The Observation Deck

WHO ARE YOU?

Political Arrogance: http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4239260/the-growth-of-political-arrogance

The members of City Council who are participating in the process of selecting appointees to fill the vacancies left by Councilmembers Antonio and Summers will be conducting interviews in an open, public meeting on Saturday, Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the city auditorium. All are welcome to attend.

Kevin,

Thank you!

Very positive and transparent!!

The talk on the street even before the election was that Mike Summers would our next mayor if Ed won. I don’t find it peculiar that Shawn Juris put his name in to be considered for only for Ward 3. He was simply playing the odds.

BTW, I would have loved to put my name in for either council opening but my wife said that it wasn’t my time. I reluctantly agreed, in consideration of her high level of civic involvement, two small kids and the fact I’d have to give up some of my activities (which I was prepared to do).

As for playing nice with LakewoodAlive, I’d like to think that question was asked somewhat tongue in cheek with a slight grin? Yes, no? Anyway, I agree that they should be accountable for taxpayer funds received from the City. When I read LA’s application for CDBG funds and they expect to create 100 jobs as a result, I’d like to know where those 100 jobs are and what specific actions were done to create those jobs. In reading their annual report, it feels like I’m reading a news summary of what happened in downtown Lakewood rather than what LA has done over the last year (outside of their fund raisers and Light Up Lakewood). I’d like to know what relationships they have forged with businesses and the results of their relationship building activities. How much of a role did they play in redoing the Bailey Building? How much of a role did they play in landing Panera and Five Guys? How much of a role do they play in promoting local businesses on the national/regional level? Do existing local businesses even go to them for help? In short, I’d like to know how their actions have translated to creating a vibrant economic community. I’m not bashing LA, just would like less fluff and more detail in their annual report.

I don’t know Mike Summers as well as some but I wouldn’t consider him an insider. I think anyone who was a School Board member for that length of time and on City Council would be in a position to know a lot of people and be part of many activities. If being in the know is the standard of labeling someone as an insider, then there are a lot of insiders here in beautiful Lakewood.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:But I don't want to get off the subject, though I know many believe it to be my favorite. What happened during Phase 3 is my least favorite Lakewood subject, but if we don't learn from it, it will all have been a waste.

Is this process to appoint the mayor another fake process? What about the process to appoint Council members? What are they basing that on? Bill, why did you say that the Council won't be giving you an interview? Did they tell you that? Are they interviewing anybody? Do they have any criteria?

The School Board (with the exception of Matt Markling) will not take your critisisms seriously because they are certain to be re-elected and the citizens are certain to approve school levies. Unless you are willing to withhold your money and your vote nothing will change.

I was informally told that I would not be getting an interview.

I don't really have a problem with the process. It is possible that some members of council already know who is to be chosen and that person will be chosen. I suppose that means the process is something of a charade. On the other hand council has the right to choose whoever they want for what ever reason they want. I don't have a problem with that either except to the extent that I think I would have been a good councilman.

If the voters have a problem with council's choice they can vote their choice in next years election.

Missy Limkemann wrote:
Ok, sorry had to go to sleep. Now that I am up, not that awake, but up, I will answer. No I would not approve of that. I think the mom and pop shops that have been here, should be here. We should be helping them. I am sorry but I don’t want Lakewood to be the next “Avon Commons.” I don’t want chains and box stores here. I eat at 2 Dads and shop at Furry Nation. I support the locals as that is where it is needed. I don’t care about Applebees, The Steak and Lube place, I still have not gone to 5 guys. Why when 56 West has a better burger with better service? Heck, if we had a small pharmacy I would be there too. CVS is great and all, but I like the hometown feel of things. I like being treated like a person, not just a number. I grew up in the rough part of Cleveland for awhile and then moved to Parma, so I will be honest when I say I wasn’t born and raised here. But I have had family here and the thing I remember always hearing about Lakewood is that it is “Unique” and coming to visit my uncle I remember that. It needs to stay that. We are not the next Avon nor do we need “Westgate Commons” here.
Personally I feel we should give incentives to the local stores to stay here, but incentives to bring the “mom and pop” stores here. I also hate that there is an empty building on Detroit Road and now several empty car lots. That Giant Eagle building has sat empty for too long. Something needs to be done. We need to tell the owner of that building “pee or get off the pot!!!” and start charging fines for an empty building. Oh and then yesterday I just noticed another empty car lot. WHAT? Does a “certain group” not care about these things? Are they too busy trying to lure “mall stores” here that they don’t notice the stores that built Lakewood, that made the city what it is, are leaving? That needs to stop. That needs to be changed. I say Buy Local, Shop Local and Keep Local Shops here!!! NO more fancy chains, no more box stores!!!!
Oh Jim you are getting me fired up this morning. Thank you for that. Feels good to get fired up!!!!

