Joan
This was a point of contention during the West End debacle.
The TIF period was 30 years and I assume this one is, too. In addition, the projections for the increase to the schools is a prediction, not a certainty, and the increase won't kick in for 30 years.
If the development is economically feasible, and Foran and Montlack believe that it is, then why must the city hand over money? I'm quite sure Foran and Montlack expect to make a handy sum; the TIF is free money that I'm not convinced they need.
If I'm wrong, and they don't expect to make a tidy profit, then they aren't astute businessmen. Again, why should a developer expect assistance from the city when the average honeowner has no such expectation?
[/b]
West End TIF District
Moderator: Jim O'Bryan
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Grace O'Malley
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 8:31 pm
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Joan Roberts
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:28 am
Grace O'Malley wrote:Joan
This was a point of contention during the West End debacle.
The TIF period was 30 years and I assume this one is, too. In addition, the projections for the increase to the schools is a prediction, not a certainty, and the increase won't kick in for 30 years.
If the development is economically feasible, and Foran and Montlack believe that it is, then why must the city hand over money? I'm quite sure Foran and Montlack expect to make a handy sum; the TIF is free money that I'm not convinced they need.
If I'm wrong, and they don't expect to make a tidy profit, then they aren't astute businessmen. Again, why should a developer expect assistance from the city when the average honeowner has no such expectation?
[/b]
The over all question of the propriety of doing a TIF for this development is a separate issue, I think.
I was speaking merely from the schools' perspective. In this case, unlike the West End (or even the Rockport Square development), they get a fat increase NOW. Pulling down a big 9 grand in property taxes from waterfront property can't get anyone excited.
But if you were the school treasurer and someone told you that you could get $88 thousand instead of $9 thousand, wouldn't YOU be reaching for your pen and asking where to sign?
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Jim O'Bryan
- Posts: 14196
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:12 pm
- Location: Lakewood
- Contact:
Grace/ Joan
I was able to track Rick Foran down last night and asked him to sign on to the board. He said he is busy but will consider it. i read him the questions and got this back from him.
"As you probably know, a TIF takes a portion of the ADDITIONAL real estate tax generated by our project and utilizes it solely for improvements that have a public benefit.
The City still has a financial benefit
The Board of Education has a financial benefit
And, the bonds used to pay for the improvements are totally paid for."
I was typing as fast as I could.
On a seperate note, Lynn Farris had one of her friends look over the proposal, and told me that it based on prior TIFs, this one was actually good and the project was good for the area.
From my point of view and I have never met Rick or Pat Foran, but I have spoken with Rick. I think a lot ws learned by developers over the WestEnd Development, and certainly Mayor Tom George took notes. What many though would be the end of Lakewood has done nothing more than serve notice to all that only "Responsible Development" would be tolerated in this city, and everyone is watching closely.
What impressed me most about this development so far is that these people are pretty respectful of the city and the property. When I mentioned the Unger House, Rick had mentioned he had spoke with them, introduced himself and the project and told them, their house was not in the footprint. When you look at the site map, it really has a pretty small footprint at the top of the cliff.
Just posted everything we have on the front page.
On a very different note - Ken Lurie and Rockport - I had a chance to speak with a couple people at City Hall about the Ken Lurie story in the Scene. They were aware of that, and mentioned that the building department has been very careful checking work. To date(I believe, not taking notes) that 4 things have been changed or changed asked for. So once again it would seem that Ed Fitzgerald and the building department is as busy as they say, and doing a good job.
.
I was able to track Rick Foran down last night and asked him to sign on to the board. He said he is busy but will consider it. i read him the questions and got this back from him.
"As you probably know, a TIF takes a portion of the ADDITIONAL real estate tax generated by our project and utilizes it solely for improvements that have a public benefit.
The City still has a financial benefit
The Board of Education has a financial benefit
And, the bonds used to pay for the improvements are totally paid for."
I was typing as fast as I could.
On a seperate note, Lynn Farris had one of her friends look over the proposal, and told me that it based on prior TIFs, this one was actually good and the project was good for the area.
From my point of view and I have never met Rick or Pat Foran, but I have spoken with Rick. I think a lot ws learned by developers over the WestEnd Development, and certainly Mayor Tom George took notes. What many though would be the end of Lakewood has done nothing more than serve notice to all that only "Responsible Development" would be tolerated in this city, and everyone is watching closely.
