REVEALED! BANJO PLAYER PART OF SECRET DECISION GROUP!

[Gary Rice]

I have an opinion to offer, and a confession to make.

Yes indeed. I am a part of Lakewood's secret decision-making group; you know...the people who REALLY decide Lakewood's future in a secret place!

Those of you who have followed some of my musings on this old 'Deck know full well that I have not been afraid to express my opinions, whether here on the 'Deck, or in real life. At the same time, I have certainly tried to respect the opinions of others. At times, putting on my (retired) teacher's hat, I have also held my personal opinions back, whenever I felt it appropriate to do so.

(Generally, I would offer my opinion that teachers are happiest when they get OTHERS to express THEIR opinions!)

Issue 64 is presently on the ballot, regarding the question as to whether or not Lakewood voters approve of what has transpired regarding the future of medical care in our city.

As I've mentioned, I am one of those decision-makers who are meeting in a secret place to decide that controversy...

YOU can be too! That secret place? That's in the voting booth, (or in the privacy of your own home) of course. In that secret place, we can help to determine the future course of medicine in Lakewood. In that place, your decision and mine will then merge into a community decision, in the classic American democratic process.

Now, it's no secret that my dear late father and I strongly supported keeping a hospital in Lakewood.

At the same time, there is a serious question in my mind as to whether the outcome of issue 64 could REALLY bring our hospital back. Honestly there would likely be a long journey that would need to come into play, before that could happen.

Still, any journey must begin somewhere.

It has, at times, been alleged by some, that the decision to close our hospital may have begun in some secret place. Whether or not that was true, whatever future hope that we might have for keeping a hospital in Lakewood is now offered in another secret place; the voting booth.

Sadly, if past elections are any guide, only about half of eligible voters will even bother to participate.

Some of the rest of them will probably continue to gripe and bellyache...but they will NOT be our decision-makers.

Which course will YOU follow?

Please vote.

Be a part of Lakewood's (and our nation's) REAL secret decision-making team.

Back to the banjo...

[Marguerite Harkness]

There may be some folks out there (probably are, in fact) -

who feel that outwardly they have to appear to support 64 -

but in their HEARTS, their MINDS, and their CONSCIENCE, know that the RIGHT thing to do is to VOTE AGAINST 64.

Well, folks - if that definition fits - remember that:

YOUR VOTE IS PRIVATE!

VOTE AGAINST 64

[Gary Rice]

Just thought I might go ahead and bump this thread back up to the top.

Y'all (Or You'uns, if you prefer...Having parents from Pennsylvania and Georgia, I've used both terms effusively)

While I may have a bit of a reputation as being either:

a) A rabblerouser, or

b) a peacemaker, or both, depending on whose point of view I happen to inflame or appease,

I was just sitting here thinking that I'd better do my part in asking everyone to get out and vote this year.

We still have that power, and yet a surprisingly and sadly small percentage of us generally choose to use it.

We see what happened in the election last year with issue 64....

I have voted by mail. I've made my decisions. I therefore am a part of that secret decision-making group in our country.

I hope that you will be, as well.


Back to the banjo...

[mjkuhns]

Thanks, Gary.

As I look at the forecast and see a week of on-and-off rain, I feel I ought to note that there's still time left to vote by mail. You would really want to print and mail your application by Thursday. Then after receiving your ballot, you would likely need to get it back to the Board of Elections without delay. The vote by mail ballots come with helpful directions for doing that, though, whether you take it back in person or turn to USPS postmarking to meet the deadline.

The BoE also has pretty extensive early voting hours, downtown, now through Monday including this weekend.

Or if you're going to the polls on Tuesday, make sure that you know where to go, bring ID, and don't mind a drop or two of rain.

[Gary Rice]

Thanks,

A brief opinionated (and hopefully balanced) analysis here, based on my Political Science background:

"Change", however defined, generally requires a large voter turnout. It's been my observation that generally speaking, the most reliable voters historically tend to support the status quo. There are, let's face it, a large dedicated group of Lakewood voters who, quite frankly, approve of things just as they are. They like what they see happening in Lakewood nowadays, and are willing to forgive and forget the hospital issue and move on; generally feeling all of that to have been beyond the ability of our elected officials to stop it from eventually happening anyway, and indeed, many of them feel that by taking the bull by the horns, that the City got the best deal it could from all of that.

As we have seen here on the 'Deck and elsewhere, there are many other sincere Lakewoodites who utterly disagree with all of the above, are outraged, and who are earnestly seeking change. For that to happen however, they must get out the vote to overcome that well-entrenched status quo.

There is a proposed City Charter issue, and three City Council seats open on the present ballot.

Much has been brought to light in the disclosure of controversial paperwork surrounding the way City Hall has handled the hospital issue, as well as other municipal situations. Had indictments, known official investigations, or criminal charges followed any of those disclosures, it perhaps would have made it easier for voters to decide what to do, but thus far at least, Lakewood voters will continue to believe what they want to, without benefit of help from the criminal justice system.

Suffice to say that turnout, more than anything else, will likely decide this election. Rain generally dampens turnout, so time will tell.

One way or another, you will not make a mistake if you GET OUT AND VOTE.

Back to the banjo...

