Letters to Editor
Run Court, Not ParksIn letters to a couple of members of the Protect Geauga Parks, Probate/ Juvenile Judge Tim Grendell issued an "invite" to these…
Run Court, Not Parks
In letters to a couple of members of the Protect Geauga Parks, Probate/ Juvenile Judge Tim Grendell issued an “invite” to these individuals to meet with him in his judicial chambers to discuss the allegations that has been made against the Geauga Park District and its commissioners.
When these letters were met by silence, Judge Grendell then issues a letter to the editor of the newspaper plus an ad asking our group and/or concerned residents to individually meet with him to discuss Geauga Park District concerns.
I have four issues with this invite:
1. Why is the meeting in judicial chambers? It’s it so Judge Grendell can wear his authority of being a judge?
I can think of many better places to meet that are public and open like West Woods Nature Center or a public library meeting room. The former is actually in the Park District that is the topic of concern. The latter is one of the last few bastions of democratic equality.
2. Why does Judge Grendell request to meet with concerned citizens “individually?” It’s he unable to have a rational discussion with the county taxpayers in a group? Does he feel that he can have more “authority” over the questioning taxpayer if he meets with a single person in his court setting?
3. Why is Judge Grendell even involving himself in Geauga Park District business? Should not the Park Commission-ers be handling any discussions with the taxpayers with regard to park concerns?
According to O.R.C. 1545.05, Judge Grendell has the authority to appoint Park Commissioners. O.R.C. 1545 does not say he has the authority to handle the day to day workings of the Park District, make financial, personnel or property decisions for the Park District nor handle the public relations of the Park District.
Supposedly Judge Grendell has appointed competent Park Commissioners who can handle their duties without direct supervision, but then again, it seems Judge Grendell has gone through a lot of Park Commissioners in the last few years.
From 1961 to 2011, there were 13 Park Commissioners and, from 2011 to now, we have had 8 Park Commissioners — at least three were removed by Judge Grendell, one was not reappointed, one resigned and one declined to be reappointed.
4. Judge Grendell calls Protect Geauga Parks a “small unhappy group” who “pursue their agenda in local newspapers.” First, the group is not small; our meetings are well attended and even the signatures on the petitions we originally gave the Park District to stop the changes ranged in the thousands.
Second, we would love to meet with the Park Commissioners to discuss our concerns, but at this time that has not been granted to us. The Park Commissioners have moved their monthly meetings from evenings to 3:30 p.m. weekdays when most county taxpayers work and they moved it to only one place in a large park system — the Meyers Nature Center, so far north it is almost in Lake County.
When we do attend the Park District meetings, we are limited to 3-minutes per person and discussion is only one-half hour long, with some of the time taken up by the Park Commissioners. It should also be pointed out that Judge Grendell and his court Constable John Ralph have also pursued their agendas in local newspapers through letters to the editor.
As such, let us have the Geauga Park District Commissioners agree to meet with Protect Geauga Park members and other concerned citizens at a time that is mutually agreed upon by both groups in a public setting.
I am sure that would be a much more productive time for both parties than meeting individually with a Probate Judge who really should let the Park Commissioners do their job. And let Judge Grendell focus on running his very busy court.
Katherine Malmquist
South Russell