What impressed me most about this development so far is that these people are pretty respectful of the city and the property. When I mentioned the Unger House, Rick had mentioned he had spoke with them, introduced himself and the project and told them, their house was not in the footprint. When you look at the site map, it really has a pretty small footprint at the top of the cliff.
Just posted everything we have on the front page.
On a very different note - Ken Lurie and Rockport - I had a chance to speak with a couple people at City Hall about the Ken Lurie story in the Scene. They were aware of that, and mentioned that the building department has been very careful checking work. To date(I believe, not taking notes) that 4 things have been changed or changed asked for. So once again it would seem that Ed Fitzgerald and the building department is as busy as they say, and doing a good job.
.
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
-
Lynn Farris
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 8:24 pm
- Location: Lakewood, Ohio
- Contact:
While Grace, I do respect your opinion on Taxpayers funding developers projects, this project does seem to be better than the West End on several fronts.
1) No Eminent Domain
2) The Development Agreement is complete - the exhibits are here - something we never had with the West End - even the day it was voted down, some of the exhibits were still missing. When the meat of the information is in the exhibits, how one can vote for something with the exhibits missing always confused me (it was missing from the School's agreement as well.)
3) Prices for the condos and square footage seem logical. The West End Agreement never spelled it out. There was a large increase in the square footage - but the number of units never changed and the price didn't change - unbelievable.
4) No blight.
5) List of what the TIF is going to cover:
Erosion Control $12,500
Building Demolition and Site Scrubbing $85,000
Tank Removal $13,500
Site Stability $685,000
Seawall Bulkheading $250,000
Mudmat and Tar Emulsion $180,000
Stormdrains and Catch basins $285,000
Waterlines, Firelines, Sanitary and Lift Station $250,000
Entry Landscaping at Sloane Curb $65,000
Civil Engineering Design $28,000
Seawall Engineering Design $15,000
This totals $ 1,869,000
All are amounts not to exceed
6) City is covering itself better in terms of the wording of the agreement.
1) No Eminent Domain
2) The Development Agreement is complete - the exhibits are here - something we never had with the West End - even the day it was voted down, some of the exhibits were still missing. When the meat of the information is in the exhibits, how one can vote for something with the exhibits missing always confused me (it was missing from the School's agreement as well.)
3) Prices for the condos and square footage seem logical. The West End Agreement never spelled it out. There was a large increase in the square footage - but the number of units never changed and the price didn't change - unbelievable.
4) No blight.
5) List of what the TIF is going to cover:
Erosion Control $12,500
Building Demolition and Site Scrubbing $85,000
Tank Removal $13,500
Site Stability $685,000
Seawall Bulkheading $250,000
Mudmat and Tar Emulsion $180,000
Stormdrains and Catch basins $285,000
Waterlines, Firelines, Sanitary and Lift Station $250,000
Entry Landscaping at Sloane Curb $65,000
Civil Engineering Design $28,000
Seawall Engineering Design $15,000
This totals $ 1,869,000
All are amounts not to exceed
6) City is covering itself better in terms of the wording of the agreement.
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." ~ George Carlin
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Ivor Karabatkovic
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:45 am
- Contact:
I wish I could see those $100 million put to good use.
After this school year, I REALLY hope that they put some more money into security at LHS because having the same "securitas" that watch over Home Depot on 117th roaming the halls isn't too effective.
They do more on break when they sit in the back of the school by the pool and smoke cigarettes in front of students.
Of course I'll be out of that place at the end of next year (thank god) and I never want to return. As Jim said on the phone last night "I haven't been in that place [LHS] in over 30 years".
I can't blame the man. I really can't.
And I hope they bring in new textbooks because the textbooks from the 80's have some really really bad hairstyles in their illustrations.
I also wish that they boost the recreation, sports, activities and cafeterias within the community and schools because 20 minutes of gym every day and all the crap they serve in the lunch lines isn't helping us from undoing the "fattest country in the world" image.
And I DREAM that at least a 100th of the 100 million dollars get put into programs to help families that just moved here from different countries. Families that live off of donated clothes, pens and pencils, waterlogged couches, black and white televisions, steel beds and absolutely no english speaking capabilities.
What's so bad about giving these poor families a bit of hope, a sense of feeling like they belong or that they have reason to live, a city to be able to call their hometown.
