Anti-Summers vs. Pro-Skindell

[Jim Kenny]

Mike: You have me confused with someone else. I've only ever given praise for the Observer and its mission, so I award this effort with critical feedback when some members fail to hold true to these ends. If a cancer does arise, I do my best to inject facts and share these as I understand them to eradicate the antigen.

Phil's question that started this thread inspired me to look for facts. When I discovered these, I shared with others who can benefit from the knowledge and did so in the spirit of the Observer's mission.

[Michael Deneen]

Mike: You have me confused with someone else. I've only ever given praise for the Observer and its mission, so I award this effort with critical feedback when some members fail to hold true to these ends.

As Mr. Wadden so consistently points out, I like to keep screenshots.
This is a good example why.

This statement was made by Mr. Kenny on the BL FB page:
"Mr. Anderson didn't share this plea with Lakewood Buzz, nor on this FB page or the SLH page. He went to the Deck and the Deck only. Like a surgeon attacking a cancer, he went right to the source."

[Jim Kenny]

Thank you, Mike. You've proven what I said. When a cancer arises on the Observer deck we all have an obligation to treat it. My post that you recalled from Facebook only echoes my point.

[Jim Kenny]

Again, Mike, thanks for supporting me. In the spirit of the deck, however, we can't ignore the genesis of this thread, which is what are the qualifications and capabilities of applicant Skindell to serve as leader and chief executive of our city.

[Brian Essi]

Jim Kenny,

Speaking of personal responsibility to an "organization":

Did you participate in the preparation and content of BL postcard? If not, who did?

Did you attend the meeting where your leadership encouraged BLers to make criminal complaints against me for a post addressing their personal responsibility for their involvement? If not who did?

Do these actions by BLers concern you?

Oh, please do share you knowledge of this for the benefit of others and in the spirit of neighborliness.

[Bridget Conant]

The reason Mr Kenny calls the Observer a "cancer" is because THEY CANNOT CONTROL IT.

Build Lakewood simply must control the conversation or else they lose.

As someone who went door to door for petition signatures, I was astounded at the level of knowledge the residents had about the hospital situation. I asked each person where they obtained info about the city and the hospital and EVERY SINGLE ONE said the OBSERVER!

While I realize it will induce conniptions in the Summers/BL crowd, the truth is that this is the source for MANY Lakewood residents. Why else would BL work so hard to discredit and malign the Observer?

Oh and BTW, ages ranged from 24 to 78, so it's a great cross section of the city.

[todd heckeler]

Since this has now shifted topic to the deck. It's not that people don't read the deck, but no one comments on the deck, big difference. 10-20 "guests" most times all day, some could be robots, but there are a lot of people here, reading. I'm sure Jim could give you the click numbers via google analytics (Tracker: UA-6690394-1). Getting people to come back to the deck will be an undertaking when this is over since I'm sure he lost quite a few people in the last few months, only really 6 remain.

Anyhow, getting back on track, what happened to that debate Skindell requested with Summers?

BTW, great thread Fil.

[Bridget Conant]

Oh Todd, you must be Sasquatch!

You all desperately want to marginalize the Deck and you are posting this same crap all over the place.

As if that stops people from reading here! Continue to knock yourselves out using all your phony screen names.

Let's see how well that strategy works.

[todd heckeler]

Oh Todd, you must be Sasquatch!

You all desperately want to marginalize the Deck and you are posting this same crap all over the place.

As if that stops people from reading here! Continue to knock yourselves out using all your phony screen names.

Let's see how well that strategy works.

Sasquatch? What are you talking about now? I post here sometimes, actually not a whole lot, I quit facebook a month or so ago and I really don't bother with much more than reading the deck and sometimes posts/articles my wife points out to me. I've been actively trying to not bother interacting with the other side. You must be Nessie?

But, I've been wondering what happened to the debate? I figured Skindell might not do too well after the interview at the PD.

[Lori Allen _]

Mr.Kenny,

I asked you several days ago to break down Build Lakewood's post card statements by posting your proof along with the documentation to back those statements up. I am still waiting for your reply. Just wondering when we might expect to see it.

[Jim Kenny]

All: this thread is dedicated to examining the fitness of mayoral applicant Michael Skindell to serve the highest office in our city government. Out of respect to Phil and the larger Observer community, we should remain on subject.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim O/Bryan: I can appreciate your respect for the service by Senator Skindell. Yes, council does set the budget; however, the executive or mayor spends it. We all have limited income and must budget accordingly. When we spend more than our budget, we're unable to pay bills. When we do it repeatedly, we need to examine if there's a problem that reaches beyond managing a checkbook.

