Volume 51, No. 12
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Wednesday, October 31, 2018
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Russell Park District Leases Parks to GPD By Ann Wishart ann@geaugamapleleaf.com In a split vote Oct. 23, Geauga Park District Board of Commissioners approved leasing the lion’s share of parks owned by the Russell Township Park District for up to 25 years. Park Commissioner Andrej Lah was the only board member opposing the contract the township park board approved Oct. 22, and refused to comment on his “no” vote. Commission members Jackie Dottore and Howard Bates voted “yes.”
The contract places about 376 acres of township park property in the hands of the GPD board and removes the need for the township park district to maintain the land or come to terms with a second township park board formed in 2017. The Russell park board met at GPD’s The West Woods Nature Center in Russell Township Monday evening to consider the lease agreement. After an hour of listening to Russell residents’ opinions regarding the proposed deal, the board went into executive session for See Parks • Page 5
Township Voters May Choose To Support Two Park Districts By Ann Wishart ann@geaugamapleleaf.com Two Russell Township park and recreation levies will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. Residents can vote for one or both of the levies because they fund separate park districts. Russell Township Citizens
Park District formed after a ballot referendum passed in 2017 under Chapter 511 of the Ohio Revised Code. The board is asking residents to approve Issue 4, an additional five-year, 0.25-mill levy, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. If passed, the 511 levy would See Election • Page 5
West Geauga Wins District Championship By Brian Lavrich sports@geaugamapleleaf.com The West Geauga boys soccer team earned its first district title since 2004 with a 3-2 overtime victory over Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Oct. 27 at Mentor High School. Senior Mo Aidja’s goal in overtime of the Division II district final made the difference, as the Wolverines improved to 12-6-1 and avenged a season-opening loss to the Lions. The Wolverines played Hubbard on Halloween night in a 7 p.m. match at Twinsburg High School. Second-year West G coach Mario Gerhardt talked about Aidja’s goal. “It was overtime with about three minutes to go,” Gerhardt said. “It was a beautiful goal that ricocheted off the post and in.” Things are going very well for West G in Gerhardt’s second season leading the Wolverines. “Two years, two winning seasons, one district championship — life is good,” Gerhardt said. “At the beginning, NDCL came out fired up. They had us pinned back. They played very physical.” The Lions owned a 2-1 halftime lead, but the Wolverines knotted it up in the second half on a goal by senior Dave Beattie. Aidja also made a goal in the See Soccer • Page 6
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West Geauga’s Mo Aidja’s goal in overtime of the Division II district final made the difference, as the Wolverines improved to 12-6-1 and avenged a season-opening loss to the NDCL Lions.