New Councilperson-At-Large Sarah Kepple Gets Unanimous Approval

[Jim O'Bryan]

Committee of the Whole voted unanimously tonight to appoint Sarah Kepple to vacant at-large seat.

Sarah is the owner of Gigalearn LLC, a company that provides tech solutions to libraries, businesses and nonprofits.

She has a Masters of Library Science. Founder of Action Together Lakewood Area (ATLA) and organized the No Hate in Lakewood rally last year after swastikas
were painted on driveway on Belle Ave. has worked on Nickie Antonio’s State Senate campaign and others

Congratulations Council-At-Large Person Sarah Kepple!

Resume sent to Council...





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[Michael Deneen]

The bad news:
She's an O'Leary acolyte.
Team FitzSummers* has achieved its goal of keeping City Council "Whites Only".

The Good News:
She's not Jen Pae
She works with libraries. Libraries are good.
She's done some work with CCPC.

*In light of Summers retirement, I have rechristened "Team Summers"

[Dan Alaimo]

I'd like to hear from those who followed this process closely: was this choice completely transparent?

[Jim O'Bryan]

I'd like to hear from those who followed this process closely: was this choice completely transparent?

"Committee of the Whole voted unanimously tonight to appoint Sarah Kepple to vacant at-large seat."

Dan

An unknown gets unanimous support? Transparent?

There is not much transparency with the process as we have learned, even with Council President O'Malley here talking us through it.

I think it is interesting.

Unknown? Hardly, she did work with O'Leary campaign, Antonio's campaign, and possibly Tristan Rader and Dan O'Malley. Hardly unknown to them.

And a perfect bridge to pull from both sides for an appointment. Right place at the right time.

Time will tell, but right now I am hearing good things about her from many corners of the city, and that is a good thing.


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[pj bennett]

From my perspective, nothing about this process was transparent. Absolutely nothing.

Once again, I was present at tonight's meeting.
I arrived a few minutes late, just in time to hear Dan O'Malley 'apologizing' for having to go into Executive Session.

Everything was conducted behind closed doors. Absolutely everything.

The filling of the vacant seat was compared to that of 'hiring' a personnel. And, the public is not privy to the hiring of personnel.

Do you want to know what I think about the process of filling the seat vacated by Mayor George?
Hmmm.....perhaps, I shouldn't put it in print.

[Dan Alaimo]

I had hoped the days of unanimous votes on perhaps divisive matters were over. Unanimity is not a virtue in municipal government. And some people have a long memory about a lack of transparency. Vote for this school levy? I think I'll pass this time. Why? A lack of tranparency.

[Dan OMalley]

From my perspective, nothing about this process was transparent. Absolutely nothing.

Everything was conducted behind closed doors. Absolutely everything.

PJ - I believe you were present for at least a portion of the five hours worth of public interviews that council held with applicants over two days. Before you arrived tonight, and after you left, there was substantive conversation about our process. I know not everyone will be pleased with the outcome of this process - that would be impossible. But in Sarah Kepple I believe Committee of the Whole has recommended an outstanding woman of character, activism, and unique experience who will do our community proud for years to come. The process of filling this vacant council seat is coming to an end. Now back to the business of running our city, and with so much to do! I appreciate the dozens and dozens of emails, calls, deck posts, etc from residents providing input on this appointment. I read each and every one, and they really were very much appreciated.

[pj bennett]

Dan,
There was a time, when you gave the impression that each council member would have to be prepared to say whom each would like to see fill the chair. And, that each council member should be prepared to do that on February 18th in a public sitting. (You said this in a response to a comment made by Council person Tom Bullock.)

Instead, the entire process happened behind closed doors.
All that will happen on February 18th, is your announcement of the new Council-At-Large person.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I had hoped the days of unanimous votes on perhaps divisive matters were over. Unanimity is not a virtue in municipal government. And some people have a long memory about a lack of transparency. Vote for this school levy? I think I'll pass this time. Why? A lack of tranparency.

Dan

PLEASE do not vote against the school levy. No matter how you feel about government, do not take it out on the kids.

If you do not like the process, vote them out, city and schools. School levies are not to be messed with. Bad management does worse with less money every time.

I make this point every levy. Hold the Council and Board accountable, not the kids.

I am willing to give them a pass on this, but I want it all in the open from now on. All of it.

Trust the residents and they will trust you elected humans.

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[pj bennett]

Jim, how does one vote them out? I keep trying....

[Michael Deneen]

I had hoped the days of unanimous votes on perhaps divisive matters were over. Unanimity is not a virtue in municipal government.

I agree....unanimous votes are an indication that deals are being cut. When this happens behind closed doors, that's trouble.
Some reasonable dissent is healthy...there's nothing wrong with some 4-3, 5-2, or 6-1 votes

Vote for this school levy? I think I'll pass this time. Why? A lack of tranparency.

As Jim indicates, this is a conflation of two different issues.
I think most of this school board is atrocious. However, school funding is ruled at the state level....and those laws are the reason that we need levies every few years.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I had hoped the days of unanimous votes on perhaps divisive matters were over. Unanimity is not a virtue in municipal government.

I agree....unanimous votes are an indication that deals are being cut. When this happens behind closed doors, that's trouble.
Some reasonable dissent is healthy...there's nothing wrong with some 4-3, 5-2, or 6-1 votes

Vote for this school levy? I think I'll pass this time. Why? A lack of tranparency.

Mike, Dan others

Sometimes, having a council person talking about what is going on, including, "some is done in executive session" is better than we have had in the past. Another baby step towards sunshine.

I have only heard bits and pieces from various council people about the process. Fair? Probably fair enough. Had it been closer to the election the people would decide. And now they will decide in 2 years. It is more of a whittling down, trading, deleting one if you delete one, type of process. Ugly and brutal.

NOW, we start watching Council. This is easy enough, have they learned anything about what matters? Are they hiding facts? Important facts that stop us from being informed about what is effecting our lives and community?

If not, run them from office. Government in Lakewood would seem to be a full contact battle, between developers/change, and sensible plans and ideas. Developers and change demands instant action no time to think. Favored by all the supporters of the past administration. "Close the hospital?" Their answer "Don't worry, oh you are still worried. Don't be in will be marvelous and wonderful. What would you like? I am sure it will be part of it at some time." All Bullshit.

For many years Mayor Summers has been spending money like a drunken sailor, with a finance director that would say anything to keep her job going. To this day the single most bitter person in the whole nightmare. We are about to live the excesses of the past and their tall tails.

If City Council hesitates on transparency while speaking of pollution, finances, regulations, zoning, building, spending money run them from office.

Time for those with secret agendas to leave and screw up other communities.

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[Mark Kindt]

Writers in the Lakewood Observer and here on the Deck have been describing in endless detail the process problems of Lakewood city government and the consequent poor (terrible) public policy outcomes for 5 years now.

--Including lack of transparency and improper or excessive use of executive session for city council.

Ironically, I also note that the most vocal critic of many of these problems was summarily excluded from consideration during an executive session via a process that lacked any transparency at all.

Yes, that is how the sausage gets made, I guess...

I wish the new administration and the 2020 city council the best of luck!