The Observation Deck

I lost my Little Orphane Annie secret decoder ring.

Can anyone decode this discussion?

Bill Call wrote:I lost my Little Orphane Annie secret decoder ring.

Can anyone decode this discussion?

Bill

Pretty easy, a very open group of people, many professionals that were trying to make
Lakewood a great destination for all based on Lakewood's history and the for the future.

Building programs, that did not need your tax dollars, and had zero negative impact on
the city, nor the people and businesses that did not want to take part.

Based on a couple simple premises. If the city hall could keep focus their resources on
safe and clean, the rest should be easy.

As for Shelley's conversation on square miles, and Jill Jusko's comments on
the LO's transparency have been spun off to their own topics.

No decoder ring really needed. More positive results, less tax dollars needed.

Empowerment, beat enslavement every time.

Hope this helps if you have questions on individual ideas, phrases or words, please
let me know and I will try to answer, or explain that I cannot and why.

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:Pretty easy, a very open group of people, many professionals that were trying to make
Lakewood a great destination for all based on Lakewood's history and the for the future..

Which people, which professsions a great destination for whom and to what purpose?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Building programs, that did not need your tax dollars, and had zero negative impact on
the city, nor the people and businesses that did not want to take part..

What programs, what can be done that won't have some negative impact (aka something that someone will not like), who didn't want to take part?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Based on a couple simple premises. If the city hall could keep focus their resources on
safe and clean, the rest should be easy..

Safe and clean? I talked to a firefighter the other night and he said he was really bothered by the fact that the City had hired more police officers.

Another citizen I talked to was upset about the new policy regarding sidewalks. Sidewalks? I'm a little easy on this council because I know if you live in a town where people think its a burden to ask people to maintain their sidewalks you live in a town where its hard to do anything. On the other hand if you live in that kind of town you might as well swing for the fences because you'll get just as much grief from wanting sidewalks repaired as from using part time firefighters.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Empowerment, beat enslavement every time..

If you believed that you wouldn't be a democrat.

I suppose you might be talking about Lakewood Alive. I'm not sure there is any reason to give this group $100,000 a year for salaries. I'd rather spend the $100,000 to actually do something. A decrepit 15 suite apartment building on Madison just sold for $200,000. For three years of Lakewood Alive funding the City could have removed an eyesore and provided additional parking to an underutilized section of the City.

Anything you want to do requires cash and lots of it. We aren't going to get any from the Feds, the State or the County so we must rely on our own rescources. And since those resources aren't growing the City and Schools will have to stop being run for the benefit of the unions and for the benefit of people who don't live here. Is the battle cry going to be "Raise Lakewood taxes, Avon Lake needs the money!?" or .....

Bill Call wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Pretty easy, a very open group of people, many professionals that were trying to make
Lakewood a great destination for all based on Lakewood's history and the for the future..

Which people, which professsions a great destination for whom and to what purpose?

Bill

This is the exact point. Let's remember that Ken Warren was the father of the VAL,and
as such sought out as many pro/con from as many sources as possible. The major
component to the process was a clear, hard vetting of the idea, and how it affected
people and the community. If there were negatives, a hard look at any and all positives
needed to be understood. For this process to work, you had to dedicate yourself to the
idea that the community was number one, not the idea, or the legacy. If you go back
and look at many of the early meetings you will see a pretty diverse group coming
through this town. Of course at the time they saw Lakewood, and the Library as a great
open and progressive community. The actual thought was "here is an idea, now lets try
to beat it to death. This is why the Deck and the paper was so important how do we
quickly and effectively reach outside of our circles. Who can we find to tell us it was a
terrible idea, and/or the downsides.

Right now in Lakewood the mindset is one of silence, and the idea must be preserved.
It is a terrible way to move a city forward but a great way to control, seize power,
build legacies for brass plaques, and make money for a select few, in their myopic
world of feeding off others.

Bill will answer more later.


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Bill Call wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Building programs, that did not need your tax dollars, and had zero negative impact on
the city, nor the people and businesses that did not want to take part..

What programs, what can be done that won't have some negative impact (aka something that someone will not like), who didn't want to take part?

Bill

Nearly every thing out of the VAL required very little public dollars and in truth
without grant money as well, sunstinablity was the key, relying on tax money and
grants is not sustainable nor should it be.

Two great examples are LEAF and MAMA. Have the people that use it, fund it, or seek
willing donors. Everyone kicks in, and it gets done. What is offered is far more for all
then a few, and it adds to the culture and future of the city, and was listed under food
security. Emerged as The LO Gourmet Food Security Network with 13 people. Out of
that "test" Chris Trapp and Dan Slife emerged and took the program over, renaming it
LEAF. They put together an incredible team of people; Margaret Brinich(new LO Editor), Annie Stalhaber, Lynn Rodeman, Heather Ramsey, Rob Burgoyne, and more they were
given lawyers, websites, signage, and of course media. Today it is the largest CSA in
Ohio, and has made such a positive impact on Lakewood, it is being noticed around the
country.

Only possible negative impact, is that on grocers. I would have to say that it is
negligible, but worth looking at. Offset that with the great times, PR, brand building,
greening of the city, and Food Security. I could not be prouder of LEAF and what they
have accomplished. Amazing people. I know the father of the effort Kenneth Warren
feels the same way.

While it does not warrant an award like bringing the 27th place to buy burgers does,
you have to admit it was visionary at the time, and underlines 100% what I am speaking
of in terms of the Visionary Alignment For Lakewood.

