence at the board meeting that snowmobiles are in the best interest of the park district. In fact, he showed his concern about the lack of public support by changing the meeting time at the last minute to minimize attendance, intentionally omitting this item from the meeting agenda and choosing to announce his decision as a fait accompli at the very end of the meeting without any public input.
When members of the public protested this action, he quickly shut them down with a loud, “You do not have the floor!”
Shortly thereafter, Mr. Oros and the board cleared the room for an executive session.
This decision is clearly not in the best interest of the park district:
• It risks irreparable damage to the trails at Observatory Park and to the remainder of the 1,100 acres of this park that are undeveloped. There are only three miles of trails at this park. Snowmobilers will quickly get bored going in circles for only three miles. If they go off trail, it will be very difficult to keep others out.
The park district is spending $2 million dollars plus to develop this park. If the base of the newly developed trails is wet or not completely frozen, snowmobiles will tear it up.
• It goes against the park district’s own survey where only 4 percent of respondents favored snowmobiles in our parks.
• It caters to a very small group of noisy and disruptive park users at the expense of the rest of the public who choose to enjoy their parks in peace and quiet.
At the next park board meeting, Mr. Oros owes the people of Geauga County a detailed explanation of why risking one of the crown jewel parks in the system is in the best interests of the park district. This action violates the 50-plus-year tradition of no motorized vehicles in the parks.
There should be public meetings on this issue and then the board should vote when all opinions have been heard. We can’t allow this critical decision to be made by one man with his own misguided agenda.
H. Dieter Sems
Munson Township
Bypassing Park Regulations Appauling
I would like to welcome Mr. Barker and Mrs. Dottore to the park board. I am sorry I was unable to attend this meeting and look forward to meeting you.
I had requested and received a park board packet and was familiar with the agenda and business to be covered at the meeting. I just reviewed the video of the meeting.
I was very surprised and disappointed and appalled with the decision made by Mr. Oros to bypass park regulations and waive the rules for snowmobiling in the park. This is a highly irregular act and does not have precedent to the best of my knowledge. What is the purpose of a board of commissioners if the executive director makes unilateral decisions about waiving park regulations? This is insulting to you as a board, and to the residents of Geauga County who rely on the board and the park staff to enforce the regulations of the park.
You will find the park regulations on the park website. Page 13 covers use of motorized vehicles, including snowmobiles.The dissatisfaction from members of the audience was not frivolous but was in direct response to blatant violation of park rules and regulations and blatant unilateral decision making by the executive director.
I hope that you will do your due diligence and read the rules and regulations. Has there been a feasibility study of this proposed park use? While I believe that some of you voiced support of “trying” an activity before making a final decision, this is not a professional way of doing business in an organization. The park district is a public, not private entity and the public expects that rules and regulations will be followed by all staff, including the director. I also found it irregular that such a contentious issue was not on the board agenda. I will be investigating further the ramifications of this action.
It was in poor form and disrespectful to both the public and you as a board, to present this decision without including it on the agenda and without following protocol of board procedure.
Mr. Gertz, I appreciated your comments and look forward to having further discussion with you on this issue.
Barbara Partington
Munson Township
Grendell Continues Meddling
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s a lesson yet to be learned by Probate Judge Timothy Grendell, who is once again meddling in a public park district that was functioning just fine, thank you.
This time, it’s the Russell Township Park District. Get ready for what’s bound to be yet another completely unnecessary and unproductive bumpy ride through the self-serving machinations of Grendell.
The Russell Park Commission oversees about 400 scattered acres of park land. For the last 16 years, until Grendell decided to “fix” what wasn’t broken, three commissioners, each with special skills and knowledge, contributed to the smooth and effective running of the park district. Thank you to Roy Podojil, Sandy Siegler and Terry Ries for your dedication and your years of service. You are much appreciated by the community, as evidenced by the 2012 survey of Russell residents, where, on a 1 to 10 scale, we scored satisfaction with our parks at an extraordinary 8.4, a 29 percent increase in satisfaction over the 1994 survey.
So how did Grendell “fix” the park district? At the end of Terry Ries’ term of office, rather than reappointing Ries, as requested by Ries and the other commissioners, Grendell took it upon himself to appoint his political ally, Linda O’Brien, as a park commissioner.
Much ado was made by Grendell of the “fact” that O’Brien was the first woman on the Russell Park Commission. This is untrue. Many in Russell remember Bebe Ober’s fine service as a commissioner. But Grendell has no regard for truth, history or public entities that function well without his interference. He has stated that he will not appoint anyone to the park commission for longer than two or three terms.
Without institutional memory, without continuity, without the soundness of on organization made up of people whose respective strengths combine to make the whole greater than its parts, and without, by the way, any support staff, who all resigned following O’Brien’s appointment, Grendell has truly fixed what wasn’t broken, and now the citizens of Russell are really in a fix.
Shelley Chernin
Russell Township
Same Old, With Something New
What will this New Year mean for Geauga Parks?
So far, we see more of the same from the probate judge: more upheaval on the park board as the judge appoints two new commissioners. Neither of these appointments has credentials that indicate conservation expertise or interest.
The judge seems to overlook the section of Ohio law that provides for continuity on county park boards. Constructive questioning from residents has been dismissed by the judge.
He has said that if the people of Geauga County do not like what he is doing to our parks, we can “howl at the moon like coyotes.” The judge should know that we the people have other options. Ohio law allows us to ask our legislators in Columbus to remove a judge from office.
This is a right that must not be taken lightly. It is also a duty that, at times, must not be avoided. The judge’s own antics compel this action. Every citizen of Ohio has the right and responsibility to oppose what they see as corruption and injustice. The website for Protect Geauga Parks, www.protectgeaugaparks.us, includes a petition link, addresses for Geauga Park officials, and a community of courageous friends of the parks.
Together we can show this judge something new: an organized group of individuals who are not afraid to stand up to his misguided tyranny over our parks.
Kathleen O. Webb
Munson Township
