No garbage service so Mayor can have his New Jail?

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:29 am

Charlie

I wrote an answer to you a couple days ago, but it has become a story in the Lakewood Observer.

Here is the short version. I take people at their word. I certainly take elected officials and civic leaders at their word. When the Observer Project was hatched the LO talked with every elected official at the time city and schools. We also reached out to all civic leaders, or at least to those we thought were civic leaders, and some that thought they were themselves came to us. We asked what they would need to take part and all said, "real names."

The premise, The Sun Papers had not really covered Lakewood in 15 years. The Plain Dealer only showed up for crime and to twist anything at the library into a porno story. The other "boards" were filled with people using as many as seven names, and the lies were flying fast and loose.

So we asked each one. If we spend the time and start a paper and discussion area using real names, would you take part. ALL, I repeat all said, as long as there are real names being used, they would take part.

Now I ask you, in 2008, which is the faster more efficient, easier and best way to reach out to the citizens to vet ideas and carry on legitimate discussions? Having the entire city head to a council or school board meeting where a person can get up to five minutes to voice a concern with no guarantee, and certainly no real discussion. Or to allow a conversation to go on 24/7/365, so a resident can take part wherever they are, even out of town on vacation or business? Should we all get dressed and drive to council every meeting, spending 3-5 hours for a chance to ask a question, or turn on the computer and post one.

After all, these are elected officials, and "civic leaders." You would imagine they would be happy to discuss and answer questions about Lakewood. After all they all paid good money to run, for the chance to serve Lakewoodites. AND, they are the ones hooking us up with new technology like UVerse, and WiFi.

My thought, they can't put it up. So they marginalize the product, and the process. Every idea in this city, including me running this project deserves to see the light of day, be questioned, and vetted. Since starting this four times, people have asked my board to fire me, make me step down, or at least control my fingers. All four times, I welcomed the discussion, and waited anxiously to hear what my board and the residents would say and ask for.

If this city is really going to move forward and into a solid future, we must stop the back room, hallway meetings and bring the information to the table for all to see and digest. A civic leader a couple weeks ago, assured me that "It is the rare person with the passion and capacity to rise above the negativity and second-guessing of the vocal few....and those gifted leaders will surely look to like-minded folks to move the community forward. " Sounds like a Star Chamber to me. Had I said that, the vocal few(5,385 members) would have asked for my head on a plate yet again.

Me, I am hoping we can find some more Charlie Pages, Shelley Hirds, Justine Coopers, Bill Calls, Shawn Juris, and yes Stephen Eisels and Sharon Kinsellas to take part in this project.

Gary

Actually our numbers are up again. Between Thanksgiving and Kwanza the numbers are usually lower than other months. I figure it is because we are busy, and spending more time face to face with the family and friends. This season the numbers are up 23% from last year at this time.

FWIW

Shelley Hurd · Post by **Shelley Hurd** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:37 am

Will Brown wrote:Having a lot of lurkers doesn't necessarily mean that there is great interest in the subject, nor that anyone agrees with your arguments. Perhaps we follow this thread because the observer lacks a comics section and we get some amusement from some of the postings here. We'd probably buy tickets to a freak show, too, if they still held them. So when one poster harps incessantly on the providing of medical care for prisoners, which is required by law, that is worth a good laugh.

I'm against the automated pickup service, but for aesthetic reasons, and because I don't think the advocated have demonstrated that it will work in a crowded community such as Lakewood.

I've lived in towns that had municipal service, that had privatized service contracted by the city, and in a city where no service was provided, and you had to find your own provider. All worked. One advantage of providing your own service is that those of us who recycle seriously and try to limit our waste, could find a provider at a lower cost than our neighbor who generates four times the trash.

Given limited resources, a problem for the city that is almost certain to grow worse, I would much prefer keeping our excellent fire and police services, and leaving disposal services to the individual resident.

Will Brown wrote:"So when one poster harps incessantly on the providing of medical care for prisoners, which is required by law, that is worth a good laugh."

For some of lakewood residents, giving up our services and seeing our services diminished is not "worth a good laugh" It is worth outrage.
For some Lakewood residents giving up services and seeing them diminished to possibly pay for inmate medical costs while alot of us struggle to pay for our own medical needs and those of our families, would not be "worth a good laugh" its untolerable.

Will, if you have issue with that statement, take it up with the Police Chief:

" Lakewood pays picks up the tab for 90% of inmates without medical insurance since they are too poor to pay." Trend- inmates "game" system - know that city will handle medical problems/cost. Structural Balance 2007, Meeting with the Police Chief: Tim Oâ€™Malley, June 28, 2007) "since cities are required to pay for inmate medical costs."
(Structural Balance 2007, Meeting with the Police Chief: Tim Oâ€™Malley, June 28, 2007)

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:38 am

PUBLIC NOTICE:

ON 9/29/08 JIM O'BRIAN POSTED ABOVE

"Me, I am hoping we can find some more Charlie Pages, Shelley Hirds, Justine Coopers, Bill Calls, Shawn Juris, and yes Stephen Eisels and Sharon Kinsellas to take part in this project."

PLEASE NOTE THE OMISSION OF THE NAME "GARY RICE" FROM HIS LIST.

If this keeps up, it might do wonders for my self-esteem...