[Jim O'Bryan]

Much has been brought to light in the disclosure of controversial paperwork surrounding the way City Hall has handled the hospital issue, as well as other municipal situations. Had indictments, known official investigations, or criminal charges followed any of those disclosures, it perhaps would have made it easier for voters to decide what to do, but thus far at least, Lakewood voters will continue to believe what they want to, without benefit of help from the criminal justice system.

Gary

I for one have no interest in seeing Mayor Summers in an orange jumpsuit, or anyone on council.

But you underline the real issue without really touching on it. Two years of court just to get a small handful of documents, on not just the largest deal in the past 50 years in Lakewood, but hiring issues, firing issues, issues with where money is spent and how, and also on how the city works with residents or more to the point, works against residents.

A City Hall that fights residents for the right to see what have been described as public records by every court, is a City Hall that is hard to trust or believe.

The three new candidates have all pledge for openness, transparency and accountability if elected. The incumbents have shown by their complete lack of transparency by assisting or at least not working for the residents in helping all of us see the public documents.

I wish no ill will towards the incumbents, but it is time for a break, and fresh eyes, minds, and thoughts at City Hall.

.

[m buckley]

I have an opinion to offer, and a confession to make.

"Yes indeed. I am a part of Lakewood's secret decision-making group; you know...the people who REALLY decide Lakewood's future in a secret place!
Those of you who have followed some of my musings on this old 'Deck know full well that I have not been afraid to express my opinions, whether here on the 'Deck, or in real life. "

Absolutely Mr. Rice,
I remember when you danced on the grave of SLH after the mayor's state of the city.
Then walked that back on The Observer Deck but refused to budge on the Build Lakewood Facebook page.
And They had a field day with your post. That was front and center and you never walked it back.
Absolutely inspiring!

"As I've mentioned, I am one of those decision-makers who are meeting in a secret place to decide that controversy...
YOU can be too! That secret place? That's in the voting booth, (or in the privacy of your own home) of course. In that secret place, we can help to determine the future course of medicine in Lakewood.
It has, at times, been alleged by some, that the decision to close our hospital may have begun in some secret place."

Mr. Rice. You go to your secret place.
The teachers I respected most, spoke directly. They took a stand.
They didn't dance in the shadows. They didn't venture into crap like...
" It has, at times, been alleged by some, that the decision to close our hospital may have begun in some secret place,"
So here's my question, what's your take on all this?
What's your take on Mr. Essi's and Mr. Kindt's analysis.
What's your take on their conclusions?
Educate us.

"Some of the rest of them will probably continue to gripe and bellyache...but they will NOT be our decision-makers. "

Mr. Rice , I'm griping. I'm bellyaching.
I'm concerned that I'm living in a city of Guilty Bystanders.
Vote for change.

[Gary Rice]

Mr. Buckley:

Perspective is everything sir.

Far from "dancing on the grave of SLH", in a last minute decision, I, (being an enthusiastic and unapologetic supporter of keeping our hospital) attended and reported on the Mayor's State of the City address on a rainy evening when I had been told that someone who usually covered these sorts of events would not be there.

I reported as I observed, that reaction to the Mayor that evening had been dramatically enthusiastic by the vast majority of those attending, (primarily members of our governmental branches and supporters) and too, that there were relatively few red-shirted hospital supporters in attendance to counter that presence.

I then offered my opinion, based on those observations, that it appeared that the hospital issue was dead and gone.

In response to those who felt that I was wrong, I investigated further, and offered a second writing stating that the hospital issue was apparently not dead and gone, as there continued to be an organized and concerted effort to save that hospital. (although again, at the time of the evening of the State of the City address, I had observed very few visible supporters present)

As my first article had apparently gone to a website for which I was not a member, I followed up and discovered that others had linked my subsequent reservations to that page. Therefore, my clarifications were indeed posted over there too. Granted, I did not do so personally. As with anyone else, I have the right to participate or decline to participate in different social media groups.

A word though about your term "walking back" however. An opinion is exactly that. There is no need to walk back one's opinion. Those who Monday morning quarterbacked their own opinions about my own reflections about that meeting were simply not present then, and to me, that alone represents a singular concern. We need more civic involvement. We need more concerned Lakewoodites present where decisions are being made, whether at the ballot box, or down at City Hall.

Your involvement here on the 'Deck sir, along with Mr. Essi's, Mr. Kindt's, and so many others, represents the same kind of civic efforts that I try to make, and for the same good reasons. We all want a better place to live in, and we all are interested in getting involved, and in getting others involved with helping Lakewood to be a better place. Do I agree with you or the others? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no, but I try to resist the temptation to call out everyone and everything that I may have a problem with. Truth is, I am far more interested in getting others to express their opinion than with expressing my own opinions.

Sir, In my hundreds of Lakewood Observer columns and 'Deck postings, I have always attempted to speak and write fairly and directly, with understanding for all sides, and with compassion hopefully matching passion. One thing I very seldom do however, is take a public stand on political positions. This indeed goes back to my philosophical position as a (now retired) schoolteacher. When I voted this time, I carefully studied the candidates and the issues, and made my choices. I hope that others will do the same in this, and every election.

Thanks to you and to all who step forward for our city.

Back to the banjo...