Low Response Rate
In the recent article about the survey for Geauga County’s 10-year plan, it was stated that there was a low response rate. There are two reasons for the low response rate. First, the general public has not been made aware of the survey. The first I heard about it was in the Geauga County Maple Leaf article. After talking to friends, I couldn’t find anyone else who had heard about it.
Second, there are problems with the survey using SurveyMonkey that are preventing the surveys from being submitted. If you don’t respond to every question, even if you don’t agree with the provided answers, it shows the survey as incomplete.
I am suspicious that the lack of publicity about the survey and the problems with how the survey was designed were intentional to get the results that some business or individual are looking for.
Jeff Wilkes
Montville Township
Lack of Leadership
Many of our local elected officials have shown a disappointing lack of leadership in a time when we need them the most — to bring us together to save our jobs, businesses, economy, schools and our families’ health.
In an online photo, U.S. Rep. David Joyce, Geauga County Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri and Lake County Commissioner Jerry Cirino were seen standing shoulder to shoulder with no masks to be seen, at a large gathering at the fairgrounds.
Again, in a photo of the July 28 Geauga commissioners meeting, printed in the Maple Leaf, Commissioners Dvorak, Lennon and Spidalieri are seen without masks or appropriate distancing. All these leaders are modeling blatant defiance of governor’s orders meant to protect our communities.
Similarly, during a rally in opposition to the long-standing racial injustice protests organized by WGHS students, Chester Trustee Skip Claypool arrived without a mask and joined the large gathering of uncovered faces.
Additionally, a Geauga sheriff’s vehicle drove past repeatedly to give thumbs-up to the COVID-spreading group.
The mask-less occasionally crossed the police tape in attempts to engage face-to-face with the students who, thankfully, require masks at their protests. One such rally-goer yelled back, “I don’t have to wear a mask, f— the governor!” I wish this gentleman’s leaders had shown him that small, individual efforts are needed to protect these kids and the country we all love. Instead, the crowd defying the public health orders didn’t see the irony in their chants of “USA! USA!” as if they were the ones who were model citizens.
This is a time when our leaders must show that health mandates are to be followed, even if we disagree with them, and that everyone must do what’s necessary for us all to get to through this together. That’s what we are asking of our children as they return to school in the fall. Is it too much to ask the same of our elected officials?
Kate Baker
Chester Township