So you have never been to "5 guys", but you know the food and service is better at 56 West. One wonders how you know. Or do you just reflexively prefer everything that is already in Lakewood to anything that might want to come into Lakewood? That sounds like the closed kind of thinking that has held sway in Lakewood for too many years. 56 West has not been in Lakewood that long; who let them in? If you really think like that, its probably best that you not run.

I don't know why we should give any public funds to any private business to locate in Lakewood; it always seems to sour in a few years when someone else offers them money to relocate again.

I'm hardly anti business, but I think we should limit public funds to making the city bureaucracy more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses. And we should be more aggressive toward those property owners who don't keep their properties in good shape and productive.

Will Brown wrote:So you have never been to "5 guys", but you know the food and service is better at 56 West. One wonders how you know. Or do you just reflexively prefer everything that is already in Lakewood to anything that might want to come into Lakewood? That sounds like the closed kind of thinking that has held sway in Lakewood for too many years. 56 West has not been in Lakewood that long; who let them in? If you really think like that, its probably best that you not run.

I don't know why we should give any public funds to any private business to locate in Lakewood; it always seems to sour in a few years when someone else offers them money to relocate again.

I'm hardly anti business, but I think we should limit public funds to making the city bureaucracy more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses. And we should be more aggressive toward those property owners who don't keep their properties in good shape and productive.

Will

While I agree with a lot of what you are saying, with some caveats. There is a plan I saw
that can address helping businesses in Lakewood, that makes sense.

Certainly Missy could be referring to the fact that she likes the service better in sit down
restaurants to fast food. But the entire argument could be moot on two levels in a couple months.

Finally while 56 West is new to Lakewood, the owners are not. Don had a place for years
on Madison in the little strip mall on Northland and Madison, and is very dedicated to
Lakewood though he lives just over the border in Westpark.

.

I always love the people who are hyper-local and judge people who aren't.

Just because something is a "mom and pop" or "local" doesn't mean it's necessarily better. IMHO, they need to earn my business just as much as anyone else. I am not going to automatically prefer them just because they're local. And as a taxpayer, I don't want my city government doing that either.

Here are some examples:

• 5 Guys - great burgers, friendly service. You do realize that they located their regional headquarters here in Lakewood right? So bash them if you will, but I guarantee that alone brings the city some good money. And look how they rehabbed that building. Gee, glad we didn't show them the door since they're not "local".
  
• 56 West - Good burgers, but service is often subpar quite honestly. And I'm not alone. Go online and look at the reviews...quite a few people complain about slow service, rude management. It's gotten better, but it's not a paradise. And you do know that 56 West is actually owned by Cafe 56 which is an east-side place (great salads though!). So they're not really "local" either. Service is getting better, but I wouldn't assume it's better than 5 Guys (especially if you've never been there).
  
• Two Dads - I went there once. Food was okay, wasn't impressed with the service or decor. Won't avoid it, but don't have a burning desire to go back. They need to earn my business, I won't go there just because it's "local"
  
• Peppers is awesome for Italian food. Super friendly, they remember you when you come in. Local place that earned my business.
  
• Panera - great place, good sandwiches. Have partnered many times already with Lakewood Schools and other city activities. Again a non-local place that is giving to the community. But let's get rid of them because they're not a mom and pop.
  
• Love Root Cafe so much better in every way than Caribou. They're local, and I go there because they're awesome. If they weren't awesome, I wouldn't go there.

I could have a ton of other examples, but seriously having a "local-only" mentality is myopic at best and doesn't really serve the needs fully of a diverse community.

Brian,

I see your point and agree with what you are saying, and yet, I understand that Missy is expressing a buy local attitude which I think is good, too. Here’s the thing, if the business is in Lakewood that means revenue for our city and jobs. My criticism of the current approach to economic development in this city is that there doesn’t seem to be a holistic approach (I have been as critical of the school board’s seemingly lack of this approach as well).

