What is CPPR?

Citizens for the Protection of Property Rights (CPPR) is a neighborhood grassroots organization officially formed in January 1995. Our 40+ family membership resides in the small communities of Milan and Huron, Ohio. We live along the shores of the Huron River, which parallels a former rail corridor that was federally abandoned in 1989. This land has long since been incorporated into our backyards and farm fields.

In 1994 ErieMetroparks (EMP) gave Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad Co. $214,600.00 for this virtual 6-mile corridor, even though EMP’s own title search showed that the Railroad did not own the property. EMP then proceeded to publicly announce it had "purchased" this land and intended to build a bike trail on the property.

The problem is that private citizens already own the land. We all have had professional title work done to substantiate our claims, yet county officials have chosen to stand by EMP and ignore this blatant intrusion onto our land.

EMP has its own little "kingdom." It is a government entity run by three non-elected park commissioners. They are appointed by Probate Judge Beverly McGookey. These three men have an annual budget of over $2 million in local tax monies with no fiscal accountability to the taxpayers, since they are not elected by us.

In vain, CPPR and other concerned citizens voiced opposition to this bike trail project. The arrogant park commissioners ignored us just as they ignored formal letters of opposition from Milan Township Trustees, Huron Township Trustees, Oxford Township Trustees, the Milan Village Council, the Erie County Farm Bureau, the Huron County Farm Bureau, the Ohio Farm Bureau, and the Erie County Sheriff. Park Commissioners Kevin Zeiher and Fred Deering even boasted that this trail would be their "legacy!" Even amidst community protest, EMP began construction of the bike trail.

CPPR has learned

the legal process is not always fair when citizens go up against a government entity. It seems a political agenda outweighs truth and substantiated facts. Case law is ignored. Legal documents are conveniently altered. Even EMP’s request for a favorite judge was granted.

Many lawsuits are pending and many more have yet to be filed. EMP changes its story as it pleases. Some litigation is aimed at destroying our ownership rights; yet other EMP litigation suggests we own the land but will lose it to eminent domain action.

CPPR has made some progress.

It appears that EMP commissioners think they are above the law.

They are currently being investigated by Senator Armbruster and the ODNR for possible fraudulent activity. It seems EMP requested – and received – a half million dollar reimbursement from ODNR for purchasing the Edison Woods property. The trouble is that EMP did not spend the money in the first place. The property was purchased through funding from various other agencies.

EMP’s leadership also decided to overstep the law on July 2, 2002 when they entered upon two private landowners’ properties with guns and chainsaws and proceeded to vandalize both decks and stairways. They destroyed over 45 feet of decking and stole a $25,000.00 tractor owned by one of the landowners. This was apparently done in hopes that they’d intimidate and scare the landowners into submission.

Our county park system is a precious asset to all citizens.

The current park commissioners are an embarrassment and collective loose cannon. CPPR urges all citizens to encourage Judge McGookey to replace these fiscally irresponsible park commissioners with competent individuals who have the best interest of the community and the future success of ErieMetroparks as their main objective.

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This page last updated Thursday January 29, 2004 .