In a very political move, the Cleveland Metroparks Board of Directors are using Metroparks resources to thank the judge that appointed them.
They are renaming the Rocky River Nature Center, without consulting the staff, the community they are supposed to represent, nor the volunteers - all of whom do not want the name change. They have held meetings for these folks - only to let them voice their opinions and so defuse them, while ordering the new signs and continuing full steam ahead. All signatures must in by August 6, 2008, as the board meeting is on the 7th.
Update 8/7/08;
Folks, the board voted unanimously to change the name! Keep signing - we have to show the voter base here doesn't want this! We're moving to litigate.
To whit, the petition reads:
Petition to Stop the Renaming of the Rocky River Nature Center
We, the undersigned patrons, volunteers, and citizens of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township do hereby enjoin the board of Directors of the Cleveland Metroparks to stop the renaming of the Rocky River Nature Center for the following reasons: RRNC is a well established Nature Center with its own identity and ought to be able to continue to be so in fact and name; the renaming idea is basically, on the part of our three board members, a political move in our eyes, and does not serve the Cleveland Metroparks, but themselves; the renaming idea does not serve the Cleveland Metroparks, and does not fit either the philosophy (Conservation, Education, Recreation) nor the spirit of the Cleveland Metroparks. While we do agree John J. Donnelly ought to be thanked for his mandated role of appointing our park commissioners, we disagree with the renaming of the nature center. For the board members, who were appointed by Judge Donnelly, to be making the decision to name the nature center is a conflict of interest.
