J Hrlec wrote:Jim,
I wasn't really trying to list of level of importance, because that changes by who is making the statement. I was simply listing the items I hear most often whether it is only "perception" or not. Also, when it comes to roads I am not referring to people who are already here....but those we are attempting to attract.
I agree I don't think Lakewood is any worse in regards to crime, but once again it is perception and something that deters new people from Lakewood. It doesn't matter if existing residents "know" that crime isn't as bad as long as others thinking of moving here do.
As far as strip malls and such, I don't hear much from anybody in any city about them as far as important to them living there, but I know that many appreciate having them there. (hope that makes sense) Either way this was not part of my original reply.
I am telling you what I hear, not necessarily what I am saying or thinking.
I think you have good ideas, just not sure about priority of them versus other issues.
J
Was just having fun. Too many people take themselves waaaaaaaaaaay to seriously. As
my partners will tell you number one at the Observer is to have fun while kicking this stuff
around. One reason we find it odd when people crash and burn over discussions or topics.
Lighten up everyone.
Lakewood is in a pretty good position, as long as we do not screw up the balance. To me
this city is much like the rain forest. Hard to say why we are doing so much better than
those around us, but we are so we should tinker, build consensus, and push ahead with
vision and a multidimensional plan.
If you look at my platform for mayor in 2012, you will see what I see as the most
important items for this city nearly in order and you have actually touched on some. Many
we can all agree on, but for some reason slip through the cracks of day to day life in this city.
I am a complete VAL believer, and one of the things that came out of that was the mantra
all officials used in' their run for mayor, but to my knowledge have not necessarily even
come close to delivering on. But then, most have been running for higher office since they
were elected, so with so few hours in the day we can only expect so much from them.
Safe and clean. I would say we all agree, and to me it is a very easy problem to
understand so should also be a very easy problem to fix. This is also one of my common
themes and complaints. So to get back onto my psychotic high horse to have some cheap
fun at the expense of others. Why bring "thousands a year to gaze on our beautiful
flowers downtown..." when the streets are filthy, covered with litter and graffiti, and the
roads leading in and out have terrible looking property and even worse roads? Are we
trying to show thousands just how bad it can be? No. We need to concentrate on the
gateway areas to our city and make sure the roads that lead hundreds to downtown, or
thousands to the Arts Fest, The Car Show, the Fireworks are nearly perfect and invite
people to actually dream of living here? Warren, McKinley, Riverside, Clifton, Lake,
Madison, Berea Rd, etc should be spotless, end of story.
The VAL concept of hiring a minimum of 30 police is not because crime is out of control. It
is to send a message to the entire region. Come to Lakewood because it is clean and safe.
If you come to create havoc or crime, you will be caught. Move on to another city with a
much lower police to criminal balance. In the VAL it was paid for in an effect way that put
no burden on most tax payers, and created a fund for fixing homes up. Sound promising?
Well I guess the city never thought so, but there is talk about one part of that plan going
on in city hall right now, but it is far too little, with no bang for the buck. So like
Savannah's peninsula a very costly shift happens. What I mean in the case of the
peninsula, build it and it pays for everything else. Do the rest without it first, and it will
bankrupt the city. What council is looking at with rent licenses will fall far
short of anything that makes a real impact.
I have to think when people look to move to a city they look at cost, location, safe, clean
and fun. As I have said and Steve Davis signs off with, this is not Rocket Surgery. We need
to think why people move, not why I would move here.
The first thing Lakewood needs to do is realize that our glass is not half full or half empty
but 80% maybe 90%.This makes our future very easy to plan for. How do we keep good
people here, and attract more like minded people to the area? When I say good, I mean
behavior, when I say like minded I mean active earners, that see and understand our
commitment to education, libraries and civic engagement. We must not allow Lakewood
to become another yellow and black box on the regional shelf. We must always strive to
offer something different. Something better, something more inline with what families
need, and because we are half full we do not need to take wild chances, hit home runs,
or sell the farms to the regionals.
For the record, I do think it would serve the city to take over Clifton Beach, but if I were to
advocate building high rise luxury condos in Lakewood. I would start with the first five on
Edgewater coming in from Cleveland. Most are 50 years old, dreadfully small, no real way
to enjoy the view with lots of brick and very little glass. Find developers that would take
them down and rebuild them twice as large.
ZERO impact, massive climbs in property values, and very, very safe development.
Want to test some ideas, search on the Google. Enter "Art District" 64,000,000 returns,
of well guess that is beat to death. Try "walkability" damn late on that one too. Try
"livability" now we are getting somewhere. Try public beach, try car show, try art fest,
try "pants store."
Lakewood, and Lakewood discussions, it is all good, and good fun. We just need more to
step up to the plate and join the discussion. Time for our leaders to trust the residents.
.