If I had $100 million, I wouldn't spend it on demolishing something and building it over again. I would invest it in making the schools more appealing and welcoming because kids who have nothing still have their education. This is why I am here today, because when my family and I had nothing, I could still go to school and be happy that I have a sense of direction in life.
If this project brings half of the "$100 million" that it claims to bring, I support it. Because we sure as hell could use it in our schools.
God Bless and Sorry for the long rant,
Ivor K.
After this school year, I REALLY hope that they put some more money into security at LHS because having the same "securitas" that watch over Home Depot on 117th roaming the halls isn't too effective.
They do more on break when they sit in the back of the school by the pool and smoke cigarettes in front of students.
Of course I'll be out of that place at the end of next year (thank god) and I never want to return. As Jim said on the phone last night "I haven't been in that place [LHS] in over 30 years".
I can't blame the man. I really can't.
And I hope they bring in new textbooks because the textbooks from the 80's have some really really bad hairstyles in their illustrations.
I also wish that they boost the recreation, sports, activities and cafeterias within the community and schools because 20 minutes of gym every day and all the crap they serve in the lunch lines isn't helping us from undoing the "fattest country in the world" image.
And I DREAM that at least a 100th of the 100 million dollars get put into programs to help families that just moved here from different countries. Families that live off of donated clothes, pens and pencils, waterlogged couches, black and white televisions, steel beds and absolutely no english speaking capabilities.
What's so bad about giving these poor families a bit of hope, a sense of feeling like they belong or that they have reason to live, a city to be able to call their hometown.
If I had $100 million, I wouldn't spend it on demolishing something and building it over again. I would invest it in making the schools more appealing and welcoming because kids who have nothing still have their education. This is why I am here today, because when my family and I had nothing, I could still go to school and be happy that I have a sense of direction in life.
If this project brings half of the "$100 million" that it claims to bring, I support it. Because we sure as hell could use it in our schools.
God Bless and Sorry for the long rant,
Ivor K.
"Hey Kiddo....this topic is much more important than your football photos, so deal with it." - Mike Deneen
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Joan Roberts
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:28 am
Did Mr. O. REALLY SAY he "hadn't been to LHS for over 30 years?"
I can't believe that. Gotta be second-hand hearsay. Or maybe you were referring to another "Jim." Please set me straight if that's the case.
If he hasn't, then he is missing a HUGE part of the Lakewood experience, good, bad, and in between. A lot of people's views of Lakewood are in some part determined by the view of Lakewood HS.
When your kid excels at something at LHS, you tend to have one view of the city. When your kid is jumped by some thugs, you tend to have another view. LHS, for better or for worse, is as integral a part of Lakewood as the library, Madison Village, or a hundred "Cliffs" or "Rockport Squares."
The $100 million is not a "claim", it is a bond issue that will raise that money to build new schools to replace old ones and refurbish LHS. And yes, part of that money will go to make the schools more "appealing."
As for helping new families to this country, I would point out that a significant part of Lakewood schools' budget goes toward TEACHING students from other nations. Lakewood's ESL commitment is quite daunting. Some of that is provided by the state and federal government, other portions are provided by Lakewood taxpayers.
Feeding, clothing, housing them is not the job of the school district.,however, so we're mixing arguments.
In any event, I'm sorry the people of Lakewood couldn't pass muster in providing you a high school experience that was satisfactory.
I can't believe that. Gotta be second-hand hearsay. Or maybe you were referring to another "Jim." Please set me straight if that's the case.
If he hasn't, then he is missing a HUGE part of the Lakewood experience, good, bad, and in between. A lot of people's views of Lakewood are in some part determined by the view of Lakewood HS.
When your kid excels at something at LHS, you tend to have one view of the city. When your kid is jumped by some thugs, you tend to have another view. LHS, for better or for worse, is as integral a part of Lakewood as the library, Madison Village, or a hundred "Cliffs" or "Rockport Squares."
The $100 million is not a "claim", it is a bond issue that will raise that money to build new schools to replace old ones and refurbish LHS. And yes, part of that money will go to make the schools more "appealing."
As for helping new families to this country, I would point out that a significant part of Lakewood schools' budget goes toward TEACHING students from other nations. Lakewood's ESL commitment is quite daunting. Some of that is provided by the state and federal government, other portions are provided by Lakewood taxpayers.
Feeding, clothing, housing them is not the job of the school district.,however, so we're mixing arguments.
In any event, I'm sorry the people of Lakewood couldn't pass muster in providing you a high school experience that was satisfactory.
