City Goes To War Against Root Cafe

[Jim O'Bryan]

Sometimes things just never make sense.

Since Julie and Bobby saved Phoenix Coffee from closing well over a decade ago, the City of Lakewood has been desperate to cash in on their cool, but they fight it at every turn. In flyers and ads they have run elsewhere Root Cafe and Melt are celebrated as places to come and see that are great for business.

Julie hangs in and makes a major reinvestment in the city with the Root Cafe, a pure act of love and family for the community, and as soon as it got popular, up went the "No Loitering" signs that appear nowhere else in the city. "Come to DowntowN Lakewood, just don't stop and talk! The City is desperate for any cool they think they can grab, then they run from it when it makes them uncomfortable. Then they try to make it illegal, even when it affects a legal business.

Last week one of the meter readers was working the strip from Cook to Andrews and one of the Bohemians walked in front and hit the meters, and the meter reader got mad. Let's be honest, you would be mad too. You see some violators, and there are always violators near the Root, me being one of them. You walk over in the rain, or the snow, and some punk hippiester presses the button, it has to be like hunting wabbits, and one of them gets away because you were too slow.

The other day it happened yet again, and "The Man" was quick to strike, like some overbearing father. "You can't be trusted with free 15 minutes, and people have been adding to them for free, so the 15 minutes will go, all are punished." Well actually the only ones punished again are the shop owners. For 3 of the 4 places on that block, 15 minutes was just enough time to shop and go. For the Root Cafe it was a lifeline for those without a drive through window. A steady line of cars all day. This will hurt them, just like no loitering, and before you know the real cool, the organic cool, the cool built with love and respect for a community goes too.

I really like Lakewood Meter Police, I talk with them often, usually saying, "Damn my timer..." They are courteous, professional, helpful and even forgiving. They are assets to the community, however, this needs to be set straight and the 15 minutes need to return. As this City quickly loses "our cool factor" with things going on, we must not let the things that make us who we are disappear for petty reasons.

Bring the FREE 15 MINUTES BACK.

.

[Brian Essi]

Jim

Do you think that this could be a classic example of the "Conformity Police"? Not to be confused with the Lakewood Police, the "Comformity Police" are folks who can't stand people who think different, act different, dress different, look different etc.

Like "those people" from across 117th street who come Lakewood Hospital for their healthcare?

Business owners who live on Edgewater Drive who are afraid to put SLH or Skindell signs in their yards?

People who are unfriended on Facebook and shunned from social circles if they post the wrong thing on the Deck or if their husbands do?

People whose neighbors report them for walking their dogs the wrong way because of the signs in their yards?

Or people who speak out for victims and are reported to the police as "bullies" and "threats" or "crossing the line" becaue the Conformiy Police are "incomfortable"

Or people who Summers and his Conformity Police surrogates just don't like?

Is it possible that this is what Lakewood has become in 2015 just 4 years after an intolerant man and his goons have seized control of "thoughts" and "expressions". Can we afford another 4 years of this?


Jim, I just asking, it this what you are trying to tell us---that Defendant Summers is not a promoter of Lakewood businesses in our City and is really just supportive of businessmen and women who bow to his thinking.

FYI back in the 80's my late
father was on the Planning Commison and fought to save those 4 meters in front of the stores there because the lose of those spaces would have hurt the businesses.

Why would a mayor want to punish the owners of those businesses?

[m buckley]

Given the pattern, given the rhetoric, here's what comes next: when " Those people from across 117th street" start soaking up the sun on Mike Summers' Solstice Steps that will be the exact moment when signs appear requiring proof of Lakewood residency.

[Matthew Lee]

Thanks for the heads up. To net this out, is the 15 minutes free gone from every meter in Lakewood? Or just the ones on Detroit going Westbound in front of the Root/Lion/Exchange/etc? Thanks!

[cameron karslake]

From another thread (What happened to the free 15 minutes?) I wrote:

I have noticed this as well and it's a shame. People from out of town and out of state were amazed that this was the case in Lakewood for years, remarking on how it is a very pro-business approach to limited downtown parking. It was one of the things that made Lakewood so appealing and unique. As with most things that are changed by city hall, it's all about the $ now.

I have no time to figure out those parking kiosks! I am probably not the only one either, much to the detriment of our local businesses. Sorry guys, I wish I was paying more attention when mayor/council thought it was OK to eliminate the free 15.

...not about The Root in particular, but this is a disturbing trend throughout the city. And a very petty obsession considering what REAL $$$ is at stake in the city.
Maybe Summers thinks this will be one way to make up for the incredible loss of millions of $ he's supporting and actually fighting for?!

[cameron karslake]

Thanks for the heads up. To net this out, is the 15 minutes free gone from every meter in Lakewood? Or just the ones on Detroit going Westbound in front of the Root/Lion/Exchange/etc? Thanks!

Matthew:

No, I don't believe this is the case thankfully. Most are still intact on Detroit, unless they have been replaced in recent years. As far as I know, the lot between Gladys and Cook used to have the free 15 but now it's all pay. Those bioswales are not cheap you know! Come to think of it, I believe all three lots in a row there are all pay now. Heck, if you aren't familiar with pay system installed, it takes 15 minutes to figure out how to use it. No thanks. Lakewood's a walking city anyways.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Thanks for the heads up. To net this out, is the 15 minutes free gone from every meter in Lakewood? Or just the ones on Detroit going Westbound in front of the Root/Lion/Exchange/etc? Thanks!

Matthew / All

The 15 minutes was put back on the meters.

