ANNOUNCEMENT: New Logo for Downtown Lakewood

[sharon kinsella]

I wasn't going to attempt to answer anything tonight because of health issues, but I do want to make a small remark.

There is nothing wrong with asking for answers, there is nothing wrong with asking for clarity. I don't know why it's perceived that way.

Mel, while you go to those meetings, I go to others. I have my work. But, this project involves the city where I do my community organizing volunteer work.

I don't know why my answer couldn't be given concisely and in the same place where I asked it. If it could be posted on the Lakewood Alive sight it would be very easy to post it here.

It was very frustrating to keep on asking and get no response. I would never do that to someone who has made a reasonable request. So now I'm supposed to spend a day with a notebook getting my answer or make a trip to an office to get everything for this.

Awful lot of hoops for a couple of questions.

I'm sure I'll get flak for this also. Silly.

[Dustin James]

Our IRS FORM 990 from 2005, 2006, and 2007 is posted on Guidestar.org.
For those of you unfamiliar with Guidestar, its mission is to revolutionize philanthropy and nonprofit practice by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving.

This post sounds kind of cold or bitter. Is it really that difficult to just talk about this stuff? Mel indicated that there was some kind of conspiracy to divide and conquer and squelch ideas or something. I don't even live there, so it's easy for me to be objective. It's like you have done some due process (paint by numbers) and if anything gets out of order, it throws the whole thing out of whack. Is the process that fragile?

If ordinary citizens don't understand how public funds are being spent, how is the above precept - ..."nonprofit practice by providing information that advances transparency.... really being observed? It's like a lawyer stating obscure precedents. It's technically correct, but it's not communicating to the lay person. Why can't the simple questions be answered right here?
Indeed charitable giving would be further encouraged with further transparency - you quoted it!

1) What portion of the budget for signage came from the city of Lakewood?

2) What portion of LakewoodAlive's budget comes from the city of Lakewood?

3) Is there a breakdown on where LakewoodAlive's budget come from? Private sector? Grants City Of Lakewood? Is everyone volunteer?

4) At Lakewood is Art, all are volunteers, is that true with LakewoodAlive?

5) What percent of Spooky Pooch Parade went to the Animal Shelter?

This should be easy! Not meant to divide anything!

.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Dustin

While your points are correct and should not derail the whole process, this spun out of control for simple enough reasons.

LakewoodAlive and Mary Anne Crampton were not asking for sign ideas, she
was simply asking for us TO PICK ONE OF FOUR COLORS. period.

She overstated the involvement she was searching for. I interviewed someone from the sign committee meeting, to understand what the process was, and it seems more like it was calling a group together to come up with "DowntowN" and turn it over to Studio Graphice for them to do the rest.

I fear my stance might have started this. I often speak with the School Board, City Hall and civic groups about transparency, and the need for real transparency. Mary Anne I believe in an effort to reach out was willing to trust her group, and Lakewoodites with color selection, and we helped too much! Go back and read Sean's post, in it it spells out color selection. In Mary Anne's last post she spells out color selection only.

That would mean, A, B, C, D, no room for any Es, Fs, G, etc.

However this did underline once again what every member of the Lakewood Observer has been saying and demonstrating for years. Step into the light of a real public forum where people take ownership of their thoughts and actions, while given their serious thoughts on an idea, and it can move forward faster, and clearer than anyone ever thought was possible.

People no longer need to hurry home from work, to shower and get cleaned up to go to a meeting for a couple hours, often about things that have already been decided for them. Let them stay at home enjoy their life and family and check in over the course of a couple days to an ongoing discussion that happens in real time, 24/7/365, and you can come up with some amazing results.

FWIW


.

[Donald Farris]

Hi,
I think every public group is being challenged by President Obama on openness.

The question is do they want to be open or do they want to appear as though they are open.

I have gone to many a meeting where open ideas and discussion was not the goal. This forum presents an excellent vehicle for open discussion. But I don't see many organizations up to its full use.

I have been told by some on this forum to call a knowledge source to get an answer to a specific question. Why? A phone call transfer information from one person to another. It can be misinterpreted or the answer could be different for a different person. If I ask a question on this forum and someone (hopefully the true knowledge source) is brave enough to come on and answer, then the information is immediately made available to all that come here and look. It is available for all to use and instantly a matter of public record. That's openness.

Many want to use this forum, not to be open but to advertise. For them I wish they would put Advertisement as the first word in the subject of their thread. If they would do that it would be clear for all involved.

