A group that wants to stop the culling of deer in Mill Creek MetroParks is not backing down.
 
At a meeting, folks demanded to know how much the deer hunts would cost and who was paying for it.
 
Efforts to try and get the board to stop the fall hunting of deer in certain areas of Mill Creek Metro Parks continue. 
 
Most people here are against the park's decision to cull or kill the deer the parks board determined is needed to preserve the parks.
 
"Look it up in the dictionary what wildlife sanctuary means. It means they're protected and cared for these precious animals," Lana VanAuker said.
 
She suggested the park use deer contraception which is legal in the United States and is being used in Cleveland.
 
People ask during educational tours if employees tell children the full story. 
 
"I hope you're going to tell them that you kill raccoons and that you kill geese, and that you kill deer and I hope you let them know how you do it," Celest Sinistro added.
 
"It's not right. I'm sure everybody that's in this room or most people here are against the deer kill," Pearl Sinistro said.
 
"How much will they be paid? You couldn't pay me enough to do that. Who's paying for this horrible thing?," Elaine Hoskins asked.
 
Levy money or tax dollars from Mahoning Residents will pay for the culling of deer this fall. And for the deer to be processed and donated to nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry. 
 
An employee with the Metro Parks told the crowd that they will be working with a $50,000 budget for the first year. Then the budget changes in subsequent years.
 
Two people spoke in favor of the board's plan one elderly lady thanked the board for taking tough actions. The second is a resident who told the crowd he is not a hunter, nor a vegan, but he and his family enjoy nature and parks so he supports the plan the board says is needed to preserve the parks. 
 
"We are now at the point where we have the danger of the forest suffering long term. The most important part is if that wasn't there, the deer wouldn't be there either," Lex Calder said.
 
But that $30.000 dollar study lacks pictures or videos showing an overabundance of deer.
 
The parks board based its decision on that study and a faulty camera for that study that cost thousands of tax dollars has led to a distrust of the board by many people in the community.
 
Executive Director Aaron Young emphasized people can learn about the deer culling plan by logging on to its website and reading about the Mill Creek Metro Parks white-tailed Deer Management plan.
 
The board also took a verbal beating over the condition of McGuffey Park and its state of disrepair after it was donated and placed in the hands of Mill Creek Metro Parks.
 
"When the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society donated 1998 the McGuffey Wildlife Preserve to the park district, both the pond and the dock were in good condition," Diane Nemeth emphasized.
 
"All we're asking is the McGuffey Family Pond, an important part of the national historic landmark be restored, maintained, and preserved, Historian Richard Scarsella said. 
 
The Executive Director of Mill Creek Metro Parks had nothing to add but told 21 News McGuffey Preserve has been discussed in the past