Ed FitzGerald Begins Campaign for Mayor of Lakewood

[Jim O'Bryan]

December 18th, 2006

City Councilman Ed FitzGerald Begins Campaign for
Mayor of Lakewood

Lakewood City Councilman At-Large Edward FitzGerald has announced the start of his campaign for Mayor of Lakewood in 2007.

"The city of Lakewood is at a crossroads, and we are in desperate need of mayor who can provide dynamic, strong leadership," FitzGerald stated. Outlining his belief that a community partnership is necessary for real progress, FitzGerald stated his belief that the current mayor is underperforming and "sleepwalking through our greatest challenges of the last 50 years," while trying to take credit for the successes of other city institutions such as the Lakewood‚s library, schools and YMCA.

As 2007 unfolds, FitzGerald will be presenting plans to stabilize the city‚s precarious financial position, bolster the housing stock, improve public safety, and spur economic development.

"Lakewood has so many assets, and so much local talent, that with the right leadership we can overcome any of our problems and position ourselves as the premier suburb in this area for the 21st century," FitzGerald said.

Ed FitzGerald has represented the entire city of Lakewood on city council since 1999, and was re-elected in 2001 and 2005, each time being the leading vote-getter. He previously has worked as both a Cuyahoga County Prosecutor and Special Agent with the FBI. Ed and his wife Shannon have four children, ages 13, 10, 8 and 6.


# # #

[Thomas J. George]

Observers,

It is with great interest that we have learned that Councilman Fitzgerald now wants to run for mayor.

After running for six different positions in eight years (state rep., state senator, democratic state central committee twice, city councilman twice) he has announced he is now running for mayor of Lakewood.

Little did I know after he pleaded with me to give him his job by voting to appoint him to fill a Council vacancy that he would literally be a part time Councilman. In his nondescript eight years as a Councilman (he's NEVER made a City financial presentation to Moody's, hasn't attended a D.A.R.E culmination, didn't attend the Rockport Square announcement or groundbreaking, the Rosewood Place groundbreaking, never attended a Fallen Firefighters ceremony, didn't attend the Cliffs announcement, missed numerous budget hearings and has been a no show at dozens of other city events) his knowledge of city operations is minimal at best.

I am intrigued by his claim that I am "taking credit" for projects others started.

In the past, the City suffered through analysis paralysis. Lots of talk and lots of plans, but little action. During this administration, as we all know, we've seen action. Just because a project has been announced, there is no guarantee that these projects will ever be completed. Lakewood's had more than its share of announcements of projects that have never been built.

Rockport Square for instance was first announced as a $19 million project with $8 million in city assistance and included the use of eminent domain.

Currently the project is $40 million in size with a reduced city assistance of $4 million. As we are all aware, no eminent domain was used (nor will it be).

The George Administration has seen announcements such as this through to their completion! We've been busy building a better Lakewood.

In addition, Rosewood Place, GrafTech, Walgreens, Kaiser, New York Life, Rockport Medical office building, Ferry Cap and Screw and other projects all were initiated during my term in office. After years of talk, the new skateboard park was built (despite attempts by obstructionist Ed to block its construction at the current site).

The City's major institutions are working more closely together than in the past. I meet monthly with the Lakewood Schools leadership, Lakewood Public Library leadership and serve on the Board of Lakewood Hospital (where Councilman Fitzgerald missed 2/3 of the meetings during his tenure). We also have instituted a Top 25 meeting to stay in touch with Lakewood's other key institutions.

We've made safety first. My first act as Mayor was to return the Lakewood Police Dept. to full strength.

The George Administration has reduced actual General Fund expenditures from $37,198,830 in 2004 to $35,691,476 in 2005 (a reduction of $1,507,354) during a time when health care, fuel and heating cost rose by double digit figures.

We've implemented CitiStat...a nationally renowned program.

We've collaborated with the Chamber of Commerce and brought in the Main Street program (don't you love the swags in downtown Lakewood?)

Along with Congressman Kucinich we saved the Lakewood Social Security office.

We've increased our infrastructure improvements....Fitzgerald voted against funding for projects such as Arthur Avenue and Marlowe Ave.

The list goes on and on and you'll hear much more during the upcoming campaign.

The key to all these successes is citizen involvement. As many of you have remarked, this administration has an open door policy, and is open to ideas and input from Lakewood residents.

I look forward to continuing to hear your concerns during the coming months and look forward to exchanging ideas with Councilman Fitzgerald.

Proud to be your Mayor (with no other agendas),

Tom George

[Danielle Masters]

the new skateboard park was built (despite attempts by obstructionist Ed to block its construction at the current site).

