Planning to Fail: More Geauga County GOP Shenanigans

The elections coming up in November for President and Senate will have monumental consequences for Ohioans. Closer to home, we are facing state takeover of township zoning rights, constant pressure of large-scale, anti-rural development, a crisis of property taxes, and the looming specter of far-left ideologies overtaking our infrastructure planning (see NOACA). But here in Geauga County, our Republican Party is poised to roll into election season with the same feckless, lack-luster, top-down approach that got us unrestricted abortion in our state Constitution and legalized recreational marijuana.  With no headquarters, low morale, infrequent, poorly attended meetings, no appetite for constituent engagement, and an utter lack of transparency, it seems our party is yet again planning to fail.

Last week, we had another example of our GOP leadership’s chaos and skewed priorities. There was a GOP Flag Day fundraiser scheduled on Friday, June 14th. Oddly, our party Chair decided to schedule one of our very infrequent Central Committee meetings during the paid Flag Day event…
…on a Friday night,
…at the beginning of Summer travel season,
…with only a few weeks notice.

Keep in mind a few important facts about Central Committee meetings (and click here to learn more about the purpose of the Central Committee):
1. Our Central Committee meetings are important because they must vote on expenditures for the upcoming election season (signs, events, mailers, etc.); if they don’t vote on those expenditures, the purchases cannot be made;
2. No meetings have taken place in which the Central Committee members have discussed strategy for securing crucial electoral victories in November;
3. In at least one crucial meeting, lack of prior notice led to there being no quorum, and therefore no business could be conducted. The October 2023 meeting to approve expenditures to fight Issue 1 – unrestricted abortion in our Constitution – was called at the last minute. There was no quorum, so no business could be done. For reference, a quorum was 19 members out of 78. Because of last-minute notice and abysmal morale in the party, we didn’t even have 19 Central Committee members – YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES – show up to try to fight unrestricted abortion in our Constitution;
4. None of the local issues, like zoning takeover, property taxes, large-scale development, or NOACA have ever once been addressed or discussed by the party.

So what happened at the Friday, June 14th Central Committee meeting, with all of these issues looming?

NOTHING.

As a matter of fact, the party Chair canceled the meeting at 12:36pm on Thursday, June 13th. As it happened, 10 Central Committee members were present at the Flag Day event and an additional 14 showed up for the (then-canceled) meeting. While it might not sound like much, 24 members is more than enough to hold a meeting. Yet our party Chair disdainfully ignored the Central Committee members who were there hoping to conduct business on your behalf.

Many individual members of our county GOP are some of the most dedicated and generous public servants who sincerely want what’s best for our county and their constituents. They are the ones who actually canceled plans when the meeting was called at the last minute, and then showed up in the hopes they might be allowed to put forth important business. They are the ones who spend untold hours and large amounts of their own money printing and distributing signs and fliers, sending mailers to constituents at their own expense because the party cannot be bothered, communicating with the public, and hosting fundraisers for candidates.  They are aware of their duty to you, their constituents, and their actions show it. Organizations like Fortify Geauga and the Geauga County Tea Party pour our efforts and our own resources into educating the public on issues and legislation that impact our lives, and building morale and awareness among conservatives.

The problem is, party leadership is constantly denigrating, alienating, and opposing anyone who tries to get things done in our county party.  One would think the individuals and groups who put the most into promoting conservative candidates and issues would be valued and aided by the Republican party. Not so in Geauga County. Over the last two years, dedicated Central Committee members have tried to accomplish the business of the party at meetings and have been shouted down by the Chair and the go-along members who keep her in her seat. Citizens and elected representatives who are paying attention are fed up and demand change.  To work for constituents, we need open meetings scheduled in advance (other counties schedule their meetings up to a year ahead), real constituent engagement, an updated platform, and training for your elected representatives so they can engage in the process on your behalf. For more, Read About Our Vision for a Vibrant Geauga County GOP.

Do you want to be part of reforming our county party and making it work for We the People of Geauga County? Our long-term goal is to build a vibrant, effective, conservative GOP in our county. Come to one of our meetings and find out how. In the meantime, we are doing all we can to fill in by doing what our party refuses to do: bring education and activism to our county on the issues that affect us the most. Sign up for our Newsletter to stay informed on the issues impacting us. On Monday, June 24th, we are tackling the crucial issue of state takeover of Township zoning authority. If we sit back and let it happen, this could change the character of every Township in our state, and we will not let it pass without a fight. Register here if you’d like to join us. We’ll provide the tools and information you need to make a difference.

More from Fortify Geauga on our County GOP:
Republicans in Geauga County Need Real Representation
Commissioner Candidate & County GOP Chair Nancy McArthur’s Legacy of Questionable Behavior
Establishment GOP Attacking Tea Party, Squawking About “Fake Slate Cards”
Two-Party System? Maybe Not…
How in the World Did This Guy Get Elected? The Central Committee and Why You Should Care