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Judge's plan: New park board

GoErie.com

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June 09, 2007

CONNEAUT LAKE -- Conneaut Lake Park will soon have new leaders.

Whether they will be able to open the troubled amusement park and resort this summer remains to be seen.

Crawford County Judge Anthony Vardaro on Friday granted park custodian H. LeRoy Stearns' request to be relieved of his duties as sole overseer of the 115-year-old facility on the western end of Conneaut Lake.

But Vardaro is keeping Stearns in charge for a while longer. He ordered the custodianship to stay in place for 30 more days while he, Vardaro, appoints a board of directors to oversee park operations.

Vardaro didn't specify the size of the board he will appoint. But he said he will fill it from a list of people who submit letters of interest and résumés to the court.

Vardaro said he plans to appoint the board by July 6.

A board of directors is nothing new for Conneaut Lake Park, which has sat in public trust under court supervision since then-owner Gary Harris deeded it to the community in August 1997.

The first board was formed after Harris' gift was made. But it dissolved in February 1999 when one of its members, local lawyer Thomas Dana Watson, filed suit against the other members on allegations that they broke the law by granting Harris ownership of park rides and control of the land on which they sat.

A second board was formed in June 2003, and it served as overseer, along with a park custodian. But that board dissolved in September 2005, 14 months after Stearns replaced Herb Brill as custodian, after members said they determined that operations would never sustain the payment of the park's debts.

Stearns had asked Vardaro to relieve him of his duties because he felt that liquidating park assets would be the only way to pay down $2.5 million in overdue taxes and other debts. Stearns said he did not want to be a liquidating custodian.

Stearns said after the hearing that he had hoped that Friday's court action would have relieved him of his park responsibilities immediately. Both Stearns and park General Manager George Deshner, who also sought to be relieved of his duties, said they do not know what their roles will be until the new board is put in place.

Stearns did say that ongoing fundraisers conducted by park supporters in an effort to raise enough money to reopen at least parts of the park would have to generate even more than what they thought was needed.

Stearns ordered the park closed on May 22 after he and others failed to raise enough money to open this year. Deshner said recently it would take about $60,000 to open the Hotel Conneaut and the Beach Club to begin generating revenue to open other parts.

But Stearns said Friday that the park will also need at least $150,000 to pay Penelec to restore electric service. It was cut on Wednesday because of nonpayment of outstanding bills. Another $25,000 is needed to pay for an insurance bill that's due, he said.

"I just need to take the next 72 hours to think about all of this," Stearns said.

Conneaut Lake resident Greg Sutterlin, who is coordinating one park fundraiser, said that $47,000 has been raised so far. A benefit concert scheduled for today at the Fairway 12 Hotel on Route 618 near the park will continue as planned, Sutterlin said.

Vardaro's decision to appoint a board of directors of his choosing effectively denied a request by Watson for the court to appoint a board of directors from 11 individuals that the Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County had lined up.

The agency released a master plan for the park in February that called for putting in place a new management structure and developing portions of the property for such things as residential use. Watson wanted the board suggested by the Economic Progress Alliance to be approved by Vardaro so that they could advance the work outlined in the master plan, with assistance from the economic development agency.

Watson also wanted the court to appoint a custodian to work with the new board for 90 days. But Vardaro said having a custodian and board would add another administrative level that's not needed, and that did not work in the past.

Mark Turner, executive director of the Economic Progress Alliance, said after the hearing that there is still the opportunity for the new board to advance the master plan and work with his agency on putting the park on firm financial footing for the future.

Vardaro said that those individuals listed as willing board members in Watson's petition would still be considered as candidates by him, as long as Watson passes along their résumés and letters of interest from them. He said that one of the individuals, Ed Kaufman, had sent him a letter stating that he was no longer interested in serving on the board.

Stearns and others, including the court, had previously received letters from other individuals stating a desire to sit on a new park board. But Vardaro said those people will have to resubmit information stating their desire to be considered for appointment.


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