Mr. Mayor,
While you were at the ribbon cutting for the skatepark you hardly helped with getting it through council. Numerous calls were made to your office by my family while you sat on your hands so as to keep them clean. Yes Mr. Fitzgerald was against its location and he has publicly stated he was wrong. You chose to keep silent the whole time the debate was going on, hardly what I look for in a leader. My other problem with your administration is the state of our parks. Yes the new walkway at Lakewood Park is lovely unfortunately the playground is dirty, neglected and falling apart. Swings are missing, a few truck loads of mulch are needed, trash is everywhere, signs are broken, etc. I won't even mention what is wrong with Madison Park, lets just say its embarrassing and pretty much unusable. When these problems were brought up you had the nerve to play a recording from some people at Lakewood saying how great it is. What a joke. Get your head out of the sand our parks need work. Taxes are high and you would like them to be higher, when our budget it tight we cut back. I love this city, this is where I choose to raise my family and I want a leader who is willing to take some risks and admit the problems we have. I don't think you are that leader and honestly I don't know if Mr. Fitzgerald is that man. I know that I will be keep a close eye the next several months and hopefully Lakewoodites will make the best choice for the city.

[Ed FitzGerald]

Mayor George:

The tone of your response to my announcement says more about your administration than any claims I could ever make. I counted 9 separate inaccuracies in your rant, but there is going to be plenty of time to correct the record.

Enjoy the holiday season.

Ed FitzGerald

[stephen davis]

Boy, this is SO great!

We'll get to enjoy 10 more months of this high quality entertainment.

What will these two talk about tomorrow?

I can hardly wait!

Steve

[Charyn Compeau]

..

[Bret Callentine]

I completely and wholeheartedly agree with Charyn. If you expect my my support, you are best served to focus on what YOU will do, not what THEY will not.

And remember, regardless of the positions you hope to be elected to. As of right now, you still have jobs to do. You work for us! And to do that successfully, you need to continue to work together.

I wish you both success, because our livelyhoods depend on it.

[stephen davis]

Well, here we are, day two of the campaign. It seems it's already over. No new posts from the candidates.

Unless they're regrouping for the next assault, it's probably time to do a post campaign wrap-up before we voters hit the polls.

I would have to say that although Mayor Tom George provided a wordier post with more campaign style, chest beating language, I have to give the edge to Councilman Ed Fitzgerald based on style points alone...brief, to-the-point defense, with a nice, subtly sarcastic finish.

Can we vote now?

Steve




NOTE: Actually, I don't really believe that we've heard all we're going to hear from these, or other, candidates. I'll be interested in reading campaign reviews from other Observers. Maybe we can meet here every day for the next 10+ months and kind of have play-by-play coverage and commentary.

The Lakewood Observer Observation Deck...Your source for election coverage, and a great entertainment value.

[c. dawson]

oh yes, let's avoid any mudslinging or negative campaigning. That's more suitable for a couple of 9-year olds on the playground.

Instead, I want to hear each candidate's vision for what they want Lakewood to be, and how they will take an ACTIVE roll in that vision. We need leadership, not someone at a photo op cutting a ribbon, taking credit for others work, or sniping from the sides.

Leadership means being out in front; as George Patton once said, you cannot push a piece of string, you can only pull it.

So who's going to pull the string and how do they propose to do it?

[Heidi Hilty]

Interesting.
I concur wholeheartedly with Charyn and Bret's comments; not interested in an analysis of the past (I really am able do that all on my own) but what you have to offer the 'Wood for the years to come and specifically how you will address our beloved city's needs.
Minus points for every negative comment about another candidate.Maybe we can start a pool on who, if anyone, will step up and provide their plan for Lakewood's future.
Ready? Set. Go!

[stephen davis]

not interested in an analysis of the past (I really am able do that all on my own)

Minus points for every negative comment about another candidate.

Heidi,

I think I understand the meaning of your post, but personally, I am not really able to do all that analysis on my own. I don't have a lot of time to spend at city hall, and I don't believe everything I read in the papers.

I want a candidate to express a future vision, but I want to know all about past performance. I want to hear about what they did right, or wrong, in their official positions. I also want to know what they have learned from being right or wrong. I even want to know what they learned from somebody else being right or wrong. This information could portend the chances of future success.

I don't really oppose negative comments about the policy and official actions of an opposing candidate, provided that they are accurate, and that proper context is provided. Candidates need to define themselves relative to their opponents. I want them to.

Candidates that personalize their attacks, or distort facts and context, do so at their own peril.

Steve

[Heidi Hilty]

Steve,
I think you've just authenticated Bret Callentine's article (The Source of the Problem) but I stand by what I said. I feel that I am able to discern what a candidate has/has not accomplished without them offering it up with a spin. JMO.
I guess I'm not able to recall any negative comments (or campaigns for that manner) that stick to the policy and official actions of an opposing candidate that have been accurate and in the proper context. Ah, but if only it were so.
My dream world is for the candidate for Mayor (or even City Manager!) to demonstrate qualities of leadership in thought, word, and deed. Who knows, it might be refreshing. Again, jmo.
Peace,
Heidi

[Jim O'Bryan]

Heidi, Steve,Brett, Charyn, Danielle others

The Lakewood Observer is adding many new features to the print and online versions. We will be taking full advantage of our third year of print, and our new layout to dig deep into politics that affect Lakewood, locally, and globally.

Our own political machine "Tom Powell Bullock" is helping us work on straw polls throughout the year. We will also be looking at past, present, and the most important thing, views to the Lakewood's future.

