Former Columbiana Park District page

09/28/2026

Why is this important to your Columbiana County Park District , well the Liquor License Peter Wilson illegally filed for was using the TAX I.D. number of "Friends of the Columbiana County Park District ". Given to Peter by Tom Butch and Eileen Dray-bardon. 2 questions, why did they think it was alright to give out their Tax id number to be used by someone. Next what benefit is it to the Park District to let a private business use a Non-profit tax id number that is supposed to be used to support the Park District, use it to obtain a tax free liquor license... I would hate to be the Parties involved in this scandal cause the State Auditor is has been tipped off and a investigation 🔎 is in the works. But just another example of the backdoor and good Ole boy deals that have been going on.

09/26/2026

Cindy Slavens unfortunately some people are trying to suppress information and constantly trying to hack or report this page and any post we put up. Like we heard Neal Ballless say the Johnny Appleseed disc golf tournament got canceled for low participation. Unfortunately when ypu lie it is so easy to prove, no wonder he likes to keep company with Tom Butch and Peter Wilson. He is the screenshot from Chris Mahaffey the promoter or simply go up to Scenic Vista and see how bad it is right now. 🤷‍♂️ Actions speak louder than words.

09/22/2026

💥 Legal Compliance or Official Favoritism? What Lisbon Citizens Need to Know Ahead of Tomorrow’s Council Meeting

As Lisbon residents prepare to attend the Village Council Meeting tomorrow night, a critical conversation is brewing regarding fundraising transparency, executive neutrality, and the strict rules governing public resources.
During the recent Johnny Appleseed Festival, the skate park proponents operated a low-traffic cash donation dunk tank.
The attraction appeared to feature the active, hands-on participation of Mayor Peter Wilson, who changed clothes and climbed inside the tank to help drive public traffic and financial donations.
While supporting community recreation projects is a standard part of small-town civic life, Ohio law dictates that nobody is above the law. When an un-formalized grassroots group solicits cash on public streets using the literal body and prestige of the mayor, the community has a right to demand strict adherence to state compliance standards.
📋 The Law vs. The Reality:
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1716Under the Ohio Charitable Organizations Act, specific guardrails exist to protect consumers and ensure complete transparency. Independent observations of the festival booth indicate that multiple statutory requirements were completely bypassed
Mandatory Point-of-Solicitation Signage (ORC 1716.10): Anyone soliciting public funds is legally compelled to clearly display a sign at the physical booth stating the organization's exact legal name, city of business, and the precise purpose the funds will advance. If money is being divided into multiple aspects of a group, that split must be visibly spelled out. The festival booth operated with an absolute absence of this disclosure signage.
Tax Deductibility Disclosures:
Because this is an informal grassroots group lacking an active IRS 501(c)(3) status, they were legally required to inform donors via prominent signage that their contributions are not tax-deductible.
State Charitable Registration (ORC 1716.02): Entities fundraising for a civic cause must be registered or have an official exemption on file with the Ohio Attorney General's Charitable Law Section prior to accepting donations.
A search of the state's public database yields no active registration or filed exemption under the group's name.
🛑 Deep Skepticism at Village Hall: The Project's Real RoadblocksDespite the mayor's personal stunts, the attraction struggled to draw significant traction and generated only a minimal, small crowd of spectators. The lack of public enthusiasm mirrors the deep division and structural roadblocks the project faces within local government:
A History of Executive Pressure: The mayor's involvement with this group is not new. Publicly documented council records show that the mayor previously bypassed standard procedural caution by encouraging and suggesting that the village bypass lengthy reviews and just give the group the land they want.
The Mandate to Become Legal: In direct contrast to the mayor's push, council discussions have focused on forcing the skate park proponents to formalize their operation. Council members have explicitly stated that the group needs to transition into a legally recognized entity before the village can even consider entering into formal agreements or public land leases.
Direct Legislative Opposition: The project faces significant roadblocks from within the council itself. During legislative debate, one councilwoman went on the public record stating unequivocally that she is not in favor of the skate park idea or its proposed location.
Strict Resource Prohibitions: Under Ohio public ethics frameworks, this private grassroots initiative is completely prohibited from utilizing any taxpayer assets. They are legally barred from using village-metered water to fill the attraction and cannot receive any logistical assistance, transport help, or labor from on-duty village employees on the taxpayer's clock.
🔍 The Vetting Failure: Documented Financial Discrepancies
The most concerning aspect of this rapid executive push is the complete absence of a standard background review. Information has been brought forward indicating that the mayor was explicitly notified of severe financial discrepancies filed in Columbiana County against the prominent figures backing this initiative.
According to county records, these background discrepancies include a documented history of financial instability, notably including court-ordered probation for cashing bad checks.
This brings the ultimate administrative failure into light. Why has a group whose proponents carry a verified regional track record of financial discrepancies completely escaped the municipal vetting process? Bypassing standard background checks while pushing to hand over public village land—and collecting un-tracked public cash in front of local law enforcement—is an unacceptable breach of public trust.❓