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:50 am

Gary Rice wrote:"Me, I am hoping we can find some more Charlie Pages, Shelley Hirds, Justine Coopers, Bill Calls, Shawn Juris, and yes Stephen Eisels and Sharon Kinsellas to take part in this project."

PLEASE NOTE THE OMISSION OF THE NAME "GARY RICE" FROM HIS LIST.

If this keeps up, it might do wonders for my self-esteem...

Gary

I have lived here on and off for 53 years. If there is one thing I know, there is only one you. To be honest, I have never met anyone like you ever, anywhere else in the world.

Your compassion, knowledge, understanding and drive are like nothing I have ever witnessed.

Wait

I forgot about Bob. The two of you are like no one else I have ever met...

.

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:21 pm

Just pullin' your chain, Jimmy.

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

No one like you, either.

You do your best to keep this ol' house of cards of ours standin'!

Trouble is, we just got us too many Jokers in the 'Deck!

(Double meaning found here for all you secret-surfer types)

Shelley Hurd · Post by **Shelley Hurd** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:52 am

Jim O'Bryan wrote: If this city is really going to move forward and into a solid future, we must stop the back room, hallway meetings and bring the information to the table for all to see and digest. A civic leader a couple weeks ago, assured me that "It is the rare person with the passion and capacity to rise above the negativity and second-guessing of the vocal few....and those gifted leaders will surely look to like-minded folks to move the community forward. " Sounds like a Star Chamber to me. Had I said that, the vocal few(5,385 members) would have asked for my head on a plate yet again.

Apparently the Mayor has a documented history of wanting to hide from the light of public input and remove from residents the right to opinion:

â€œThe Public has right to be notified*. Residents and voters get to know about a item on the docket before it is voted on. Well Councilman Fitzgerald fought on the side that the public does not need to know what council is voting on. â€œ

http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... ae&start=0

And I thought it was something new â€¦. I am learning slowly the Mayors true colors and how consistent his actions have seemingly always been to hide his actions from public scrutiny.

To some of you this isnâ€™t not anything revealing or unknown, but to me its surreal and I can honestly say I find it utterly disturbing.

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:18 am

Shelley Hurd · Post by **Shelley Hurd** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:41 am

Steve

Where is his Jail info? please link that also

Shelley Hurd · Post by **Shelley Hurd** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:56 am

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:57 am

The jail issue has been around since at leat 2004.

http://ci.lakewood.oh.us/citynews_press_2004.html

MAYOR GEORGE ESTABLISHES GROW LAKEWOOD COMMITTEE

At the regularly scheduled Lakewood City Council Meeting on April 5th, Mayor Thomas J. George proposed the establishment of a Grow Lakewood Committee to address the many long-term concerns facing Lakewood.

The Grow Lakewood Committee will review and make recommendations regarding:

â€¢ Lakewood's long-term revenue structure and major cost trends
â€¢ Lakewood's long-term physical needs including inadequacies in our City jail
â€¢ Lakewood's long-term economic development strategy as it applies to the Main Street Study and Community Vision

The Committee will consist of 15 members-seven selected by Lakewood City Council and eight selected by the Mayor. Michael Summers, former School Board President, has agreed to serve as Chair of the Grow Lakewood Committee. A long-time Lakewood resident, Mr. Summers' experience and knowledge of the City will help guide the Committee through this task. It is hoped that the Committee will be in place by May 1, 2004 and the Committee will present its report by September 15th.

"I am pleased to announce the establishment of the Grow Lakewood Committee," said Mayor George. "Lakewood, like many other communities, is faced with long-term concerns that need to be addressed. The Grow Lakewood Committee will study these issues and make recommendations to City Hall as to how to tackle them."

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:01 am

http://www.ci.lakewood.oh.us/pdf/2006gr ... report.pdf

Page 44
Existing jail is inadequate for current
prisoner load
â€“ 1990â€™s DUI/Domestic

Shelley Hurd · Post by **Shelley Hurd** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:03 am

Steve,
Alot of the things I have read in that "Grow Lakewood" has never been acted upon.

And I am asking for Fitzgeralds current information. Not something from another Mayor and from years ago. ../sigh

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:08 am

And just how public was this issue made to the public?

It was a press release and posted on the city's website.

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:12 am

Shelley Hurd wrote:Steve,
Alot of the things I have read in that "Grow Lakewood" has never been acted upon.

And I am asking for Fitzgeralds current information. Not something from another Mayor and from years ago. ../sigh

Read the title of your thread

Shelley Hurd · Post by **Shelley Hurd** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:19 am

Stephen Eisel wrote:http://www.ci.lakewood.oh.us/pdf/2006growlakewoodreport.pdf

Page 44
Existing jail is inadequate for current
prisoner load
â€“ 1990â€™s DUI/Domestic

Oh now come on Steve, page 4-7 Auditor of State Performance Audit 2008,

"Despite the additional cost of contracting for prisoner housing in certain situations; LPD's total prisoner support costs have declined 28 percent since 2005..."
I say let another city deal with Lakewoods released prisoners in their neighborhoods...not have us deal with theirs in ours.

But hay thats just me right? I am sure theres an out pouring of Lakewood residents demanding Westlake, Bayvillage, Fairview, Rocky River....all send us their criminals. Weeeeee Ooo Rah!

So pedal the propaganda else where. The Mayor and Council may want Lakewood to be known for its outstanding criminal housing, but me, I prefer a return to being known as Lakewood City of Homes and for our "OUTSTANDING city Services"