Issues? Or Just Political Issues?

[Jim O'Bryan]

I believe that Lakewood will get more than its fair share of looks this year. In the past
there have abeen a number of things that have brought attention to Lakewood, the schools,
the WestEnd, the Lakewood Public Library, The Melt, LEAF, Trials and lawsuits and maybe
even the LO. But as I wander around the county and hear of more and more people running
for various offices it has become very clear that many seem ready to run on Lakewood issues
and just as many are willing to use them as examples.

I hope we have no more occurrences of two Lakewood politicians talking about how bad
crime is as we did in the last two elections. I am wondering how any of this will shake out,
as it always seems that outsiders have a completely different view of Lakewood politics and
living. More than one have noticed how silent our politicians seem to be with things going on
in their neighborhoods like schools and other issues. They have also noticed how strange
some of the stances have become for people running for office with stands no politician
should ever take in politics especially since one running for higher office.

I think this could be a great year for Lakewood to capitalize on the increased scrutiny...

... or maybe not.


FWIW

[sharon kinsella]

There has just been too much dirty political tactics in political races here.

Protect our borders, aspersions against the other candidate in fliers and mailings.

Who is responsible for bringing this type of behavior in our races. Why don't others call them on it?

I, for one, try and fight fire with fire, most others remain silent and then wonder how we wound up with dirt on our faces. We should focus it where it belongs and ask why they are doing it and who is giving them money to fight dirty.

[dl meckes]

The other side of the coin is the silence.

Find your base and spread your story. Never debate, never have honest public discussion.

If someone is not a supporter, just close your mouth and move on to someone who is.

Make sure you shape perception and take credit for everything good.

We keep electing the puppet masters and wonder why we're jumping at the end of strings.

I feel safe sharing my disappointment here, knowing that no-one in Lakewood reads the Observer or the Deck, or at least that's what they tell me to my face.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

More than one have noticed how silent our politicians seem to be with things going on
in their neighborhoods like schools and other issues.

Jim,

I've been thinking about this quite a bit. I don't quite understand the relationship between our mayor/city council and the BOE. In Cleveland, politicians went to bat for their neighborhood schools and the Cleveland BOE did make some changes to its original plan. They are absolutely silent, except to say that they support the BOE.

Why aren't our city council members asking more questions of the BOE or doing some research on their own? This decision to not keep Grant effects our entire city! Tom Bullock is my representative and he won't take a position because both Lincoln and Grant falls into his ward...we've asked him. I think that is bull. Since when do politicians get a free pass? When will someone within the elected leadership, who possesses common sense or knows this is all wrong, come forward and get involved in this issue. Instead of giving our BOE (and others influencing the Lakewood BOE) free reign to make bad choices? No one wants to take a risk to themselves to do the right thing.

Kristine

[Jim O'Bryan]

Kristine

Sorry to take so long to respond. Been busy with developers driving around the city, and
the lakefront, trying to show them what is available for development, and trying to get a
handle on which is the bigger band for the buck. Downtown(Detroit), Uptown(Madison),
or our lakefront and river front.

Anyway, it is very disappointing that neither candidate has bothered to weigh in on the school
debate. This is increased as I have been on the frontlines in Collinwood and Parma where
all city officials weighed in, and worked to keep schools in their cities functional and serving
their constituents. It is funny how some people get and others, well...

Michael Polensak, is a real representative of his people, all of his people. He is pretty wild
and has a lot of cowboy in him. But he worked his ass off to save Ginn Academy and the
Collinwood Observer helped him do it. In Parma Sean Brennan, Chuck Germana, and
Dean DiPiero are actively working to save Normandy.

Meanwhile here in Lakewood, you can hear a pin drop from our elected officials about
all sorts of things, and I believe many of these things will become issues, and many of
these things relate to what the county is thinking about officials. We are trying to clean
house on many levels and the only way that happens is through transparency, accountability,
and lack of conflict of interests.

