Mr. John Oros, who was appointed Executive Director of the Geauga Parks District, has again demonstrated that he has no conservation ethic.

• In 2014-15 illegal recreation equipment was installed at Bass Lake in violation of the EPA. A boat leaking fuel was allowed to remain on Bass Lake. Illegal hunting was permitted on our Burton Wetlands State Nature Preserve.

• Recommendation from Natural Resources Management for trapping nuisance animals was ignored and permits were given in vague locations for unnamed animals.

• An outside group was given permission by Mr. Oros to have muskets and black powder in a children’s day camp (violation of Park Rules and Regulations but for which Mr. Oros and other received a commendation from the Honorable Judge Timothy Grendell.)

• Mr. Oros announced at the January Park Board Meeting that he was going to utilize a provision in the Park Rules and Regulations to issue a special permit for trial snowmobiling in our Dark Sky Park , Observatory Park. Snowmobiling is prohibited by the Rules and Regulations But he stated he did not need Board approval. I asked if a Natural Resources Management environmental impact evaluation had been done. He responded that the Park Biologist had been talked to. So PGP did a public records request for the following:    The evaluation and/or opinion and/or environmental assessment of Natural Resource Management, or of any other expert, of the environmental or any other kind of impact, of allowing snowmobiling at Observatory Park. MR. OROS REPLIED THAT HE HAD NO RECORDS FOR THIS REQUEST. So once again, the Executive Director has violated good environmental stewardship of our parks.

Of course the new Board President asked for an impact statement after the snowmobiling trial. AFTER any damage is done. 

Sandy Buckles

B.S. Zoology, M.S. Biology

Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist