The band wagon must have passed by the court house and my guess is that Judge Grendell jumped on based on his recent letter to the editor. The good judge commended the Russell Park Board on the recent purchase of the Modroo Farm property. Rather strange as he has been appointing, in general, park commissioners that have not favored park land acquisition. One individual in particular was heard to say that he would prevent the purchase of the Modroo property soon after his appointment. In my view the only reason the board went ahead is because of public pressure for the acquisition.

Perhaps they feared a tar and feather party would be in the offing had they continued to make excuses to avoid the purchase. Russell citizens expressed their view in droves in spite of continued delays and an attempt at silencing by commissioners.

To get a picture of what Judge Grendell’s idea of the ideal park commissioner is you need only make a public information request from the court of the long questionnaire the judge requires all applicants to fill out. Then request the actual paperwork filled out by the existing commissioners. the form is an obvious litmus test to pick people with little interest in protecting threatened natural areas. Occasionally the judge makes a mistake and picks good people but he corrects that not long after by prompt firings. Nick Fischbach and Jeffery Orndorff, two excellent commissioners, suffered that fate at the hands of the good judge.

So, where is the Grendell band wagon heading? Likely where it will do him the most personal good but not in the direction of protecting our diminishing natural areas, after all that was the reason the Ohio legislature passed park district enabling legislation way back in the early l900’s. Maybe the good judge should have a read.