Volume 51, No. 2
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Residents Question Chester Master Planning By Beth Brown beth@geaugamapleleaf.com Some might say Chester Township is a typical rural Ohio community, built with old-fashioned New England sensibility and charm. Like some of its neighboring townships, Chester has several strip-style shopping plazas surrounded by single-family homes. Some of these houses sit on smaller lots of a half-acre to an acre, while others sit on sprawling lots well over 5 acres in size. But there is a battle being waged on the future of the township. Some see no reason to sink thousands of dollars into the revamping of a township that is already financially struggling. Others would like to change Chester’s image into a more picturesque community while addressing the problematic issues of the physical location of emergency services and
Residents Voice Concerns of ‘Friend Network’ By Beth Brown beth@geaugamapleleaf.com While it’s not uncommon in small towns to have prominent members that have their hands in almost everything, Chester Township residents are becoming more and more vocal about the degree of familiar name support and role placement as decision-makers in the community. Current members of the township’s planning committee are also placed in other positions within the township that could potentially allow them to green light CPC plans, residents have said. Committee board member Anthony Nastasi is lista declining population. To this end, the Chester Township Planning Committee was born. Spearheaded by resident Anthony Nastasi, the CPC mission stated statement is: “To improve the quality of life and sense of community for our residents, while encourag-
ed as vice chair of the 2019 township Zoning Commission. Frank Kolk, who was appointed to fill former township Trustee Bob Rogish’s position, is an alternate on the 2019 Chester Township Board of Zoning Appeals along with CPC member Reena Kanner. Kolk, however, said he was appointed in January of 2019, but officially resigned from the position as of his acceptance of the trustee appointment. Trustee Ken Radtke is a member of the CPC board. Committee member W. L. “Bud” Kinney is a former township trustee while CPC member Tom Basista owns a large portion of commercial real estate. See Concerns • Page 4
ing and promoting a vibrant and sustainable business community.” For the last year, the CPC has been collecting data to help it fulfill its mission. “I approached the trustees with this (idea for a planning committee) because it just seemed unreasonable
to me that there had never been a plan for the community,” Nastasi said during a June 15 interview. “I have a background in planning, so I came to the trustees (in June of 2018) and asked them if anything like this had been done. I believe See Chester • Page 4
Cirino, Claypool Declare For State Senate Seat By Amy Patterson amy@geaugamapleleaf.com
Former Geauga County Commissioner Skip Claypool announced June 11 his intention to run for the 18th District Ohio Senate seat currently held by John Eklund. On June 14, Lake County Commissioner Jerry Cirino threw his hat into the ring as well. During his announcement at the Lake County GOP headquarters in Painesville, Cirino said he recently began to feel a greater calling to public service was knocking on the door. “Honestly, prior to about two months ago, I never even thought about doing this,” he said. “It was not something that was on my radar screen. Some people came to me and asked me to think about it, we evaluated it for some time, and then it
became pretty obvious that Congressman Dave Joyce it was going to be the right as those endorsing his run. thing to do.” Joyce then took the mic. Geauga County Prose“We’ve worked togethcutor Jim Flaiz and Geauga er and, similar to the sitCounty Commissioner Jim ting senator we have, John Dvorak were in attendance, Eklund, these guys could as well as Matt Huffman Cirino be enjoying life. They could (R-Lima), Ohio Senate mabe retired, be working on jority floor leader. a (golf) handicap, sitting Huffman described and enjoying their grandCirino’s relationship with children,” Joyce said. “But State Rep. Jamie Callendar they’re still putting that (R-Concord), as they collast bit into making sure laborated to encourage the that this world is a better passage of House Bill 6, place for our kids and our Claypool intended to preserve two grandkids. And I can’t be nuclear plants, including the FirstEn- more proud to help support and ergy plant in Perry Township. get behind somebody like Jerry, beCirino named Aurora Mayor cause I’ve seen the work he does Ann Womer Benjamin, former Ohio here on the commissioners and – I Treasurer Josh Mandel, Ohio Attor- know you’re going to do a hell of a ney General Dave Yost, and U.S. job working as a state senator.”
When asked about Claypool’s decision to enter the race, Cirino indicated he looks forward to a competitive primary. In an email Monday, Claypool, too, said he looks forward to the challenge. “It looks like the establishment has someone representing them,” he wrote in response to Cirino’s announcement. “I am wondering if the folks want someone representing them.” In his press release, Claypool said if elected, he intends to focus on ending wasteful spending programs, resisting increased taxes, improving education for Ohio’s children, defending gun ownership rights and defending the right to life for both the born and unborn. He added he has experience in See State Senate • Page 3
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