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Warren Township trustees, county officials say injunction filed against Metro Parks; commissioners push for talks with EPA and park board
Summary
Warren Township trustees and Trumbull County commissioners discussed a recently filed injunction seeking emergency relief to pause Metro Parks actions and pressed for renewed negotiations that would include the EPA; public comment urged mediation and noted no formal response from Metro Parks legal counsel as of the meeting.
Speakers from Warren Township said a joint injunction requesting emergency relief had been filed on behalf of the township and the Trumbull County Board of Commissioners and served on the Metro Parks board; the matter had not been ruled on at the time of the meeting and the county’s attorney was attempting to contact the court.
A Warren Township trustee and several commissioners said the injunction and related budget actions are intended as negotiating tools to compel the Metro Parks board to participate in talks with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the township and the county. Trustees urged a mediated, orderly process and said the county and township wish to preserve parks and the county bike trail while addressing environmental and operational concerns.
Warren Township Trustee Kaye Anderson addressed the board during the public comment period and told the commissioners she appreciated the county’s action and asked whether Metro Parks had provided any feedback since the injunction was filed. The board said it had not received any official response; one commissioner said he had seen informal social-media posts but no formal correspondence from Metro Parks legal counsel.
County officials reported they had attempted to arrange a meeting with EPA staff (the transcript refers to an EPA deputy director, Mr. Martin) and that the Metro Parks board had declined to send representatives to the proposed meeting. County counsel and the township attorney had discussed whether the park board could be added to the injunction filing, and the filing was prepared on behalf of Trumbull County and Warren Township with a request for emergency pause and a subsequent hearing date.
Commissioners emphasized repeatedly that the parks would not be shuttered as a result of the dispute and said the county would maintain park property and services if necessary. Officials urged all parties to return to the negotiating table and to reduce tensions so that the EPA, the park board, Warren Township and county representatives could work toward a solution.
No formal board action to file the injunction was taken during the meeting (the transcript indicates the filing had occurred prior to the meeting). The meeting did include recorded motions to enter and reconvene from executive session under Ohio Revised Code provisions addressing attorney-client conference on pending or imminent litigation and collective-bargaining negotiations (see actions below).