While we have invited all politicians to take part in an open forum, to share their views, ideas and visions with the thousands of Lakewood residents that read the paper and stop by daily online. To date for some reasons, the politicians usually only stop into this national award winning civic news project when they need something. In year three, we will answer the residents call that THEY NEED SOMETHING, more contact with the people that voted them in to office.

When this project was started I talked with every person in office. They did not like forums much because they could never tell who was asking the questions. A forum with real names would be something they would support, as it took civic discourse to a higher level. Early on some elected officials did not like the civic discourse to follow their words. So we created a special area just for elected officials, and some running for office where they could post, without comment following their post. All of this created not by me, but by voters and residents that helped to formulate what would best work for everyone.

Well in year two I found out that some did not have time, "because it was a part time job." Others could not figure out how to log in. (though they voted for "Lightspeed." Others did not like being questioned, so we created a special spot for elected officials where they could post in . While others had decided forums were not their cup of tea. So we have formulated the perfect answer. We will take it to them, we have many more people willing to write about them if they care not to write about themselves. We have more people ready to look at their ideas, if they are not willing to share them themselves. 2007 will see the Lakewood Observer open the door to Lakewood politics just as Mayor Tom George has opened the door to City Hall.

The Lakewood Observer and ALL OF IT's MEMBERS have proven, there is no better way to get information out to the residents of the city of Lakewood. There is no better way to discuss, vet and look at ideas. The Observer has proven time and time again that it can save the city money, time and effort.

In 2007 the Lakewood Observer will be working harder to get our paper and website into everyone's hands, eyes and minds. Will will start pod casting council meeting and school board meetings. So that those that cannot make them, will be able to "tune-in" at their leisure. We have been working on this and now have the space and the means and now people to do it.

So let's not just look at who is running, let's also look at who we have elected. So that all of us can be like Heidi, and know what ALL of our elected officials have done. And we will know their ideas and plans for the future, Lakewood's future, and our future.

The Lakewood Observer prints 16,000 papers and issue on average, with 655,000 page views a month. All Lakewood written entirely by Lakewoodites. Paid for entirely by Lakewood businesses that support the right of every Lakewoodite to know what is going on in this city.

As we get ready to roll out improvements to all parts of the website and paper, 2007, will be a very interesting year, that I can promise you.

.

PS - Mayor Tom George has been one of the most strident supporters of keeping in touch with residents using forums and real names, as has Ryan Patrick Demro.

[DougHuntingdon]

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>Others could not figure out how to log in. (though they voted for "Lightspeed."
<<<<<>>>>>>>>

reminds me of the short video clip of Larry King recently admitting he never uses the internet and has no idea what to do on it

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/15/lar ... -internet/

also reminds me of Alan Greenspan Fed Res. Chairman, who was going to get an email address for the first time after he resigned LOL

Doug

[Jim O'Bryan]

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>Others could not figure out how to log in. (though they voted for "Lightspeed."
<<<<<>>>>>>>>

Doug

Doug

You have no idea the frustration of members of the AB. I was only smart enough to fill the board and staff of the Observer with some of the brightest, hardest working minds and people in Lakewood.

Last year Ken Warren and myself have talked with many others about the Lakewood Observer project and bringing it to their city or business. Each keys into reasons why. Huron it was economic development, Solon it was a way to save the schools money and get information out, Racine Wisconsin, just wanted a paper, Akron was looking to fill the void if the Beacon Journal failed, Northants, England, need a little light to shine into their politics. Some guy in France, asking could it handle a foreign language. Westlake, Bay, and North Olmsted because it is "the best way" to stay in touch with residents. And on and on. Many of these projects will come to fruition in 2007.

Yet here in Lakewood, the city that has tried to figure out wireless for three years, and just voted to open our doors and purses to AT&T's visionary, but as of now vaporware Lightspeed. They cannot find the time or figure out new fangled things like computers (40+ years old) or that new fangled thing called the internet(20+ years old). These are the people that are going to lead Lakewood into the Future!

What was is even more troubling is that the council person that told me they couldn't figure out how to sign in, 1 hour later told a friend after a meeting "I have to rush home and get this on my website." So they are either lying, just incompetent or both.

The Lakewood Observer is provided at no cost. We really try to take all suggestions, and make them work. But sometimes I have to wonder. Last spring someone needed an air conditioner for a woman with cancer. In 5 minutes, we had offers for 4 used units and one new. That afternoon the woman had an air conditioner. This shows the power of the Observer and real people with real names. Yet how many non-profits have signed in to the non-profit area? The common answer is, "We are too busy trying to find..." The same could be said for churches. I get calls all the time from churches asking for help getting the word out. Everyone is told, they can post for free on the calendar, join the discussion and post at no charge in the Church section. The answer, "Well we are busy." So they have enough time to write a letter, or call.

2007, will see a bigger push.

The Lakewood Observer was designed from DAY ONE to get as many people as possible to one location to discuss Lakewood. The theory was no one is right, no one is wrong, all ideas are worth vetting IF you can get enough people at the table. Going back to the WestEnd civil war, the first people I reached out to were both sides, look at the list. Pro development, anti development, pro eminent domain, anti eminent domain. The simple thought was together as a city we can vet ideas and let people make up their minds.

Sorry, to get off on the rant, but...