How does a official look to the rest when they find out, he sat silent, as two schools were
getting ready to close in their city? How does it look when someone running and was part
of council-at-large and never even bothered to weigh in? How does one talk about fighting
corruption, when he does not even make programs he funds accountable, belongs to the
same groups that are left to go feral, or joins in meetings at their clubs to talk about the
future of the city?

I think, Lakewood will be highlighted by many of these issues over the summer.


FWIW


.

[David Anderson]

Jim -

Just to be clear, the Ginn Academy was never slated to be closed...just moved.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim -

Just to be clear, the Ginn Academy was never slated to be closed...just moved.

Correct closed in Collinwood, at the same time Collinwood High is to be re-purposed.

Thanks for the note.


.

[David Anderson]

Jim –

Technically, I don’t think Collinwood H.S. is in Polensek’s ward anymore. I believe the north- and south-east corners of St. Clair and E. 152nd Street are now in Ward 10.

This shows how Polensek cares deeply about North and South Collinwood and the entire city. In addition, it shows he cares about the schools his residents’ children attend even if the school is in another ward. (This point illustrates that school walk zones are not synonymous with ward boundaries.)

We must remember that the Ginn Academy is where it is because a school in Polensek’s ward was shut down for a bit. Ginn is utilizing the former Margaret Spellacy Middle School building which, I believe, was shut down around 2005 then became a K-8 and was converted to the Ginn Academy for this current school year.

Polensek’s ward also saw the opening of the first new school of the CMSD’s facilities plan – Memorial.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim –

Technically, I don’t think Collinwood H.S. is in Polensek’s ward anymore. I believe the north- and south-east corners of St. Clair and E. 152nd Street are now in Ward 10.

This shows how Polensek cares deeply about North and South Collinwood and the entire city. In addition, it shows he cares about the schools his residents’ children attend even if the school is in another ward. (This point illustrates that school walk zones are not synonymous with ward boundaries.)

We must remember that the Ginn Academy is where it is because a school in Polensek’s ward was shut down for a bit. Ginn is utilizing the former Margaret Spellacy Middle School building which, I believe, was shut down around 2005 then became a K-8 and was converted to the Ginn Academy for this current school year.

Polensek’s ward also saw the opening of the first new school of the CMSD’s facilities plan – Memorial.

David

Mike is an interesting person to work with. One of the real pleasures in the world of
politics, man of his word and fearless. Always doing what is right for his "community."
I has been very good working with him on this project he brought it to Collinwood, and
now greater Cleveland.. While it Betsy Voinovich that understood what the Observer could
do for Collinwood, it was Polensak kicked the doors open for us, and for his
constituents/his neighbors. He really gets what this projects brings a community.

Michael has made it clear from day one that this is a "Collinwood Paper" not a
Ward 11 paper. But the city is looking to consolidate wards and it looks like 10 and 11 will
be joined, with one councilman. Eugene Miller who currently is Ward 10 councilman is a
good person, but no Mike Polensak. Eugene seems almost ruined by his state gig. Hard for
him to focus on chuckholes instead of trying to grandstand off of much larger issues that
have no traction in his ward.

World needs more Michael Polensaks and fewer politicians.

Mothers may still want their sons to grow up to be President, but according to a famous
Gallup poll of some years ago, some 73 percent do not want them to become politicans
in the process.
John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage.

We shall see.

On the flip side, my crew specializes in "community papers" almost every project in
Cleveland crosses ward boundaries. While everyone seems to get it, working with
sometimes 2 3, or 4 council people on the same project is pretty wild. All of them seem
fascinated by the "issues" as they call them, in Lakewood and how they will play out
on a county and state level. Michael was one of the many that were outraged over the
silence of not taking a stand on the school closings. As he said to paraphrase, "yeah there
is a school board, but this affects families, and the neighborhood, which is why they were
elected. To serve those families, not the school board."

.

[Jerry Ritcey]

It's just "Melt", not "The Melt".

I don't work for them, I just wait in line there for grilled cheese sometimes .

[Ryan Patrick Demro]

And from Fort Bragg I just read and laugh. So glad not to be in the midst of any of this. The old days don't really seem so bad anymore.