Three Questions for Council Tomorrow Night
When the chief executive of the village publicly demands that land be handed over, ignores documented background warnings, and then physically immerses himself into a non-compliant fundraising booth, it compromises the appearance of executive objectivity. Tomorrow night, citizens have the right to speak during public comments and ask:Why was an attraction allowed to run an unregistered solicitation violating state ORC 1716 disclosure laws on public village streets?
Given that municipal leadership was notified of Columbiana County court records showing financial discrepancy probations against the project's proponents, why does this group remain completely un-vetted by the village?
What verification measures are in place to guarantee that zero municipal water or public employee hours were diverted to support this private group's setup?

🔊 Attend the Meeting Holding our grassroots groups—and our public officials—to the letter of the law ensures that Lisbon remains fair, compliant, and accountable to all its citizens. Attend the council meeting tomorrow night, sign up for public comment, and demand equal accountability for everyone.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This article is a matter of public interest commentary, opinion, and journalistic reporting. All allegations regarding statutory compliance are based on firsthand observation of the public festival grounds. References to financial backgrounds and council positions are gathered directly from public court records held by the Columbiana County Clerk of Courts and official municipal minutes of the Lisbon Village Council. This piece does not accuse any individual of a current crime, but rather questions the administrative vetting and oversight protocols of the executive municipal branch.

09/22/2026

09/21/2026

Did you miss anything over the weekend. Well one thing that was missed was the Johnny Appleseed disc golf tournament. The course at Scenic Vista is in such bad shape that was one of the big factors on canceling the event. Add in the lose of both the Halloween and Bunny Hop 5K. Sad the management doesn't realize it is there to serve the community and should work with promoters to bring things and activities into the Community. Not the community serves them, this would be why they have failed the last 3 levys and wonder why they have lost so much support in the community

09/15/2026

Oh imagine that Peter Wilson caring more about getting his paid day and organizing a backdoor deal with Tom Butch who never disclosed he sits on the Western Reserve as a Trustee 🤔 Of course he wants the sale at the Countys expense cause remember Western Reserve gets a % for commission... Everyone would get paid but the Park District who would lose money. Candace Bartholow
Thank you Lisbon Ohio Revenue & Transparency Coalition for your discovery

09/15/2026

WOW this is AMAZING, Keep demanding transparency and answers to who the administration is giving our land to , AND why the Ohio state auditor keeps finding uncorrected errors within the finances!!

Demand a MAYOR whose actions are not called out by council members repeatedly as “misleading” or acts before a legal vote!! Repeatedly striking things from the records!!

FULLY VET proponents asking for our resources , disclosing to the public any financial criminal or financial Civil transgressions!! SO WE CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE THE RISK OR NOT!
WE want to VET ANY PRIVATE citizens OR “NON PROFIT GROUP” installing and monitoring their own security cameras in public parks!! 

No hidden land, back door deals OR gentlemen agreements!! NO MORE action before a VOTE!! We are tracking down all the “deals” and land!!