[Grace O'Malley]

Don

You are exactly right.

When Sharon was told to call or stop by the office to get information she requested, and was entitled to, it put the burden on Sharon, not on the person who had the information. What's more, it ignored the fact that Sharon might not be the only one who would want or need this information.

Is information to be doled out in little bits an pieces, or only after jumping through hoops?

[marklingm]

I have been told by some on this forum to call a knowledge source to get an answer to a specific question. Why? A phone call transfer information from one person to another. It can be misinterpreted or the answer could be different for a different person. If I ask a question on this forum and someone (hopefully the true knowledge source) is brave enough to come on and answer, then the information is immediately made available to all that come here and look. It is available for all to use and instantly a matter of public record. That's openness.

Donald,

While I am admittedly drifting this thread ... I would like to briefly respond to your above comment.

I try to be transparent, very transparent. However, there are times that I simply do not know the answers to many questions, but I may know who does know the answer(s). If the person who knows the answer does not post on the Observation Deck, then the person who asked the question and made the telephone call can certainly post the answer here for everyone to read.

Matt

[sharon kinsella]

Thanks Matt for chiming in. If you will notice in the previous posts and references given for finding the information, it's there and it's something that staff and the Board should know.

That's why this is so mystifying.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I try to be transparent, very transparent. However, there are times that I simply do not know the answers to many questions, but I may know who does know the answer(s). If the person who knows the answer does not post on the Observation Deck, then the person who asked the question and made the telephone call can certainly post the answer here for everyone to read.

Matt

Matt

However this is where the trouble starts, and I will use myself for an example and this thread. when I read that Lakewood was "LUCKY" to get the services of a shaker Heights based design company I figure "Free" was part of the equation. After all as a designer, I do not see paid commission and lucky, being in the same sentence.

So that is where the trouble starts.

Certainly you understand that the Deck is without agenda, put it out there, and it will certainly be kicked around but it is done in the open. Anything less is completely disingenuous, or worse.

This site was constructed to take topics out of the shadows and address the great lies and misstruths that had descended upon this town. Many by very good meaning individuals, and some by people who feel that "the gifted chosen few will..."

Currently I see this thread as a simple way to mine emails and contacts so that some groups appear larger than they really are.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread I have just completed my interview with the second person and the "sign" meeting, and it would seem, that it was not a committee to look at or design signs, but more of a Chinese menu. Pick one from column A, one from column B, etc. So that possibly once again it is a very small select group trying to make their decision look like consensus building. Simply put a fraud.

However in the very real world of transparency, what I found interesting is through the smoke and mirrors of deception, the PEOPLE, the tax-payers came back with even more questions to be answered and the topic evolved from "What color" to "How are you spending our money?" A very real and very fair question.

During my study of how this works and unfolds I have heard of all sorts of things from bills for $62,000 being turned down, to prices being slashed in half. In the end, it all comes out in the wash. The city is too small and too inbred to not be transparent, and when the facts fall, they always seem to fall harder, when they fall through the smoke and mirrors onto the streets west of Highland Ave.

FWIW


.

[Grace O'Malley]

What I have trouble understanding is how an organization that claims it is devoted to economic development in Lakewood, and which encourages citizens to "shop Lakewood" and support local business, can find a justification for going outside Lakewood, and spending Lakewood taxpayer money outside of Lakewood, for a job that could have been done by a Lakewood business.

Is this a case of "Do as I say and not as I do?"

[Jim O'Bryan]

What I have trouble understanding is how an organization that claims it is devoted to economic development in Lakewood, and which encourages citizens to "shop Lakewood" and support local business, can find a justification for going outside Lakewood, and spending Lakewood taxpayer money outside of Lakewood, for a job that could have been done by a Lakewood business.

Is this a case of "Do as I say and not as I do?"

Grace

I would agree with this thought. It would seem that they were picked before the meeting.

This is from the recent LakewoodAlive story in this issue of the Lakewood Observer.

LakewoodAlive's mission is to improve the quality of life of residents by creating alliances with community leaders, leveraging community assets and expanding the pool of available resources in order to facilitate economic stabil­ity and growth in the City of Lakewood.

I think it underlines many of the statements and concerns in these posts.

One thing I have learned in my recent dealing with long term large CDCs and community leaders in other cities. The CDCs were created as bridges from the resident to the government. Now those days are long gone as the CDCs are Quasi-Governmental groups. This is why more and more are reaching to Observer Inc. to come into their town and give the residents a voice and a true bridge between government, CDCs, and residents who they are serving.

