We Need Leaders, Not Santas

[Jim O'Bryan]

It occurred to me this morning while answering Lynn Ferris's thread on one word for Lakewood, that Lakewood is in dire need of leaders. Currently we have a couple, but most view themselves as Santa Claus.

Santa works hard all year long in the privacy of his workshop to present the SURPRISE. Which all should be grateful for, even if they are the wrong size, color of socks. Then disappears into the night, satisfied with the great job he did for everyone. Never sticking around to hear, "Hey wait, this isn't right." Let's be honest, Santa thinks he is doing a great job.

Leaders on the other hand, get into the mosh pit of the city and life. They reach down to help pull others up. They are not afraid of new ideas or even where those new ideas may come from. They do not hide in closets avoiding eye contact or the tough questions. They do not run from their duties and responsibilities. They make the time, to lead, to be heard and to be understood. They accept responsibility for their actions, while giving proper to kudos to others that succeed, or try. Even in the middle of a tough fight, a leader reaches down, and helps the person that was just knocked down, off the canvas and their back.

Last week, after a heated discussion on trash collection Mayor Edward FitzGerald came in to lead us all through the discussion. In the end, even some of his most ardent opponents saw a glimpse of the light given off by a leader.

There has been a movement by some who thought they were leaders in their own minds to quiet, and even shut down completely some of Lakewood's finest leaders. Because those people's thoughts were not parallel with their own thoughts, dreams or desires. Simply put, it is the win at all cost mentality that dragged this country down for years.

Lakewood desperately needs more leaders, we need no more Santas.

FWIW


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[Will Brown]

I thought of your adulative post when I was out shoveling snow.

I think we need good leaders, not just leaders. After all, most of the most evil persons in history have been leaders, but have led their followers down the wrong path.

My feeling is that we do not yet know enough about how Mr. Fitzgerald will run things to agree that he is a good leader. He seems very involved and willing to speak out, but we won't know if some of his ideas are good until well after they have been irretrievably put into effect. He seems to me to be someone who has an idea, and resolutely defends it, even in the face of criticism. I would rather have a leader who really listens, and is willing to adjust his ideas when valid criticism is set out.

As I said, I thought of this while I was shoveling snow, when I realized that, because the plows had created a bunker of heavy snow on my tree lawn, it would be very difficult to shovel out a place for the mini-dumpster, and even if I could, the vaunted one-armed truck would not be able to reach it because of the tree and the parked car between the open lane and the dumpster site. So it occurred to me that the only way to make what I like to call Fitzgerald's folly work would be to ban on-street parking on pickup day. I can't recall that being openly presented as a part of the plan; perhaps they just haven't thought of it yet.

I also wondered why they ran their test demonstration of the equipment in a parking lot with absolutely no obstructions; I think that is a biased test, and an honest test would have involved showing whether or not the equipment would work on a narrow Lakewood street with parked cars (we have no lack of such streets). Were I a council member, I would want to see such a demonstration before investing so much money in the technology.

So as far as this proposal, I think Mr. Fitzgerald looks more like a scam artist than a leader.

With city finances as bad as I have no doubt they are, and worsening, I think a real leader would start with a gesture of reducing the compensation of the mayor and council, before rushing to end the jobs of so many useful workers. There must be better ways of reducing expenditures while preserving the services that distinguish Lakewood from Cleveland. If we all bought an extra garbage can or two, and concentrated on reducing the volume of our waste, perhaps we could go to biweekly pickups. After all, y pickups was probably needed many years ago when so much garbage was being discarded, and would rot if not picked up promptly; but today I think almost all of us have garbage disposers, and put very little garbage or table scraps in the garbage cans.

So I agree with you that we need good leaders, but I think its too soon to agree that we have any.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Will

I also wondered why they ran their test demonstration of the equipment in a parking lot with absolutely no obstructions; I think that is a biased test, and an honest test would have involved showing whether or not the equipment would work on a narrow Lakewood street with parked cars (we have no lack of such streets). Were I a council member, I would want to see such a demonstration before investing so much money in the technology.

If you look at my photos http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/ ... ember-2008 you can see that after demonstrating it in the parking lot. The test went up the street and it was indeed tested near cars, on hills, and up the street.

The arm was too short. The test also had a moment where it did not grab the can. We all believe that it was because there was no trash or weight in the can. The machine can obviously pick up cans, but...

I would say that many of your evil leaders were great leaders, but without the proper direction or soul. This is true today on many levels. I would also ask you think next time you are shoveling to think of different leaders and the skil sets they need depending on how they lead.

One of the city's finest leaders won me over when asking a question, he would give me his answer, then suggest books that present opposite sides of the argument, and tel me to decide for myself. To me this showed a strength and knowledge that few of the leaders I know have.

As for Mayor FitzGerald, all I can say is that we camefrom about as far apart that I can get with a politician. Over the course of years I had many heated arguments, discussions and talks. While I can say that I did not always agree with him, he always was willing to listen, and to explain himself as best he could to me. In the end, he always took responsibility for his actions. To be honest I am not sure how much more we could possible ask from an elected official. This has nothing to do with if his ideas work or not, that is why they make voting booths. But I have grown to respect Mayor FitzGerald, and appreciate many of the things he is doing, that I am not sure if anyone else in this town could have done.

What always worries me are those that think they are gifted, or have some divine right to "save us from ourselves." That only they can lead us out of the dark into the light. "Trust us." More often than not, the ideas and plans are weak, and this is why they are hatched in little meetings, and "sprung" on us at the very last moment. After all, the less time we have to think about it, the more solid the smoke and mirrors seem. They fear the vetting process, and the light of knowledge. At best illusionists, but more like snake oil salesmen.

Again next time shoveling, "Why would real leaders fear the light of day, and help in the vetting process?" What do they fear?

FWIW


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[Bill Call]

As I said, I thought of this while I was shoveling snow, when I realized that, because the plows had created a bunker of heavy snow on my tree lawn, it would be very difficult to shovel out a place for the mini-dumpster,

And how do cushmans ride into a back yard to pick up the trash when the driveway is covered in snow?

More police and a balanced budget or back yard pick up? Government is about making choices. Which would you choose?

[Shelley Hurd]

[Jim O'Bryan]

Bill / Shelley

We really have to be careful of thread drift here.

FWIW


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