ODNR uses insurance money from burned-out lodge to balance budget

A lodge burns down. Union jobs are spared. I'd be looking for gasoline and lighters in some union thug's locker. Just saying.

My family lived in vinton county before moving to
Columbus we vacationed with our four children ever July then our eleven grandchildren now our
great grand kids what a loss now when we go this was our 37th year

How about we balance the state budget by burning more stuff down.

I think if we burned down the state office tower we could get a couple of hundred million for that.

Let's burn down some rest stops too.

Burn it all down. Burn Baby Burn.

Why Vinton wrote:

Yea, screw Vinton county to balance the budget (ODNR). Criminal if you ask me. I buy a turkey, deer tag and hunting license every year although I don't need to as a land owner in Vinton county just as a gift to the ODNR. Lake Hope needs this lodge and to use these funds to plug holes is ridiculous. I will not do it this year if this is how the ODNR is going to operate.

I too have had it with the ODNR. The regulations stink and they don't listen to the people. They milk us on turkey tags - you have to buy a second one for the fall even if you don't fill your spring tag. Now they mismanaged insurance money from a fire. These people are a joke and nothing more than a bunch of political appointies. My family owns over 300 acres in southern Ohio but I can't hunt it without a license AND a signed permission slip - on private property just because my name isn't on the deed. The rights of the property owner to do as they please on their own land is gone. ODNR wants to run everyone elses property and they can't keep their own finances in order.

Insurance settlement money not being used for what it was originally intended for. Does this surprise anyone? I am left with the perception that the money was used to rectify a deficit in management decision making over-all.

I have more basic questions concerning the well being of the communities it (the loss of the lodge threough fire) will and has already affected. How taxing was it for the local fire dept. to respond and put out the fire? How are they subsidized and maintained? Many small fire depts. are volunteer staffed and desperately under-funded/under-equipped. Will they see any reciprocal aid for efforts and services? What about law enforcement? I might surmise that the local sheriff's dept. has logged more use of resources than a park ranger or two. It seems like the basic questions lead to more questions of concern and impact on local communities. It's apparent that the decision makers and the process concerning the loss of the lodge, it's questionable replacement, have seen a shift of focus in typical beaurocratic decision making.

Another Dublin Hunter wrote:

<quoted text>
I too have had it with the ODNR. The regulations stink and they don't listen to the people. They milk us on turkey tags - you have to buy a second one for the fall even if you don't fill your spring tag. Now they mismanaged insurance money from a fire. These people are a joke and nothing more than a bunch of political appointies. My family owns over 300 acres in southern Ohio but I can't hunt it without a license AND a signed permission slip - on private property just because my name isn't on the deed. The rights of the property owner to do as they please on their own land is gone. ODNR wants to run everyone elses property and they can't keep their own finances in order.

ODNR has zero control over its income. You wanna bitch about state finances, email Bill Harris. He's the one who screwed them up.

What would the state have done if the insurance money hadn't been there? The re-building of this lodge is WAY overdue.

My family members have been going to Lake Hope for more than four generations. When the Lodge burned, we were all moved to tears. As the other reader, I spent my honeymoon there - we spend every mother's day there, and used to have dinner at the Lodge. Also, my sister in law was married in the Lodge. My teenage daughter has written poetry inspired by that place, which was nationally recognized. We have literally thousands of wonderful memories there. For those people to whom Lake Hope is an oasis, nothing is more important than restoring it. There is no excuse for this misappropriation of funds. Just because it is legal, doesn't make it right!

The term "no brainer" seems to apply to people like "ohio lawyer" who believe this is merely political and use it as an excuse to name call. With some of us, it is personal.

Personally affected wrote:

What would the state have done if the insurance money hadn't been there? The re-building of this lodge is WAY overdue.
My family members have been going to Lake Hope for more than four generations. When the Lodge burned, we were all moved to tears. As the other reader, I spent my honeymoon there - we spend every mother's day there, and used to have dinner at the Lodge. Also, my sister in law was married in the Lodge. My teenage daughter has written poetry inspired by that place, which was nationally recognized. We have literally thousands of wonderful memories there. For those people to whom Lake Hope is an oasis, nothing is more important than restoring it. There is no excuse for this misappropriation of funds. Just because it is legal, doesn't make it right!
The term "no brainer" seems to apply to people like "ohio lawyer" who believe this is merely political and use it as an excuse to name call. With some of us, it is personal.

OK. I hear you. Call Senate Leader Bill Harris and tell him you want higher taxes to support DNR so it doesnt have to do drastic things like close lodges. But if you wont, the no brain one is you, pal, because DNR got hurt in this last budget bad.

Ex-AAG wrote:

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Sounding a little partisan there. I'm just sayin'.

He's a lawyer for goodness sake. What would you expect?????

Ohio Lawyer wrote:

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Republicans are swine. That's not partisan. That's the obvious gospel truth.

Seems a democrat is in charge of the state and the country right now?????????? How long are you going to play that "Bush's fault card?"

I would much perfer to be a swine than a pompus jackass.

[QUOTE
The term "no brainer" seems to apply to people like "ohio lawyer" who believe this is merely political and use it as an excuse to name call. With some of us, it is personal.[/QUOTE]

I understand your loss, but what is the state supposed to do? If this money hadn't come in they probably would have had to close some parks completely. They still may have to next summer if things don't turn around. You may not have a lodge right now, but at least you have use of the park.

Another Dublin Hunter wrote:

<quoted text>
I can't hunt it without a license AND a signed permission slip - on private property just because my name isn't on the deed. The rights of the property owner to do as they please on their own land is gone. ODNR wants to run everyone elses property and they can't keep their own finances in order.

Your not the owner if your names not on the deed. The signed note is proof to the game warden that you are abiding by the true owners wishes. How many hunters would buy a license if all they had to do was sneek on to private land and claim they were a family member? Give me a break.

Ohio Lawyer wrote:

<quoted text>
Republicans are swine. That's not partisan. That's the obvious gospel truth.

Not sure I totally agree, but OK.