It has been a real eye-opener as other CDCs like FutureHeights embrace the onloine forums and discussions as opposed to trying to control the message. Of course it was Future Heights that was the group that LakewoodAlive copied. Well, almost, they have completely different philosophies. While Future Heights just asked for and received a 10 year contract for the Observer, LakewoodAlive, seems set on not coming into the forum to discuss Lakewood with its residents.

FWIW


.

[Grace O'Malley]

Just how much money does Lakewood give Lakewood Alive?

According to the annual report, the Financial Supporters include the Institutional Partners of the City of Lakewood and Lakewood City Council.
Also, the Citizens Advisory Committee.

Do they each contribute dollars, and how much? The annual report just has lump sums under Government CDBG and Grants, no breakdown by source.


I'd prefer to see my money go to some of the many other volunteer groups in Lakewood that promote and spend exclusively in Lakewood.

[Mary Anne Crampton]

Thank you for reading our annual report, Grace.

In 2008, Community Block Grant Funds, recommended by the Citizens Advisory Committee (all Lakewood residents) and approved by City Council, for Lakewood Community Progress Inc/LakewoodAlive totaled $27,500.

Grant funds were $11,588 from Heritage Ohio (a competitive grant award), $2,742 match by the City of Lakewood, and $750 from Lakewood-Rocky River Rotary for the Downtown Blossoms program.

If any of you take the time to read the annual report, you will see the incredible number of accomplishments by this organization in 2008. Resident volunteers spent thousands of hours making it all possible with me serving as a facilitator. I challenge you to find another community development organization that has accomplished as much with $136,682.

I/We have nothing to hide. I am extremely proud of our work. We have an infinite amount of it to do. I cannot justify the time it takes to re-write or hand deliver information that is already available through public sources at the click of a mouse for the convenience of a few.

There is no firm in Lakewood that can provide the complete set of services offered by Studio Graphique. We went with the best. We did it for Lakewood. This city deserves it.

We view the Lakewood Observer as one source for releasing information. We know by monitoring our own website/e-letter activity that we get the most engagement from direct e-mailing. This certainly proved to be the case with the color survey, which was sent to the LakewoodAlive e-list 9 hours after posting on the Deck, and would not have been seen by most recipients until the next day.

We will run our organization. You run yours, Jim. It will take awhile to convince me that the Deck is the best place to post information on our activity. I don’t have time to baby sit it to make sure the facts stay straight. That’s not a criticism. It is a fact of dealing in a blog environment.

Anyone that knows me knows that I am not cold, and I am not bitter. I am, however, very, very busy, and cannot add your agenda to mine. I report to a board of trustees, who seems quite happy with my work and the effectiveness of the organization. You are welcome to disagree.

Now I am going back to work. I have wolves to feed:
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/st ... xml&coll=2

[Jim O'Bryan]

We will run our organization. You run yours, Jim. It will take awhile to convince me that the Deck is the best place to post information on our activity.

?

Mary Ann, please, this is not a blog! I am so against blogs and e-letters as you well now. We have been asked to put up "blogs" but they are usual the work of pompous asses, that love to post but feel they are way to important to answer the questions that many have after reading their diatribe.

We have thought of e-letters but find them to be invasive, and very unfulfilling. Once again a great way to get propaganda out to the masses, but it does not foster a real conversation, nor help in anyway towards true transparency.

One of the great moments in "blogdom" would have to be an address I made at a national group of bloggers where I compared them to Al Quaida. They build up their rhetoric, get themselves in a tizzy reading other "bloggers, then put on their suicide vests, and go off to commit online suicide."

It has been the philosphy of the Observer since day one. To pass any and all information without slant or bias. And use that to build the very public, very inclusive on-line and in person discussion. That it is only through transparency, and public discussion/dissension that real problems can be solved. This this is not Jimmyville, but Lakewood Ohio.

While I understand some of your frustration I guess, I do not understand the you run your business and I will run mine? If you have any ideas or suggestions on how to run this project better, more transparent, more inclusive, that can help this city, the residents or LakewoodAlive, please post them publicly, and I will answer them publicly. Because just maybe, I can get a response from someone that was not available, today, last week, last year, whenever, but has the time and inclination to join in now.

While not a 501C3, I see this as a true community project for the community.

No wolves, but things to do, but I am always available to answer any question asked about the Observer, or this project.

.



.

[Jim O'Bryan]

organization that has accomplished as much with $136,682.

I know of one.



.

[sharon kinsella]

Well, I guess we've been told.