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Ivor Karabatkovic
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:45 am
- Contact:
The ESL teachers are great. I've dealt with them for years now, because they still hunt me down so I can take tests that the NCLB act demands us to take for funding. After two years of sitting through "my favorite color is blue" and getting the maximum points available for an answer like that, and passing 8 years of state and national testing, passing my OGT's with the highest scores available, which some citizens couldn't even accomplish, I still have to answer what my favorite color is in one sentence.
But the teachers are very committed, and I was a part of ESL until 5th grade, my second year in the US, when I was almost fluent in English. And I've passed every test and had great success in and out of the classrooms and obviously speak the language.. pretty well, and they still come back to test me because I was in ESL 6 years ago. I couldn't pass those tests if it wasn't for the ESL lessons that I received when I first moved here.
You're absolutely right by saying
you couldn't have said it any better.
as for clothing and those things, you're right as well it shouldn't be the schools responsibility.
I was just spoiled when I moved from Bosnia to Croatia, and then to Germany in 1991 as a war refugee. My brothers teachers found and supplied my family and I with food and clothing because our 1 room cellar didn't have heating in the winter. Our $5 a week budget was plenty for us to stay alive, though.
And even though they shouldn't have done that according to the German Government, they did. I have never met such loving, caring, and generous teachers in my 8 years as a student here. But I can't take my teachers here at LHS for granted, because compared to the teachers my classmates have, mine are gods.
Yes, I was spoiled. Or maybe blessed, I'm not sure. but at LHS and in Lakewood I've noticed that the relationship between students and teachers ends when the student walks out of the classroom and enters the hallways.
That's a shame, because teaching is the greatest act of optimism. It shouldn't stop once you're out of the classroom. I've learned things from my teachers that the classroom curriculum never contained.
In every House Office at LHS and some classrooms, this quote by Carl Jung hangs printed on the wall. it says:
An understanding heart is everything in a teacher,
and cannot be esteemed highly enough.
One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers,
but with gratitude to those who touched our human feeling.
The curriculum is so much necessary raw material,
but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant
and for the soul of the child.
--Carl Jung
If only some teachers stopped and read this over, because it catches my eye every time I see it.
And to have security at your school be the same as the security at Home Depot, that's insane. We're not lumber 2x4's, we're students. They're so bored their thrill of the day is catching a school newspaper photographer running around with his camera.
But the teachers are very committed, and I was a part of ESL until 5th grade, my second year in the US, when I was almost fluent in English. And I've passed every test and had great success in and out of the classrooms and obviously speak the language.. pretty well, and they still come back to test me because I was in ESL 6 years ago. I couldn't pass those tests if it wasn't for the ESL lessons that I received when I first moved here.
You're absolutely right by saying
When your kid excels at something at LHS, you tend to have one view of the city. When your kid is jumped by some thugs, you tend to have another view.
you couldn't have said it any better.
as for clothing and those things, you're right as well it shouldn't be the schools responsibility.
I was just spoiled when I moved from Bosnia to Croatia, and then to Germany in 1991 as a war refugee. My brothers teachers found and supplied my family and I with food and clothing because our 1 room cellar didn't have heating in the winter. Our $5 a week budget was plenty for us to stay alive, though.
And even though they shouldn't have done that according to the German Government, they did. I have never met such loving, caring, and generous teachers in my 8 years as a student here. But I can't take my teachers here at LHS for granted, because compared to the teachers my classmates have, mine are gods.
Yes, I was spoiled. Or maybe blessed, I'm not sure. but at LHS and in Lakewood I've noticed that the relationship between students and teachers ends when the student walks out of the classroom and enters the hallways.
That's a shame, because teaching is the greatest act of optimism. It shouldn't stop once you're out of the classroom. I've learned things from my teachers that the classroom curriculum never contained.
In every House Office at LHS and some classrooms, this quote by Carl Jung hangs printed on the wall. it says:
An understanding heart is everything in a teacher,
and cannot be esteemed highly enough.
One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers,
but with gratitude to those who touched our human feeling.
The curriculum is so much necessary raw material,
but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant
and for the soul of the child.
--Carl Jung
If only some teachers stopped and read this over, because it catches my eye every time I see it.
And to have security at your school be the same as the security at Home Depot, that's insane. We're not lumber 2x4's, we're students. They're so bored their thrill of the day is catching a school newspaper photographer running around with his camera.
