Huber Ridge Area

Ms. Staud,

I read with interest your discription of an ongoing problem with young people climbing your fence to get to church.  I have discussed this with our police chief and the lieutenant.  It is my understanding that the problem has been addressed.  If that is not the case, please let me know.

You also mentioned finding a "pipe" along the fence in the church yard.  I was told that it was a plastic pipe.  There was no evidence presented through analysis that indicated a narcotic substance was involved. You mentioned that you are ashamed that your children ages 12 & 14 respectively were exposed to the pipe, however you said you found it not them.  If the pipe was of the type used in marcotic inhalation, your concerns are well founded and I share them. 

Ms. Clegg answered your posting that "Drugs are aproblem everywhere, but you are right in your assessment that blatant drug use is a ifferent concern."  There was nothing in your posting to indicate "blatant drug use" nor was there any information in the police report that supported her use of that language.  If there was a situation of "blatant drug use" around the church or in any area of Blendon Township, I would be the first to initiate decisive action to utilize all and any tactics applicable to stop it.  My philosophy is that crime, including the illegal use of narcotics, is like electricity....it takes the path of least resistance.  Failing to address any such situation only amplifies the problem.  My 30 years in law enforcement and security allows me to partner very effectively with our police personnel in addressing such issues.

To be perfectly honest, I am at a loss to understand your statement that you are being "driven out" by finding a pipe in the church yard.  I shared your comment with police officers familiar with this situation and we all struggled to understand how finding the pipe would serve as an impetus to leave the community.  

Ms. Clegg is correct, drugs are in all communities as are other community problems.  The important action for a local government to take is one of zero tolerance.  If a person is discovered in possession of an illegal narcotic, they must be charged in accordance with Ohio Law.  Our police officer do that.  I have personally charged persons with the illegal possession of narcotics and processed them through the court system.  It is the only effective way of deterring such activity. 

I wish you good fortune and happiness in your new location, however, no community is perfect and no government is perfect and, by the way, no person is perfect.  There was only one that was and He walked the earth over 2000 years ago. 

If I may be of service you can contact me through the Township Office at 882-1270.

Jerry L. Ward-Trustee

Mr. Ward,

Let me set a few things straight.  I was a teenager once....I know what a bong looks like.  That is exactly what I found against my fence.  It was made with a plastic 20 ounce pop bottle and it had a glass or plastic cylinder pushed through the midsection of the bottle at a diagonal.  At the top of the cylinder, sticking out the side of the bottle was a socket (like from a socket-wrench set) positioned as such that it would be easily filled with tobacco, weed, pot, whatever.  So if you were told it was only a piece of plastic, you were lied to.

The officer that came to my house chuckled when he saw the socket and my husband joked to him that he happened to be missing a few sockets out of his set and maybe that one would fit.  The officer stated immediately that he knew who had most likely made the pipe and even pointed to the house.  As he was leaving he said he was just going to throw it away because if he were to submit it as evidence, they would have to store it for "x" number of years.  I told him that was fine as long as he didn't throw it away in my trash can.

So as far as analysis goes, I doubt there was any.  In addition, I did not file a police report, so anything you have seen in writing on their end is a mystery to me.  And because I found it and not my children does that make it any safer?  Any less of a problem?  The point is, it's my backyard and I shouldn't have to search the area routinely to hide any bad evidence to make sure my children are not exposed to it.

As far as blatent drug use - my son has told me in the past on several occassions that he has seen boys at the church playground doing drugs in broad daylight.  I asked him to stay away from them but not to condemn them until we have hard evidence.  The bong I foung along my fence is hard enough evidence for me.  I always thought having a church behind me was a blessing, but since it's vacant 90% of the time, it is a perfect place to go when you don't want to be seen.

In addition, after returning from an orchestra concert at Central High School on May 19th, we pulled in our driveway to find two of the boys that are always jumping our fence, sitting in our front yard...stoned.  They didn't move when we pu;;ed in the driveway or when we got out of our truck, all they did was mumble an incoherent "hey".  I kept an eye out the window for some time, one of them remained in our grass for at least the next hour.

So don't insult my intelligence by pretending there isn't a problem.  And yes, I am ashamed that my children are exposed to this.  In case you aren't aware, we are known as the "hood" of Westerville.  Every other Westerville community looks down on us.  And as much as I try to defend us, it's becoming harder and harder to do so.

For someone preaching 'zero tolerance', it certainly seems that you are being overly tolerant of this instance and I am hurt and insulted by your response.  My husband has 25 years experience in security beginning with 10 years in the Air Force Security Police...he was bothered by we found, I'm sorry you are not as bothered.  Next time I have a problem, I'll keep my mouth shut and leave this board open to the real problems of the community, like garage sales and such.

So sorry I wasted your time.

Marnie Staud

Isn't contacting these useless trustees a waste of time?  I have lived here 18 years and from what I know they are useless.

People obviously do not teach their children respect.  Look at some of the adults in our neighborhood ... wow

THE RESIDENTS OF BLENDON TOWNSHIP HAVE A CHOICE OF THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. BLENDON TOWNSHIP HAS 3 TRUSTEE'S AND A FISCAL OFFICER, THESE ARE ELECTED POSITIONS - ELECTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF BLENDON TOWNSHIP ONLY. YOU HAVE A VOICE ON THE OUTCOME. THE TRUSTEE'S THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE WERE ELECTED BY THE RESIDENTS.

YOU ALSO HAVE A VOICE EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY, THE TRUSTEE'S MEET EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY AT 6:30 P.M. @ 6330 HEMPSTEAD RD (B.T. SENIOR CENTER). RESIDENTS CAN ATTEND - THERE IS AN OPEN FLOOR SESSION AT THESE MEETINGS FOR THE RESIDENTS TO SPEAK.

IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND YOUR TAX DOLLARS USE, EXERCISE YOUR VOICE - VOTE. 2 TRUSTEE POSITION'S ARE UP FOR ELECTION NEXT NOV. ("09").

THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY YOU CAN AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.