This is why employers do background checks, as a prospective employee will soon be spending money the employer has budgeted. If the employee spends too much and does this too often, the employer has a problem. As the voter/employer, I have an obligation to avoid putting my neighbors into such jeopardy.

Jim

Please no more BS, even Hennis Paynter said to BuildLakewood folks, time to get the truth out.

Council sets the budget, the Mayor has a limited amount he can play with, and can certainly lobby for programs he wants.

The City is not permitted to spend more than it has. It is in the Charter.

Also I do believe State Senator Skindell spent more time on City Council than the mayor, so maybe he knows more about the budgeting.

Here is one for you, talk among our friends.

Perhaps city are not served well by businessmen who owned small family businesses as they have a tendency to do things their way without consensus or talking about it in public. This came from a councilman that is no longer on Council. Having worked with many small business and owning a couple, I know this to be true. Where State Senator Skindell is used to building consensus, especially in a State House that is heavily the other party.

Again, 1 candidate has been working hard on this since 2011 according to his literature, and he decided by himself, he would get the Clinic out and move the public assets to a private group. Had I not broken the story the single largest change in Lakewood's history would have been done entirely in secret behind the backs of the people.

There is no excuse for how badly managed this nightmare is. I understand now why Mayor Summers was for a City Manager, he was in way over his head, but never bothered to let anyone know. City Hall is hemorrhaging from inside, good employees being run out, by nasty evil tactics, I have been talking to a couple from the Building Department, that have given great service to Lakewood residents, gone, and boy are they speaking.

.

[Jim Kenny]

Jim O’Bryan: Thanks for the response, as I share your value for the truth.

We’ll need to disagree that a mayor has limited powers to affect whether a budget is met or exceeded. If this was true, Jenn Pae wouldn’t need to report so frequently on the state of the city’s finances to Council. We need to recall the struggles of Dennis Kucinich.

Your theory that a private business man isn’t accustomed to answering to others is worthy of consideration. I can’t say whether this is an accurate portrayal of our Mayor Summers. I have seen no evidence. But, yes, he's vulnerable. Yet being a legislator doesn't translate to a pedigree in collaboration. Again, we only need to recall Dennis Kucinich's tenure a U.S. representative. Consensus building wasn't not his forte.

I do believe the Mayor is dedicated to solving the issue of accessible and reasonable healthcare being available in Lakewood. He has deliberated this question over the decades as a council person, trustee, Mayor and as a patient. The hospital has struggled to be sustainable since 1986. It’s not an easy answer, and it doesn't help leaders when the landscape keeps changing from the combined market forces of technology and decreased need for inpatient beds from improved health. The City enlisted UH in the 1980s to help us figure it out. They walked away by the mid-1990s. Again, not easy. A lot of minds smarter than mine have and continue to struggle. They need our help.

My understanding is the difference of time spent on council is marginal when comparing the tenures of Summers and Skindell. I do know Skindell has spent a number of years downstate, yet I’m unfamiliar with any legislation that he’s authored that has made our lives better. I have been told that he put a rider in an unrelated bill that legislated the drop in speed limit on the Shoreway from 50 mph to the now 35 mph. If true, that kind of old style backroom deal making makes me uneasy.

You need not convince me of the merits of a City Manager. Lakewoodite Steve Davis once lived on the block behind me. We had many a discussion of this topic over the fence posts.

In the meantime, until the structure of our government changes, I’ll lend my support to those we’ve collectively asked to lead us. My skin is much too thin to serve as an elected official and ask my family to tolerate some of the vicious comments made here and elsewhere about these public servants. So if I’m going to ask our elected officials to lead us and to tolerate the mud, the least I can do is wipe off what I believe to be undeserved. I guess I rather build up a person than tear them down. It's a healthier approach for the community and for me.

[Michael Deneen]

All: this thread is dedicated to examining the fitness of mayoral applicant Michael Skindell to serve the highest office in our city government. Out of respect to Phil and the larger Observer community, we should remain on subject.

As usual, Build Lakewood refuses to answer direct questions.

[Lori Allen _]

Mr. Kenny,
OK. I suggest then that you start a new thread to show your documentation for Build Lakewood's post card. We don't care really what thread you put it on, please, just do it.
Thank you.