Did Metzger & Beegan Intend to Win?

[Lori Allen _]

http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/DisplayFil ... 677cc671ba

http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/DisplayFil ... 71b4603bc9

These campaign finance reports are those of Paul Beegan and Pat Metzger, whom were candidates for wards 2 and 1 city council, respectively. According to Beegan's report, a handful of mayor's friends gave to his campaign, including Pam Smith, Mary Louise Madigan, and Terry Vincent. Also note that Cynthia Costello was his treasurer. Costello is Tim Laskey, the mayor's treasurer's business partner.

Notice that Metzger's report shows very few contributions. It appears that he in-kinded and self-funded his campaign.

I only saw a handful of yard signs for the council race for wards 1 and 2. It appears that Beegan only had one campaign fundraiser and Metzger appears to have had none.

This makes me wonder, did Beegan & Metzger really have any intentions of winning? Is it possible that they were planted as candidates by the mayor to discourage those outside of the "Lakewood small-town mafia" from running?

Also note that Laskey & Costello also had a one-half page advertisement in Fitzgerald's Follies newspaper.

[Lori Allen _]

I was told that some of the city's architectural work/planning is farmed out to Beegen on a regular basis. Isn't this conflict of interest?