"Hey Kiddo....this topic is much more important than your football photos, so deal with it." - Mike Deneen
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dl meckes
- Posts: 1475
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 6:29 pm
- Location: Lakewood
Joan Roberts wrote:When your kid excels at something at LHS, you tend to have one view of the city. When your kid is jumped by some thugs, you tend to have another view. LHS, for better or for worse, is as integral a part of Lakewood as the library, Madison Village, or a hundred "Cliffs" or "Rockport Squares."
It is integral for those who have children or who work or volunteer there. Not everyone is equal in that respect.
“One of they key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace. Good people don’t go into government.”- 45
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Jim O'Bryan
- Posts: 14196
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:12 pm
- Location: Lakewood
- Contact:
Joan
I have been back to the high school, but rarely. I graduated in 1972, and have spent very little time back there. I have been to a couple concerts, and have covered stories there. Recently I went there to do the signage for the Ranger Shop. My wife of 22 years and I have no children, so we have not put anyone through the school system. However we have supported every School levy that has been on the ballot.
I have seen a couple concerts there, and this year went to see Ivor win an award for his photographic work, which was a pleasure. Tonight I was invited by Ivor to see a physics fair, and could not make it because i was delivering papers in my neighborhood and on Detroit and Madison.
For me the old hippie it is a little painful, as I attended school in the last year it was a school. Now it seems more like and institution.
I understand what you are saying about LHS and the schools. This is one reason I have promised them at least on page in every issue. The same is true for the library and city hall.
I agree, but I am rarely there.
.
I have been back to the high school, but rarely. I graduated in 1972, and have spent very little time back there. I have been to a couple concerts, and have covered stories there. Recently I went there to do the signage for the Ranger Shop. My wife of 22 years and I have no children, so we have not put anyone through the school system. However we have supported every School levy that has been on the ballot.
I have seen a couple concerts there, and this year went to see Ivor win an award for his photographic work, which was a pleasure. Tonight I was invited by Ivor to see a physics fair, and could not make it because i was delivering papers in my neighborhood and on Detroit and Madison.
For me the old hippie it is a little painful, as I attended school in the last year it was a school. Now it seems more like and institution.
I understand what you are saying about LHS and the schools. This is one reason I have promised them at least on page in every issue. The same is true for the library and city hall.
I agree, but I am rarely there.
.
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
-
Charyn Varkonyi
DL:
I am not necessarily sure I agree with that. Isn't a school system (of which the high school is the typical crown jewel) usually one of the attributes of a community - or in some cases one of its flaws - regardless of whether someone has children in the community?
The strength of a school's reputation can have an effect on housing values - I have't done any research so I could not speculate as to how much of an impact there is, but from conversations with realtor friends - it is clear there is a correlation of some type. So from that perspective alone - it would seem to be an intergral part of the city.
For some the impact is emotional and others it financial - but the facts seem to me to be that schools affect everyone - not just those that have children. Or are my views permamntly skewed because i have children and these are only projections of my feelings rather than the actual feelings of the non-reproducing citizens?
Ponderingly,
~Charyn
I am not necessarily sure I agree with that. Isn't a school system (of which the high school is the typical crown jewel) usually one of the attributes of a community - or in some cases one of its flaws - regardless of whether someone has children in the community?
The strength of a school's reputation can have an effect on housing values - I have't done any research so I could not speculate as to how much of an impact there is, but from conversations with realtor friends - it is clear there is a correlation of some type. So from that perspective alone - it would seem to be an intergral part of the city.
For some the impact is emotional and others it financial - but the facts seem to me to be that schools affect everyone - not just those that have children. Or are my views permamntly skewed because i have children and these are only projections of my feelings rather than the actual feelings of the non-reproducing citizens?
Ponderingly,
~Charyn
-
Jim O'Bryan
- Posts: 14196
- Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:12 pm
- Location: Lakewood
- Contact:
Charyn Varkonyi wrote:DL:
I am not necessarily sure I agree with that. Isn't a school system (of which the high school is the typical crown jewel) usually one of the attributes of a community - or in some cases one of its flaws - regardless of whether someone has children in the community?
The strength of a school's reputation can have an effect on housing values - I have't done any research so I could not speculate as to how much of an impact there is, but from conversations with realtor friends - it is clear there is a correlation of some type. So from that perspective alone - it would seem to be an intergral part of the city.
