McCullough Would be Aghast
It was of particular interest that I read Judge Grendell’s “From the Bench” in the latest issue of Geauga Park District’s “Park Explorer” news mailing. The good judge stated, “Bob McCullough, long time member of the Park District Board, would surely be smiling upon the natural beauty maintained at Claridon Woodlands Park.”
How strange. As one who had known Bob McCullough for nearly 40 years, I can honestly say that if Bob is looking down on the state of the Geauga Park District, he surely does so with a deep and sad frown.
He would be aghast at the huge taxes dollars spent on amusements by Grendell/Oros.
He would be aghast at lack of public comment and questions allowed at commissioners meeting. Bob always encouraged questions and comments and always responded as a courteous gentleman.
He would be aghast at the very low priority of preserving fast disappearing natural areas by the park district. Protecting such special areas was the highest priority with Bob.
He would be aghast at the nearly $250,000 budgeted for advertising by the park district last year. I’ve been told that under Bob’s leadership $20,000 or $25,000 was about the most spent for such expenditures.
He would be aghast at hunting and trapping being promoted as “recreation” in our parks rather than wildlife management tools.
I could go on ad-infinitum.
If his honor really thought so highly of Bob McCullough, he would appoint park commissioners like Bob McCullough rather than folks typically with little or no past interest in parks and natural area protection. Any that approach Bob in stature are typically not reappointed or are summarily fired.
I urge all Geauga citizens, voters and appreciators of Bob Mccullough to keep that in mind when they have an opportunity to vote for a new Probate Judge in autumn of 2020.
John G. Augustine
Parkman Township
Geauga Needs a Veterans Court
I am writing as a follow up to the recent visit to Geauga County by Ohio Supreme Court Justice Kennedy, who provided a presentation about Veterans Court.
A Veterans Court is known in Ohio as a specialized docket. A specialized docket is a therapeutically oriented judicial approach to providing court supervision and appropriate treatment to offenders, whose offenses were committed because of an underlying mental health or substance abuse issue.
These programs provide intensive treatment with “judicial teeth.” The focus is to stop the cycle of criminal behavior and improve the lives of the participants.
There are many types of specialized dockets, including drug courts, mental health courts and OVI courts. A Veterans Court, as an example, focuses specifically on the needs of veterans, who have committed crimes because of disabilities received while in service to our country.
There are 230 Ohio Supreme Court-certified specialized docket courts; none of which are in Geauga. All of Geauga’s contiguous counties have no fewer than two such programs. My county of Ashtabula has four. I have been involved with the Ashtabula Felony Drug Court program for 10 years, and it works.
I am hoping that Geauga County will soon be including specialized dockets into its criminal justice system.
Marie Lane, Esq.
Ashtabula
Allegations are not Facts
Kavanaugh should be confirmed because of our standards of justice. I am a survivor of abuse and sexual assault, since childhood and beyond. I have also been a victim of false allegations and lies, for the reasons of personal revenge as well as political revenge, and it is a horrible, costly thing to endure.
The scales have been allowed to tip too far away from justice and the idea of innocent until proven guilty.
How many of us will stand up to the power of “victims groups” that have advocated to undermine the Constitution all over this nation with civil protection orders that, in many states, don’t require any proof other than a person’s testimony to get? His or her word is all that is needed, which could simply be a lie or lies.
I attended domestic violence support groups in which women actually stated they had provoked or planned to provoke their partners to violence so they could get a protection order, in order to gain advantage in a child custody dispute.
In Ohio, so many people are abusing CSPOs, our Supreme Court started a pilot program to stop the abuses by disgruntled family members, neighbors going after neighbors, and even people going after political enemies for speaking against them. Yes, we opened the door to these abuses and look what we are seeing now. Defamation of character can be called a ‘victim’s truth.” What happened to searching for the truth? What happened to being sure before moving ahead?
We need to reverse this trend. Ohio should require evidence of abuse for any protection orders, like other states require. One person’s word against another causing rights to be lost or limited is not the American standard of justice.
People need to read history and learn or remember why our beloved Constitution is as it is, when it comes to accusations, trials and search and seizures. One person’s foggy recollection of alleged abuse should not be enough to bring Kavanaugh or anyone down. People hopping on Ford’s bandwagon with outlandish allegations, seemingly wishing their 15 minutes of celebrity, should not be allowed to destroy his good reputation. Any person can speak lies about another. Some people do it and that is a fact.
Robin Neff
City of Chardon
