The debate over whether golfers should be allowed to play at an Ohio country club has caused tension in a rural setting about an hour from Columbus.
The state’s governor, Mike DeWine, left the decision on whether golf courses should open to local municipalities. Officials in Guernsey County, about 80 miles of the state’s capital, decided against such a move.
But officials say members at Cambridge Country Club in the village of Byesville have been on the course in recent days, and that’s led to a pair of potential county-level resignations, as well as citations to some who had been playing.
Guernsey County Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Colby confirmed that Cambridge-Guernsey County Health Department Administrator Rose Ball and Board of Health member Mike Yanico made statements alluding to their resignation from their respective positions before leaving a recent special meeting. However, Colby said he has not received official resignations from either individual.
“You would have to discuss that with her (Ball),” Colby said. “She made comments regarding her resignation, and Mike Yanico got up and stormed out saying ‘take this as my resignation.’ I don’t know if Mike will be at the regular board meeting scheduled for Wednesday or not, but I have not received an official resignation from him.”
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Yanico said that he made the statement in the “heat of the moment” and planned to attend the regular board meeting on Wednesday. He declined to comment further at this time.
A message for Ball left Monday morning at the health department seeking comment had not been returned as of press time. She reportedly worked throughout the weekend and issued two press releases to local media regarding confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Colby said he is not sure of the legality of the special meeting after motions were made and rescinded before multiple people walked out of the session prior to the meeting being adjourned.
“I am not sure if any motions carried,” Colby said. “We will have to talk to our legal counsel.”
The health department had made efforts to stop golfing at the country club. That included sending Guernsey County sheriff’s deputies to check the course, based on guidelines issued by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. The health department recently issued citations to three unidentified individuals for golfing at the club on Southgate Road.
Colby declined to discuss the specifics of the citations citing the pending status of the legal process. He also declined to discuss alleged threats made against health department representatives.
According to the health commissioner, the three individuals are scheduled to be arraigned in the Cambridge Municipal Court next week.
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“I don’t think it’s a matter to discuss publicly until they go to court,” Colby said. “I am not sure what these three young adults plan to do in court, but they were given options to remediate this situation and that has not come to fruition.
“The charges we filed would not have been accepted if there was no merit, and we have been told that we are well within our rights to file the charges. People can’t flaunt the law. The rules apply to everybody. If it goes to trial, it will all come out.”
According to item No. 13 of the Stay Safe Order signed by Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton on March 17 titled Closed Businesses and Operations, “the following businesses and operations are to remain closed until this order is amended or rescinded.”
Paragraph “g” states in part that “All places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, including, but not limited to, locations with amusement rides, carnivals, amusement parks, water parks, aquariums, zoos, museums, arcades, fairs, children’s play center, playgrounds, funplexes, theme parks, bowling alleys, concert and music halls, and country clubs or social clubs shall be closed.”
The penalty for violating Acton’s order is a fine up to $750, 90 days in jail or both, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Colby said the state left the opening of golf courses to the discretion of local jurisdictions, but the Guernsey County Health Department has not issued a legal order allowing golfing in the county.
Colby said he believes people are losing sight of the real issue.
“It is disheartening that we should be concerned with public health, but we have people more concerned about golfing at our country club,” Colby said.
He said the health department has not received complaints about not being able to golf at any public course.
“There is a rationale why we suspended golfing,” Colby said. “But, they were out there golfing this past weekend.”
A check of the dispatch log at the sheriff’s office failed to reveal any requests golfers at the county club be removed from the course.