It takes a Village to make change , WE deserve a say in who gets our land and resources!! WE deserve a say on the REVITALIZATION and LAWS!! This isn’t a one man show!!

👀👀NEW deals on the table and going through council at the moment!!!👀👀👀

⚠️THE CLIFF DEAL - SELLING OFF LISBONS CLIMBING CLIFFS

(A highly contentious local political battle rooted in an accidental property mix-up, municipal gridlock, and park management anxieties.)

⚠️Conflict of Interest: A member of the Columbiana County Park District Board (abruptly, resigned, and was reappointed later ) was simultaneously serving as a leader for the Friends of the Park (the private group raising money for the project). This dual role forced the board to seek a legal opinion from the county prosecutor over potential ethics violations and lead to judicial intervention!

⚠️Bypassing Public Bids: Instead of putting the public land up for an open, competitive auction as normally required, the village council used the County Land Bank as an intermediary. This legal maneuver allowed them to hand-deliver the land directly to the conservancy, which critics argued lacked transparency and cut out the public.

⚠️Mayor Pete Wilson casting a decisive tie-breaking vote to finalize the land sale. You can read more about the local council proceedings and controversy details

🛹 ⚠️SKATE PARK IN THE MAINTENANCE GARAGE AREA NEXT TO OLD SHENANIGANS
( private citizen request un vetted, no Environmental impact study done or discussions between the police department regarding safety concerns OR the neighboring residence and business district)

(This is the same spot where the dog park was objected to years ago due to hazards and noise and where they mayor had interest of putting a bike track, it appears to members of the public he wants anything built here he can “put his name on” and isn’t considering public safety or impact)

🚛ONE trash hauler contract for ALL

( A topic our Fire Chief commented concerns regarding monopoly)

💵 Food truck vendor FEES too high
(old but being re looked at regarding fees)

After the rule was written into the new village rejuvenation plan that was voted and unanimously..
apparently the town didn’t realize they had not collected the fees this year and voted to excuse that and start collecting January 1st.

(these are our points of view and concerns circulating the public , for education and news purposes to engage healthy conversations and redress our government)

09/12/2026

Any time Peter Wilson is involved you know its shady add Tommy Butch its double. "BUTCHY" or "BITCHY" as all his friends nickname him has personal connections to Western Reserve like his daughter's "NONPROFIT " which we are told made profit using County Resources well they call it commission. Lisbon Ohio Revenue & Transparency Coalition next you should look into the reason Tom resigned from "Columbiana Soil and Water " because so shady stuff 🤷‍♂️ told he was selling Solar panels using work computer during work hours. Or ask MsLisa Marie for the minutes of the Park District Dec 2024 Park District and notice that was the meeting she was remove names from the record for a incident that involve Eileen Dray-bardon and involved a employee. Was told to leave Eileens name off to protect her

08/17/2026

WAITTTT!!!!! The real reason the Columbiana County Park District wants Western Reserve Land Conservancy . Remember Tom Butch 's daughter ran a Land Conservancy that directly benefited and use County Park district resources for their benefit. (Remember these "Nonprofits" get a % fee of the sale). So Tom's daughter was using the County Park District as the address, holding meetings and respect all while getting a fat pay day. Awwww this would explain why Tom Butch is so vocal about the "Nonprofit" that will get a pay day Tom sits on as a Trustee and merged with his Daughter's Conservancy. They use money to get the Land, they get a cut of it and then the County Park is the new owner who has to pay maintenance and maintain the property. Makes ZERO sense for the Park District who is going bankrupt to take on more land, when just look around at the conditions of the Park District now. HORRIBLE!!! Buttttt the corruption doesn't end their, remember Tom started, owns and still sits on the board of the "Friends of the Columbiana County Park District " who directly benefit from the County Parks, not the other way around. Just a few months ago, Tom was going to take almost 80K of donated money and invest it into a Salem Nonprofit Organization not a Park District benefit. Mainly because of the boardmembers that caught on and were exposing Tom's backdoor deals🤷‍♂️. No wonder he is best friends with Peter Wilson . I'm sure Lisbon Revenue & Transparency Coalition will be posting more about this subject and its great news that the Lisbon Council wants out of the Cliffs deal and blows a hole in whatever kick back Tom or Peter were getting. Columbiana County Republican Party ya'll ever going to get involved or are you just Fat Rhinos.

