Letters to the Editor
Sorry for Confusion
Last week my husband, Gary Broska, and I sent the same letter to the editor to several papers. Both of our names were supposed to be included and in our error his name was on one and mine was on the other. We wrote the letter together and were supposed to include both names.
Both of us still support Nancy McArthur for Geauga County Commissioner and stand behind what was written last week.
Thanks and we are sorry for the confusion.
Mary O’Toole
Auburn Township
True Fact It’s…
In Judge Timothy J. Grendell’s letter to the editor in last week’s newspaper, he states that “true facts are important.”
The true fact is, although he calls me a “fairly recent Cleveland Heights area to Russell transplant,” I have never lived in Cleveland Heights. I have lived in Russell for nearly five years and look forward to living here for many years to come.
Shelley Chernin
Russell Township
White-Haired Lady
In midafternoon of Thursday, Feb. 25, I was pulling into what I thought was my driveway when my car decided to follow its own direction and I ended up between the driveway and a nearby telephone pole.
After trying to correct the problem myself, I became stuck and decided to call AAA.
While several neighbors offered help, two local police patrolmen stopped and offered their services and a warm patrol car while I waited for AAA.
I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to patrolmen Paul Pfiester and Chuck Pirnat who both turned a stressful afternoon into a friendly time for a white-haired lady.
I am glad to be a resident of Chardon!
Vivienne Heywood
City of Chardon
McArthur Responds
This letter is in response to six individuals who on the same day last week wrote vicious letters about me. The venomous tone of these letters begs a response. The accusations are unfounded and untrue. The letters contain many complaints, mainly because the writers are not in control.
Most of it involves intra-party complaining and has to do with a members-only meeting which took place last August.
The letter writers are: Mike Petruziello, his daughter Lisa Cavasinni, Dal Lanese, Linda O’Brien and Christie Hall, who are all supporters of the Geauga County Tea Party (GCTP) and have opposition for Central Committee seats.
Diane Jones, also a Tea Party supporter, is running for Central Committee. She and Mr. Holden recently sued the Republican Party and me because of the members-only meeting. The case was dismissed by Judge Burt and they are now appealing.
The real crux of all of this began three years ago when Tracy Jemison resigned as County Commissioner and I put my name in for consideration as his replacement. A few days later, Ralph Spidalieri called my cell phone and asked me to remove my name from consideration as he had another candidate in mind. In return, Commissioner Spidalieri offered me, an elected official, the job of our county administrator. I, of course, declined the offer. It was unethical and illegal. Ultimately, Mr. Rear received the appointment and my final vote.
Mr. Spidalieri and Judge Grendell have a few things in common. They shared the same campaign manager, John Ralph (Judge Grendell’s paid constable), who also worked on Brian Johnston’s unsuccessful campaign for Commissioner. In 2015, Mr. Spidalieri appointed Walter Claypool’s tea party friend Kim Laurie (also an employee of Judge Grendell) to be his NOACA alternate, instead of our County engineer Joe Cattell.
For years, tea party members and others have worked to unseat incumbent Republicans on Central Committees. And now, they’re upset. Per the Ohio Revised Code, any registered voter who is unaffiliated with a party can run for a party office. Mr. Spidalieri did it in 2012 when he ran for Commissioner. He had not voted as a Republican for 12 years. He has not been active in our Party and many of our members have never met him.
Before I became Chairman of the Party, I helped recruit people to vacant seats on Central Committee who wanted to contribute positively to the Party. Republican Central Committee seats exist because of the Party, and as Chairman, I have a duty and responsibility to further our cause and mission.
Ms. Jones wrote a letter about my campaign finance insinuating that my annual report was improper. She filed a complaint against me after Judge Grendell’s constable John Ralph went to the Board of Elections and obtained a copy of my report. No one else requested my report. Although incomplete, my report was timely filed and was later amended.
Ms. O’Brien deserves a special paragraph. In 2014, she decided at the last minute to run for office as a write-in candidate against Sarah LaTourette (after Matt Lynch vacated the seat). Around that time, Ms. O’Brien was awarded a $16,000 no-bid contract approved retroactively by the Park District. She has now been appointed by Judge Grendell to the Russell Township Park Board. And she is running for the State Central Committee Republican woman representative for Senate District 18. Ms. O’Brien claims an endorsement from the Geauga County Republican PAC. This is not the Ohio Republican or the Geauga County Republican Central Committee. These county named PACs were setup all over Ohio by tea party advocates to make it appear that the Republican Party endorsed them. The Geauga County Republican Party has NOT endorsed ANY candidates in the primary. We feel like our Republican brand is being stolen from us.
What this is really about is a power struggle and at the center of it all is Judge Tim Grendell. In January of 2015, he ordered me to appear before him in his court under penalty of jail because he believed I had privately criticized him. This led to a lawsuit which was ultimately settled when he agreed to withdraw his order.
Many in the county believe that a vote for Spidalieri and Lennon is a vote for Judge Grendell and that he and the tea party are attempting to control our county, its policies and our local Republican Party. I expect that I will continue to be a target because they know I am not afraid of them and they cannot control me.
In all this I have been straightforward, ethical and I believe fair. Others in the county need to step forward and not be afraid to speak out. Some have called what has happened to me “dirty politics.” I call it corruption. This is a time to be bold and for action, and to take our county back. This isn’t just about me; it’s about the integrity of our county. It needs to be restored.
Nancy McArthur
City of Chardon
Editor’s Note: Pursuant to our published election letter policy, all candidates running for office in the March 15 primary election were permitted in the March 10 issue to respond to any earlier letters to the editor that were critical of them. Rather than submit a rebuttal letter to each letter criticising her candidacy, McArthur requested and received permission to write one letter addressing the topics discussed in those letters. She is the only candidate for office that availed herself of this opportunity.
