Historical society chairperson sues Mill Creek director for defamation
The director of Mill Creek MetroParks is being sued by the chairperson of a local historical society for defamation.
According to Richard S. Scarsella, chairperson of the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society, he is suing Aaron Young for defamation.
A defamation accusation means Scarsella is claiming Young made public statements about him that could damage his reputation in the community.
According to Scarsella and attorney David Engler, Young publicly released a press statement Dec. 13 that contained false information about Scarsella.
Scarsella wrote that these comments by the director were a reaction to a letter sent to the park commissioned from the Youngstown NAACP president.
In the letter, he is requesting The McGuffey Wildlife Preserve’s McGuffey Family Pond and Dock be restored, maintained, and preserved.
In the written statement, the Mill Creek Metroparks director said Scarsella “was extorting the park district, acting in a deplorable and despicable manner, coerced penmanship of some of our local constituents, and was taking advantage of historically disadvantaged members of the community”,” according to the claim filed in Mahoning County Court by Engler and Scarsella.
“Taxpayers from Youngstown’s East Side, Coitsville Township and Campbell are being denied a first-class facility,” wrote James Brown, president of the NAACP Youngstown Mahoning County Branch. “Low to moderate-income families, a large minority population and the disabled from Purple Cat’s Gabba Camp now need to drive to another part of the county to access a functioning water feature.”
Background on McGuffey Family Pond
There’s a bit of background to know about the history and property rights at McGuffey Wildlife Preserve’s McGuffey Family Pond at Mill Creek MetroParks.
It’s a national historic landmark containing seventy-three acres on McGuffey Road in Coitsville Township.
The property was donated by the historical society to Mill Creek in 1998. It’s the childhood home of William McGuffey, author of the Eclectic Readers, first published in 1836.
There’s been an ongoing debate between the park district and the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society about the restoration of the property.
According to Mill Creek MetroParks commissioners, there was never a legal requirement to do any restoration when the property was transferred to them.
A few groups and public figures have voiced support of the historical society’s efforts to clean up the preserve, including Ohio Sen. Mike Rulli, Ohio Rep. Lauren McNally, Mahoning County commissioners, superintendents from Campbell and Lowellville, Purple Cat/Isle and the Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown.
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