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Monday meeting to address concerns about Vienna hunting preserve
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Vienna officials have arranged a 10 a.m. Monday meeting with the Trumbull County commissioners and county legislative delegation to discuss concerns about a Vienna Township hunting preserve.
Vienna Trustee Phil Pegg said one of the concerns is the potential harm that could come to ambulance workers or firefighters who might be called upon to enter the Candywood Whitetail Ranch on Scoville North Road in the event that someone gets injured.
Pegg said at least one type of animal in the preserve – boar – might pose a danger.
“Am I going to send my fire department or EMT inside with dangerous animals? We’re concerned for the safety and welfare of our people,” Pegg said.
But Mike Mullenax, one of the ranch’s owners, said the ranch owners have talked to township officials about that, and this would “absolutely not” be an issue.
He did not elaborate on why, but said he will plan to attend the meeting to address it.
Pegg said another concern is that the ranch is close to homes on Scoville North, where children catch the school bus in the morning and come home at night.
Pegg said he would like state Reps. Michael O’Brien of Warren and Glen Holmes of McDonald and state Sen. Sean O’Brien of Bazetta to address legislatively whether the ranch could be prohibited from having any gunfire during the times children leave and come back from school.
When asked about that, Mullenax said if the Candywood Hunting Preserve were to be required to do that, “they would have to do that statewide during hunting season.”
Pegg also said he is also concerned because a trust connected to the preserve has a liquor license that is not being used but could be eventually. It was used there when it was Candywood Golf Club, Pegg said.
There is nothing in Ohio law that would prevent a hunting preserve from serving liquor with a liquor license, Pegg said, but he thinks hunting and liquor should not mix.
Mullenax didn’t address that question in his conversation with The Vindicator.
Pegg said the hunting preserve is open, but he doesn’t know when it opened because the owners “have not spoken with us.”
The meeting, which is open to the public, will be in the county commissioners meeting room on the fifth floor of the county administration building, 160 High St. N.W.