🛑 Following a shocking police investigation into the unauthorized use of a local non-profit’s tax ID number to secure a commercial liquor license by the Mayor, a deeply concerning pattern of backroom maneuvers has come to light.

🔍Our village administration recently went public to celebrate the opening of a new $7.3 million county archive facility, explicitly boasting that it would feature a high-powered commercial shredder.
🏢🏢 In a town already reeling from an identity misrepresentation scandal, the mention of a centralized shredding machine instantly set off alarm bells across Lisbon.
🔔 How can we trust the safety of our public records when our leaders operate entirely in the shadows?

👤👥 THE NEW SHADOWS: VANISHING SIGNS AND ALTERED FILES👥
Suspicion thrives when public oversight is bypassed, and the scandals are piling up faster than the excuses:

The Friends of the Park Tax ID, Lapsed Status, and Thomas Controversy:
The core of this administration's transparency breakdown traces right back to the Lisbon Police Department report detailing the liquor permit investigation.

📑 Mayor Peter Wilson allegedly utilized the official federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) belonging to the "Friends of the Columbiana County Park District" (registered as Friends of the Park Inc. and Greenspace) to apply for the liquor license.
While some local rumors claimed the organization didn't even have an ID, public databases confirm they hold EIN 870741747.

🚨🚨However, official records reveal a massive twist: The 2009 corporate cancellation by the State of Ohio proves that the "Friends of the Park" entity has a documented history of failing to maintain legal and transparent operations.
Under Ohio law, a cancellation means the state officially stripped the group of its legal right to operate. When a non-profit organization’s charter is cancelled, it is legally dead. It cannot sign contracts, it cannot apply for grants, and its tax ID number becomes completely invalid for any new business transactions.

🛑 The Legal Reality of the 2009 State Cancellation in Ohio, the Secretary of State cancels a non-profit’s corporate charter under Ohio Revised Code Section 1702.59 if the group fails to file its mandatory Statement of Continued Existence every five years.
The 2009–2012 "Dead Zone": From the moment the state cancelled the charter in 2009 until its reinstatement in 2012, the group legally did not exist.
Invalid Tax ID: During those three years, using that organization's name or tax ID to conduct transactions, handle public funds, or apply for government permits is considered a corporate misrepresentation.

🛑❌ Adding fuel to the fire is the direct involvement of Thomas “Tom" E Butch.
For years, leadership like Butch sat concurrently on both the official public Park District Board and the private "Friends of the Park" non-profit board, controlling both sides of the network. Local records show that under this management, the non-profit completely lost its certification, resulting in a total lapse.
📉The timeline of these certifications reveals a pattern of administrative confusion. After the non-profit's certification was completely revoked, a frantic effort was launched behind the scenes to regain compliance. The group eventually got re-certified by submitting reinstatement paperwork to regain active legal standing. But utilizing a tax identifier tied to the group —especially for a commercial liquor permit , misrepresents the validity of the entity to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control on permit applications. 🔍📉

🚨🚨The Police Record Cover-Up:
It has now been exposed in the Morning Journal that Mayor Peter Wilson actively tried to intervene in the internal discipline of the police force.
👮‍♂️📋 Following the demotion of Lieutenant Jordan Reynolds for his role in signing that temporary liquor permit at the mayor’s request, Police Chief Mike Abraham revealed that Mayor Wilson initially demanded the written reprimand for incompetency and insubordination be completely “ERASED” from the officer's file. Chief Abraham refused to allow public records to be erased, but the attempt itself proves this administration will go to extreme lengths to wipe away its political footprints.