It only effected the meters in from of the Root - Exchange, and near Calanni's where the city also felt there was abuse.

Last night Lakewood Police came in, apologized to Julie, and put the meters right.

All a big mix up I guess, thought it might be, the meter people are great people to talk to. Next time they hand you a ticket, thank them sith a smaile and talk to them. You will be shocked at how much they have to say about everything non-political in Lakewood and the rest of the world. It is a great crew.

.

[Bridget Conant]

Good news!

[todd heckeler]

All a big mix up I guess, thought it might be, the meter people are great people to talk to.

I find this statement puzzling, if you thought it might be a big mix up why the inflammatory title, the need to create a new thread and the doom and gloom post?

[Corey Rossen]

All a big mix up I guess, thought it might be, the meter people are great people to talk to.

I find this statement puzzling, if you thought it might be a big mix up why the inflammatory title, the need to create a new thread and the doom and gloom post?

Shock value allows for a wider use of emojis.

Corey

Corey

[marklingm]

All a big mix up I guess, thought it might be, the meter people are great people to talk to.

I find this statement puzzling, if you thought it might be a big mix up why the inflammatory title, the need to create a new thread and the doom and gloom post?

Todd,

I believe that Jim is giving City Hall the "benefit of the doubt" on this one.

While the Team Summers and Build Lakewood gang love to bash Jim O'Bryan, he actually does give City Hall the "benefit of the doubt" as often as possible.

As an aside, who cares what Jim posts?

According to the Team Summers and Build Lakewood gang, nobody reads The Lakewood Observer or the Deck ... but they sure seem to submit an awful lot of articles and posts on forums that nobody reads ... according to Team Summers and Build Lakewood.

Matt

[Jim O'Bryan]

All a big mix up I guess, thought it might be, the meter people are great people to talk to.

I find this statement puzzling, if you thought it might be a big mix up why the inflammatory title, the need to create a new thread and the doom and gloom post?

Todd

I think this one worked out. I think it was all a big brew-ha-ha over nothing. I have been watching it escalate for about a week.

How did I know?

I actually talk to the meter police as they write me tickets and walk by. They have a thankless job, no-one likes to see them near their car. But Lakewood has a great tradition of hiring good people for this job, and I like talking with them. Half of their year it is freezing or wet, they lug around quarters that aren't light, and most people hate them. Undeserved.

Todd, actually I give City Hall a ton of credit. The Police and Fire do a great job. Public Works and Services for the most part do a good job. The City of Lakewood does hundreds if not thousands of things each week, and most are done in a competent manor has they have been done for decades and decades. After all the renaissance has been in place since Tony Sinagra, everyone else has merely maintained it, which is worth of praise. As the rest of the country fails, the City of Lakewood, continues to hold its own as a top tier city in the county.

But when hundreds of thousands of assets go missing, yard sales stop over one person, courts locked and we are told no money, and the mayor spends like a drunken sailor on concrete, I tend to go, hey, let's talk about it.

.

[Corey Rossen]

All a big mix up I guess, thought it might be, the meter people are great people to talk to.

I find this statement puzzling, if you thought it might be a big mix up why the inflammatory title, the need to create a new thread and the doom and gloom post?

Todd

I think this one worked out. I think it was all a big brew-ha-ha over nothing. I have been watching it escalate for about a week.

How did I know?

I actually talk to the meter police as they write me tickets and walk by. They have a thankless job, no-one likes to see them near their car. But Lakewood has a great tradition of hiring good people for this job, and I like talking with them. Half of their year it is freezing or wet, they lug around quarters that aren't light, and most people hate them. Undeserved.

Todd, actually I give City Hall a ton of credit. The Police and Fire do a great job. Public Works and Services for the most part do a good job. The City of Lakewood does hundreds if not thousands of things each week, and most are done in a competent manor has they have been done for decades and decades. After all the renaissance has been in place since Tony Sinagra, everyone else has merely maintained it, which is worth of praise. As the rest of the country fails, the City of Lakewood, continues to hold its own as a top tier city in the county.

But when hundreds of thousands of assets go missing, yard sales stop over one person, courts locked and we are told no money, and the mayor spends like a drunken sailor on concrete, I tend to go, hey, let's talk about it.

.

I don't think that answers, or addresses, his question about the click-bait thread title.

Corey

[Brian Essi]

Corey and Todd

You two haven't answered dozens of questions posed to you on straight factual matters of importance.

But you whine about "click-bait" --a matter of style not substance. Hence Eric Sandy's article and comments about Horace Mann School.

I enjoy your posts as they add to the tapestry of the Deck.

However, it would be a refreshing change for the rest if you could make yourselves a bit uncomfortable and dig deep in your bag of stuff and string together a few sentences of substance.

You can keep demanding answers and a refusing to engage in meaningful dialogue because it's the Deck.

I'm just trying to help you.

[Corey Rossen]

Corey and Todd

You two haven't answered dozens of questions posed to you on straight factual matters of importance.

But you whine about "click-bait" --a matter of style not substance. Hence Eric Sandy's article and comments about Horace Mann School.

I enjoy your posts as they add to the tapestry of the Deck.

However, it would be a refreshing change for the rest if you could make yourselves a bit uncomfortable and dig deep in your bag of stuff and string together a few sentences of substance.

You can keep demanding answers and a refusing to engage in meaningful dialogue because it's the Deck.

I'm just trying to help you.

Please refresh my memory or redirect. Which question(s) have I not answered?

I know that I goof off a lot on the Deck, but tend to think that I address questions that are posed to me.

Corey