Today with ZERO budget Mel Page is building on Justine Cooper's and my vision. Doing
an incredible job, that I know make us both proud. Her love and dedication to Madison
and Lakewood is staggering. I believe that MAMA will continue to grow and help DADA
which is coming together now that MAMA is strong. After all when MAMA and DADA get
together, great things happen. Again positive impact, even working with the Lakewood
Chamber of Commerce, so that all businesses on Madison have a better chance of
making it. Cost to you the tax-payer $0.00, cost to the Madison Businesses $0.00, 1hour
every month or so. MAMA and DADA are part of a much larger picture that is way to
complex to layout here. But is a picture completely at peace with your ideas for
Lakewood, if you loved the city you moved into.

It is not that hard as I said, we were/are 85% there. This was not an effort to remake
Lakewood, it was an effort to preserve why we came and live here, give the entire city
security in many different areas including security, and allow the residents to have fun.
Without anything coming out of your pocket you never wanted to give.

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Bill Call wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Based on a couple simple premises. If the city hall could keep focus their resources on
safe and clean, the rest should be easy..

Safe and clean? I talked to a firefighter the other night and he said he was really bothered by the fact that the City had hired more police officers.

Another citizen I talked to was upset about the new policy regarding sidewalks. Sidewalks? I'm a little easy on this council because I know if you live in a town where people think its a burden to ask people to maintain their sidewalks you live in a town where its hard to do anything. On the other hand if you live in that kind of town you might as well swing for the fences because you'll get just as much grief from wanting sidewalks repaired as from using part time firefighters.

Bill

Where is this swing for the fences you speak of?

The only swing for the fences I have seen recently is the Library.


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Bill Call wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Empowerment, beat enslavement every time..

If you believed that you wouldn't be a democrat.

I suppose you might be talking about Lakewood Alive. I'm not sure there is any reason to give this group $100,000 a year for salaries. I'd rather spend the $100,000 to actually do something. A decrepit 15 suite apartment building on Madison just sold for $200,000. For three years of Lakewood Alive funding the City could have removed an eyesore and provided additional parking to an underutilized section of the City.

Anything you want to do requires cash and lots of it. We aren't going to get any from the Feds, the State or the County so we must rely on our own rescources. And since those resources aren't growing the City and Schools will have to stop being run for the benefit of the unions and for the benefit of people who don't live here. Is the battle cry going to be "Raise Lakewood taxes, Avon Lake needs the money!?" or .....

Bill

I am a registered Democrat,which reflects my opinion on social issues. However I believe
as do you, that a well rounded mix is needed to keep everyone's interest represented.
I would say I am more of a Libertarian, except for social issues.

LakewoodAlive, I actually have always been a big supporter of their original program of
educating Lakewoodites. Jay and Mary Anne had also promised, and you can read it in
print that "they would never take on any of these programs themselves." Of course that
is a lie. I am also a supporter of the original LCPI and to a certain extent "Mainstreet"
though it never really fit Lakewood. However with all 3 being merged we have LakewoodAlive
which is really one maybe two people, using their PAC, to secure public funds, to change
the city in the way those two want. So three different groups become a lie and a fraud
to what they were created for and stated. They now use their power(?) to influence
politicans, the schools, and even drastically change the face of Lakewood. Making this
even more troubling is that they are now shoving regionalism down our throats, as they
do not believe Lakewood is special enough to stand on their own, and the only way we
can survive is with the help of Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown.

I like people getting government funds to be accountable and open. Then there is the
moving every growing mass trying to control everything. The education group now has
absorbed and taken over every program they can get near, never mind they have ZERO
expertise in those programs. It has simply been an effort to control and power,no
longer what is best for Lakewood's residents.

LakewoodAlive can only survive and grow under new management, real management.
As you point out, can the $100,000+ in salaries be better used, then for herding
good meaning volunteers for a couple people's personal gains/visions?


FWIW


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Jim O'Bryan wrote:LakewoodAlive, I actually have always been a big supporter of their original program of
educating Lakewoodites. Jay and Mary Anne had also promised, and you can read it in
print that "they would never take on any of these programs themselves." Of course that
is a lie.

501(c)3 organizations like the Detroit Shoreway group brought millions of dollars in development money to the area around W65th. If Lakewood Alive can evolve into that kind of organization then ultimately none of this matters. Is that the goal?

Super Secret Source number 3 told me that the City is concerned about the potential bad publicity regarding the payment of City funds to pay the salaries of a private organization. The employee(s) where asked to assume reponsibility for the store front renovation program. The response was "I really don't want to do that".

Bill Call wrote:
501(c)3 organizations like the Detroit Shoreway group brought millions of dollars in development money to the area around W65th. If Lakewood Alive can evolve into that kind of organization then ultimately none of this matters. Is that the goal?

Super Secret Source number 3 told me that the City is concerned about the potential bad publicity regarding the payment of City funds to pay the salaries of a private organization. The employee(s) where asked to assume reponsibility for the store front renovation program. The response was "I really don't want to do that".

LakewoodAlive is no Detroit Shoreway, I work with Detroit Shoreway, Matt Zone,
and Jay Westbrook. The are very publicly open groups with very well established plans
of action that are accessible and answerable to the community. They have well established
public meetings about policy and agendas. They do not take orders from a single source. So when they neighbors asked for respect, and keeping the feel of the
neighborhood they did not give themselves awards for saying MALLS, BIG BOX STORES
they sat down with residents, not shills, and hammered out what was best for the community.

Ask Matt Zone about Battery Park, the residents were given a say and millions of dollars
later, the community had a plan for all. On top of that the area was not a slut to get
development in.Those millions were paid for by the developer, not the taxpayers.

But to be honest, Lakewood could do better than Detroit Shoreway, we have better tools
available, but not for long.


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