For some the impact is emotional and others it financial - but the facts seem to me to be that schools affect everyone - not just those that have children. Or are my views permamntly skewed because i have children and these are only projections of my feelings rather than the actual feelings of the non-reproducing citizens?
Ponderingly,
~Charyn
Charyn
One of the resons i have supported every school levy is that there is a direct tie between schools and property values.
Schools are a corner stone along with safety.
Suxanne Metelko and or Steve Davis can run the numbers on this.
.
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
-
dl meckes
- Posts: 1475
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 6:29 pm
- Location: Lakewood
Charyn-
Ms. Roberts was very surprised that JOB hadn't been in LHS in 30 years.
It was to that surprise that I responded. I don't question the value or importance of the schools.
I haven't been back to McKinley Elementary School, a place that had the most profound impact on my life. That's where I first met my future husband, JOB & Bill Davis, Heidi Hilty and Jeff Endress to name a few.
Ms. Roberts was very surprised that JOB hadn't been in LHS in 30 years.
It was to that surprise that I responded. I don't question the value or importance of the schools.
I haven't been back to McKinley Elementary School, a place that had the most profound impact on my life. That's where I first met my future husband, JOB & Bill Davis, Heidi Hilty and Jeff Endress to name a few.
“One of they key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace. Good people don’t go into government.”- 45
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Charyn Varkonyi
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dl meckes
- Posts: 1475
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 6:29 pm
- Location: Lakewood
Should have said I met my husband in kindergarten...
DH (Dear Husband) and I began dating (we'd had play dates in kindergarten) after our 25th high school reunion. We've been happily married a little over five years.
"Everything I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten!" turned out to be true.
Good luck on your impending nuptials.
DH (Dear Husband) and I began dating (we'd had play dates in kindergarten) after our 25th high school reunion. We've been happily married a little over five years.
"Everything I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten!" turned out to be true.
Good luck on your impending nuptials.
“One of they key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace. Good people don’t go into government.”- 45
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Joan Roberts
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:28 am
Jim O'Bryan wrote:Joan
I have been back to the high school, but rarely. I graduated in 1972, and have spent very little time back there. I have been to a couple concerts, and have covered stories there. Recently I went there to do the signage for the Ranger Shop. My wife of 22 years and I have no children, so we have not put anyone through the school system. However we have supported every School levy that has been on the ballot.
I have seen a couple concerts there, and this year went to see Ivor win an award for his photographic work, which was a pleasure. Tonight I was invited by Ivor to see a physics fair, and could not make it because i was delivering papers in my neighborhood and on Detroit and Madison.
For me the old hippie it is a little painful, as I attended school in the last year it was a school. Now it seems more like and institution.
I understand what you are saying about LHS and the schools. This is one reason I have promised them at least on page in every issue. The same is true for the library and city hall.
I agree, but I am rarely there.
.
No doubt Lakewood HS is different than it was in '72. In tha age of 9/11 and Columbine, security does add an "insitutional" asepct that wasn't there in our HS years.
But beneath that overlay is a living, breathing organism that's every bit as maddeningly important as it ever was. You have some students with the means and support to excel. You have others who are trouble with a capital "T" Fortunately, you have an excellent principal who faces the good and the bad, head on. This was not, I'm told, always the case prior.
The inescapable fact is that, even for people without kids in the school, many people's perceptions of Lakewood are colored by their perceptions of Lakewood HS. Fair or unfair, that's how it is. And if Lakewood wants to be "the city that knows itself better than any other," I'd suggest that the knowledge is incomplete without an understanding of life at LHS.
Mr. K's take on the place is slightly at odds with my own, which is in turn colored by my own kids. When my klds complain about this or that or the other thing, I point out that it's an imperfect world, and that learning to cope is just as important as learning the periodic table of elements.
(To Mr. K: Almost every district uses "rent-a-cops" It's a cost-saving device, and Ohio schools are under the gun to make every penny count)
And Charyn, you are totally correct. People without kids in schools have a tremendous voice in the community. Unfortunately, it's usually based on incomplete perceptions. They don't go to the awards ceremonies, they merely look at what they see on the streets. The kids look funny and sometimes they even smoke
, so the schools are "out of control"-. So, no tax increase for you!
One thing I can definitely say for Lakewood HS, it is NOT a cocoon.
Once again, I have taken this hopelessly OT. Sorry. The new development on the river will not have a signficant financial impact on Lakewood HS, I believe.