CHESTERLAND NEWS VOLUME 49 No. 19
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
Trustees Eye Cost Reductions To Meet Cuts in State Funding A major decision facing the BY GWEN COOPER board in the next few months is EDITOR@GEAUGAMAPLELEAF.COM
JOHN KARLOVEC/KMG
Visiting Judge John Lohn questioned how Judge Tim Grendell could issue two orders in the Chester Township Park District case without conducting a hearing.
Visiting Judge Questions Grendell’s Actions in Chester Case Master Commissioner Finds No Wrong Doing BY JOHN KARLOVEC EDITOR@GEAUGAMAPLELEAF.COM
A visiting probate court judge halted an investigation into Chester Township Trustees’ decision not to sign a revised management agreement for the township’s Parkside Park. Citing an April 2016 Ohio Supreme Court decision Geauga County Probate Court Judge Tim Grendell said gives him broad powers over park districts, he issued two judgment entries — on Sept. 16 See Grendell w Page 4
In their Jan. 5 organizational meeting, Chester Township Trustees chose Bud Kinney to ser ve as chairman and Ken Radtke as vice chairman. Trustee Mike Petruziello is the outgoing chairman as the title is rotated on an annual basis.
the allocation of 2-mills of discretionary tax money that historically had been used to partially fund the road department. “Without adding another levy, we will have to move this money to the general fund or the general fund will run out of money by 2018,” Kinney said.
He explained the projected shortfall is due to state cuts in returning tax revenue to local government and in the elimination of inheritance taxes. He added the average amount of inside, or discretionary millage, that other townships allocate to their road departments has been 1.4 mills. See Funding w Page 6
Soccer Legend Joins Rival BY BRIAN LAVRICH SPORTS@GEAUGAMAPLELEAF.COM
It’s not often that an athletic director finds out the all-time winningest coach in boys soccer history in the state of Ohio is interested in taking over your program. But West Geauga’s Joe Leonette found himself in that position this past week. West G is set to hire Mario Gerhardt, 76, as its new boys soccer coach barring school board approval. Gerhardt comes to West G after coaching at rival Chagrin Falls for the past 47 years. Gerhardt started the boys program at Chagrin Falls back in 1970. “I knew about the West G job,” Gerhardt said. “I didn’t give it any thought at the time. Then we had the New Year and I started to think again. “At the time, I emailed Brian (Murphy) to see if the job was still open and he said he wasn’t sure.”
Letters to the Editor Story on Page 3
TORREY MCNEAL/KMG
After 47 years coaching the Chagrin Falls Tigers, head soccer coach Mario Gerhardt will become the new boys varsity coach at rival West Geauga.
Murphy was the Wolverines coach this past fall, but decided to step down at least temporarily. “He called the AD and said no
decision had been made yet,” Gerhardt said. “I told him I might be interested. The AD called me See Soccer w Page 8
Police Chief Warns About Scams Story on Page 6
Cardinal PT Celebrates Five Years Story on Page 10
Local Author Launches New Fantasy Fiction Series BY ROSE NEMUNAITIS EDITOR@GEAUGAMAPLELEAF.COM The youngest of six kids, Brian McClellan cultivated his love of reading and literary imagination wandering the shelves of Chardon Public Library, where his mom volunteered every week. Now a highly acclaimed fantasy author, the West Geauga High School alumnus continues to intrigue readers with his own brands of magic and action. “I write to entertain and I hope when my readers finish my books that they come away with a sense of wonder and satisfaction, just as they would from seeing the latest blockbuster movie,” Brian said. “I want to give them somewhere else to live for 15 or 20 hours, where
they can experience the highs and lows of lives very unlike their own.” “Sins of the Empire,” the first book in the new Powder Mage McClellan Series, is set for release on March 17, and can be pre-ordered along with signed copies on Brian’s website. “My new series takes place in my acclaimed Powder Mage Universe,” he said. “It’s both an introduction to the world for new readers and a familiar place for old fans.” He added, “It occurs in a world not unlike our own early, post-colonial United States, but that contains elements of the fantastic like
sorcerers, gods and magic.” The author’s other books include “Promise of Blood,” “Crimson Campaign,” “ The
Autumn Republic,” “Forsworn,” “Servant of the Crown,” “Murder at the Kinnen Hotel,” “In the Field Marshal’s Shadow” and “Ghosts of the Tristan Basin.” Brian grew up on several acres in Chester Township, surrounded by big maple trees and a sledding hill leading down into a big ravine and a creek for exploring. His parents encouraged his writing and after graduating in 2004 from West Geauga High School, he went on to major in English with an emphasis on creative writing at Brigham Young University, where he met his wife, Michele, in an English class. The couple lives on the side of a mountain in Pleasant Grove, See Author w Page 9
Publication Schedule As of May 2016, the Chesterland News switched to publishing every other week. Karlovec Media Group reserves the right to change, cancel or add publication dates at any time. Feb. 8 Feb. 22
March 8 March 22
facebook.com/chesterlandnews @chesterlandnews