Charlie Page wrote:
“ESCI will have two public comment sessions so you can voice your concerns. Every aspect of this is wide open.”
Your welcome for that information. Wasn’t easy for me to discover.
“I also find the inferred absurdity of a residents questions demanding answers by you and others cute. When a resident demands transparency and openness from Lakewood’s elected officials, she’s verbally beaten up and craftily tried to be made to look ridicules. But when Mayor Ed Fitzgerald feigns outrage over a similar situation, it makes him a hero worthy of newspaper coverage and worthy of becoming the County Executive.:”
“Yesterday I called on the County Transition Group to make ALL of its meetings open to the public. I've urged the leadership of the transition process to reconsider this decision immediately. 2010 is a year in which we must restore public confidence in our county government, and avoid even the appearance of secrecy. In order for the public to trust government, government must first trust the people."
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ed-FitzGe ... ref=tshere
To me, this is hypocrisy at its most absurd.”…
Charlie Page
“How is this hypocritical?”
When a resident demands transparency and openness from Lakewood’s elected officials, she’s verbally beaten up and craftily tried to be made to look ridicules. Ie.,
Charlie Page - “Shelley - IMO, Kevin and the Mayor have been very polite considering that over the last year and a half YOU have been the verbal abuser.”
Bob Mehosky - “This open letter stuff is silly and pointless.”
Kevin Butler - ..“and further no shady deals, cabals or secret societies”
Bob Mehosky - “Stop tilting at windmills. Let this thing go.”
Charlie Page - “All one has to do is interpret the facts and events, which is where I believe is the challenge.”
J Hrlec - “Oooooo .... more conspiracy theories.”
Mike Deneen - “Vampires? Maybe Buffy and the Scooby Gang can provide cohesion.”
Will Brown - “This post is mis-titled. There is no community uproar, just the rattling of a few nuts in a near-empty forum, each claiming to have secret lists of thousands who agree with them.”…”answering near-incoherent missives from people”…
Bob Mehosky - “Does someone have a decoder ring for all of this??”
Bob Mehosky - “But I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be a Morelock, an Oompa-Loompa or an Ewok!!!
Ed FitzGerald - Does this explain the latest conspiracy theory?
Charlie Page wrote:Charlie Page
“Where, specifically, do you feel there is a lack of transparency and or lack of consideration of public opinion?”
Errr, do you ever read any threads on this post other then mine? Almost every thread on this Deck is full of comments from frustrated residents who feel exactly the same way I do, but pertaining to other issues. Below are a few I easily found in all of 6 mins of scanning posts.:
Kristine Pagsuyoin - “Being that I have a passion for education and because I am still in that stage of my life where I have school-aged kids, I have chosen to focus on schools.” “It seems like there is a few of us who are trying to hold our board members and administration accountable. And so, we have been labeled and in some cases even ignored if we have questions or concerns. “
“I have personally talked to many parents who are upset about school decisions or the prospect of their school closing. Many of them will attend a meeting; however, most will not allow their voices to be heard because they are fearful their children will be experience some kind of retribution in school for speaking up. Many Lakewood employees (teachers, coaches, etc.) will not speak up when they think something is wrong out of fear of losing their job. It is very frustrating. “
“It is true that when citizens don’t show up that the BOE assumes that they agree with their decisions. They believe they are trusted. Unless people say otherwise, can you blame them? “
“I have NEVER witnessed any real discussion on any issues between BOE members at a regular school board meeting. It seems like all of the discussion and a decision has been reached before the regular meeting.”
“My point is that trust has to be two-sided. I’ve heard BOE members complain that people should trust them. I believe that it is the job of elected officials to gain our trust and not the other way around. “
sharon kinchella -“As a citizen I am entitled to the info without climbing over snowdrifts to go to the offices of a staff that works from home, not in those offices.”
“To top it off, I was spoken to like a dog for asking questions.”
“I thought the answer was that we regular moms and dads and residents make sure that everyone is registered to vote, and then make sure that everyone does vote. But if the people we elect are going to step down and appoint more insiders, with their narrow vision of what is "good" for the city, what are we supposed to do?
Betsy Voinovich”
“Even more troubling is all of the talk about appointments, long running programs of stepping down, and moving along. Candidates with little experience getting large amounts of votes even though they have never been to my door or to the doors of our friends in the city. Almost like a machine is running the entire process on all levels. Candidates remaining silent and having other politicians coming in to speak for them!
Ken Wilder “
“I hope the rumors are wrong about one getting in unopposed and retiring to allow someone different to step in. Again. Because that would be wrong no matter how the charter is written.
Justine Cooper”
“I was under the impression it was a public process to appoint a successor? Posted here on the Deck as Matt Markling stated. Are you saying there was another list that was intended to subvert the process? And this is the first time the general public is hearing about it. If the public knew sooner, there might be challengers to the unopposed. Too late now.
Charlie Page”
“Who will be the secret replacement if she wins? Who will be Councilman Bullocks replacement if he wins? Who will replace the Mayor if he seeks appointment next year to Countywide office? Those unanswered questions make it more important than ever to have one or two independent voices on council.
Bill Call”
Ryan Salo -“I am beginning to think that the 3 of them are trying to fulfill some other agenda and really don't care about the consequences to the community because their "service" to the community is all but done.”…”I am all for public debate and people having other views, but lets make decisions based on facts and real consequences not some fairy tale wish list of things to come.”
Bryan Schwegler - “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?”
Matthew John Markling - “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. “
Kristine Pagsuyoin - “They just edit out things that they think may make them look "bad" anyway. “
Bill Trentel - “I think you need to check your Podcast. It's been edited!” …”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.”
Ryan Patrick Demro - “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.”
Rhonda loje - “You must be aware that many voters are skeptical about their government institutions. This is the time to very, very transparent.”
…”avoid even the appearance of secrecy. In order for the public to trust government, government must first trust the people."
Ed Fitzgerald
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I liked and voted for Kevin Butler. However, he now seems more obsessed with currying favor for that appointment to the seat of Mayor then with serving the interest of residents.
I signed the petition which allowed Ed Fitzgerald to run for Mayor. I voted for Ed Fitzgerald. I had a sign in my yard and donated money to his campain. I convieinced a lot of folks to vote for him. I helped unleash his destructive agenda and policy of regionalization on an unsuspecting public. My obligation as a creator in unleashing his destructiveness is now to slow his regionalization of Lakewood. And his destroying of the City of Homes”, and creation of Westshore suburb number one.
Nothing I am saying now is new. I wrote an article (linked below) in March of 2008 soon after he revealed his true plans. My sentiment remains. My predictions and assumption made that long ago are being fulfilled by him. No one can stop him. But if my bringing to light information and facts slow his destructive policies and remove from him the veil of an Ignorant uninformed public… maybe his agenda can be slowed until the time we return to the office of Mayor, a person who will think long and hard about the consequences of their agenda on the City so many people hold dear because it is the CITY OF HOMES.
http://74.125.155.132/custom?q=cache:16 ... clnk&gl=us
When and IF any of my long standing concerns with his agenda fail to materialize, I will cut his agenda and tactics some slack. Until that time I will do my best to inform, provide facts and give voice to the many many many many residents who are too intimidated and who are too afraid of retaliation to speak.