A Community Recreation Center at Grant? Really?

[Ryan Salo]

Just to throw something else out there to discuss.

It is my understanding that a school MAY be forced to close the end of this school year even if the levy passes. IF this is the case the school that stays open would need to be large enough for more modular classrooms and it would probably be easier if the building was more up to date (air conditioning). To me, if this were the case the board would close Lincoln or Roosevelt.

Lets face reality. Phase 3 may never happen, we may never get the money from the state and a bond may not pass. IF that is the case Grant would be the ONLY logical choice for a school to be located.

WHY ON EARTH would the board even bother to make a recommendation on Phase 3 when there are still so many variables. They may recommend keeping Lincoln and then close it down at the end of the year anyway.

This is going to be a wild ride...

[Bill Trentel]

I'm still curious as to why in 2010 I'm forced to subscribe to Cox Cable if I want to watch Lakewood School Board or City Council meetings? Why not put them up on the web?

Bryan,

I have been asking the Administration and Board to immediately post all school board meetings, unedited, on our school district website since I first took office in January of 2008.

Matt

Mr. Markling,
I think you need to check your Podcast. It's been edited!

In my office of three, we all live in Lakewood but two of us don't have cable. The pending school closing has been a regular topic of discussion. Since I was the only one to attend the Feb. 1 meeting we played the Podcast of the meeting while we worked today. This is first board meeting Podcast I've listened to. I assumed that it was unedited as you said and didn't detect the editing until the final minutes.

What has been edited is that the public comment portion has been moved to near the end of the broadcast giving the illusion that the public comments where made following the boards discussion of the school closing when in reality they happened before the boards discuss of the school closing at the meeting. I can't help but believe that this was done to give this impression and to diminish the similarities between the talking points that the citizens expressed and those of Mr. Favre and Mrs. Shaughnessy making it seem as those points where their own original thoughts not the other way around.

I didn't notice any content edits but frankly I wasn't looking for any I assumed as you stated it was unedited. I might have to listen again.

Bill

Note: I don't believe in conspiracy theory's but this editing seems pretty convenient.

[Bill Trentel]

I'm still curious as to why in 2010 I'm forced to subscribe to Cox Cable if I want to watch Lakewood School Board or City Council meetings? Why not put them up on the web?

Bryan,

I have been asking the Administration and Board to immediately post all school board meetings, unedited, on our school district website since I first took office in January of 2008.

Matt

Sorry Mr. Markling I misread your post you didn't state that the Podcast was unedited.

Sorry.

Regardless the Podcast has been edited.

[sharon kinsella]

Ryan - When I was vocalizing my concerns about passing a levy because I wouldn't trust this board with any more money, due to the Grant/Lincoln mess, I was informed that they were different pots of money.

[Ryan Patrick Demro]

Corey- Let me share a different perspective on this recreation center issue. Neither the City nor the School District has the financial capacity to support it. The City has already committed itself to a public-private partnership with the Lakewood YMCA and Lakewood Hospital. A partnership that I voted to support. Cities are losing money hand over fist on these Kalahari-like recreation centers and have been for years. They are budget busters and our community is currently experiencing difficulties in managing its lackluster recreation facilities and programming. So tell me why we should have a recreation center? Oh, it would be free in Lakewood right? WRONG. First, it would take additional property taxes and user fees to maintain. The City of Westlake charges a hefty membership to its users, it's not free. I don't know about Rocky River, but heck, when Lakewood essentially funds your entire fire department you have lots of extra money to throw around. Don't fool yourself, it's not gonna be good and it ain't gonna be free. Join the Lakewood YMCA.

Bryan- Like Mr. Markling, I asked City Council on a regular basis to broadcast public meetings. They refuse to do it because they want to limit public participation, it's the only answer. They have the capability to do broadcast through the website, many cities do it. If they need an example they can check out the City of Westlake, but I am confident they have no interest in that.

Kristine- I agree with you that while the public forums conducted by the Board are important, they can never truly represent the will of the people. That is why we have elections. If people are truly discontent with the decision to close a school, they can simply take it out at the polls. This could likely cause the failure of the next levy. The Board has been successful in the past by only alerting supporters of an upcoming levy. They won't be able to fly under the radar this year. One only has to move 10% of the electorate to send a message. I would argue in this economy you might only need to move 5-8%. I can't believe the Board is taking this step prior to an election.

Finally, let's be clear about something. The State of Ohio, or what is left of it, has yet to fund any part of this project to my knowledge. That is the biggest voter ripoff yet. Remember when they told us that we would pay for the first two phases and the state would pay for the rest. Dream on, the State has no such commitment and no such ability at this point. Like the City of Lakewood, they are facing record deficits. This project is all Lakewood. By the way, why are we still holding onto Franklin, Taft, and McKinley? I can't imagine we would send Grant kids to Taft or McKinley during a transition? So why is the Board wasting our money holding onto these decaying facilities? Why aren't they on the market? Another reason to say NO to the levy. Keep making the case Board Members.