I attended the most recent Lakewood Alive community meeting/pep rally that they held at the newly renovated Bailey building (which doesn’t seem to have a tenant yet) and as I understand it they function under the Mainstreet Initiative so they are only focusing on downtown. Okay, I get it. However, when the only business representative of all of their hard work is Panera Bread I start to wonder. I love Panera Bread, but I wonder about the decision to place it between Einstein Bagels and the Souper Market. Don’t these Lakewood businesses need to thrive, too? A plan that focuses on the big picture may have placed Panera on Madison with a large lot for parking. I think most people would make the effort to still go to Panera and Madison gets another boost that it needs. I think this would support Panera better by reducing competition next door.
I love Five Guys! And, I really love that their headquarters are here in Lakewood. Yet, to thrive how many bar/food, burger joints, etc. can Lakewood support? We definitely need more service oriented business other than retail. Many of the storefronts could be rehabbed to look very cool and support businesses such as marketing firms, law offices, financial institutions, etc. Not more retail until we can support that. The thing is most places have a Panera Bread and Five Guys (and okay with me to have them here), but what do we offer to attract business to our community? Housing, inexpensive store fronts with incentives to rehab? We can draw people to live in Lakewood if they work here, and if more people work here then our restaurants and retail can grow & thrive. In addition, we can attract business and shoppers by developing our arts district, antique stores, and educational facility in the center of town. No one is going to come to Lakewood to shop at Home Depot if it is already in their backyard—plus we have Lakewood Hardware.

I also learned at the Lakewood Alive meeting that the CEO/Director (sorry I don’t know the exact title) is required to submit reports monthly regarding how well the organization is doing. For instance, job growth is reported monthly. I would like to know how much job growth we’ve had in Lakewood due to LA’ efforts. What troubles me is that an organization like LA should be accountable to our local leaders and not the other way around. We, the citizens, have the right to know if they have our city’s best interest and determine if they are competent. I don’t like hearing that a large sum of money was farmed out of Lakewood to design new signage for the city when I know we have the talent and resources here in Lakewood. To be honest, I was not that impressed by the accomplishments that LA presented at their last community meeting. We need to increase our tax base and we need jobs.

Sorry, Bryan.

Kristine Pagsuyoin wrote:I love Panera Bread, but I wonder about the decision to place it between Einstein Bagels and the Souper Market. Don’t these Lakewood businesses need to thrive, too?

Decision to place? I don't think businesses are dictated to on where they can be placed. Panera I'm sure was the one who chose which location they would build into. And given the number of people who work right down in that area, I don't see either Einstein's or Souper Market hurting for customers at lunch hour. I'm pretty sure the market can support it. (Einstein's is also not local, it's a chain and that particular one needs some serious TLC on the inside).

A plan that focuses on the big picture may have placed Panera on Madison with a large lot for parking. I think most people would make the effort to still go to Panera and Madison gets another boost that it needs. I think this would support Panera better by reducing competition next door.

Again, no one is going to tell a business where they should go, you can't just "place" them wherever you want. Madison has issues, bigger issues than one business can fix. But so did Detroit. You can only focus on so much at once and I'd rather the city focus on one area and fix it before moving to the next, diluting resources will product mediocre results everywhere.

If the city only offered space on Madison, I guarantee Panera probably wouldn't have come. The area isn't conducive to foot traffic, or even steady lunchtime work traffic.

I love Five Guys! And, I really love that their headquarters are here in Lakewood. Yet, to thrive how many bar/food, burger joints, etc. can Lakewood support?

5 Guys is more than just the restaurant here so I wouldn't lump them in with Burger King nor would I lump them in with bars. Speaking of which, why is no one going on a crusade to replace some of the 50 bars per capita that Lakewood has? 90% are run down holes that detract from the overall appearance and reputation of the city (not to mention the quality of life issues of those people who live by them), yet no one is complaining a lot about that. Want to know what one of the big issues is with Madison? Start with the 2 to 3 bars per block.

We definitely need more service oriented business other than retail. Many of the storefronts could be rehabbed to look very cool and support businesses such as marketing firms, law offices, financial institutions, etc.

Absolutely think that's a great idea. But so many of the store fronts need so much work to bring them to code and make them awesome spaces for those types of businesses. That's going to take money and actual foresight by the people who own these buildings.

No one is going to come to Lakewood to shop at Home Depot if it is already in their backyard—plus we have Lakewood Hardware.

But you think people will drive to Lakewood Hardware if they already have Home Depot in their backyard? I'm not sure I understand.

I also learned at the Lakewood Alive meeting that the CEO/Director (sorry I don’t know the exact title) is required to submit reports monthly regarding how well the organization is doing. For instance, job growth is reported monthly. I would like to know how much job growth we’ve had in Lakewood due to LA’ efforts. What troubles me is that an organization like LA should be accountable to our local leaders and not the other way around. We, the citizens, have the right to know if they have our city’s best interest and determine if they are competent. I don’t like hearing that a large sum of money was farmed out of Lakewood to design new signage for the city when I know we have the talent and resources here in Lakewood. To be honest, I was not that impressed by the accomplishments that LA presented at their last community meeting. We need to increase our tax base and we need jobs.

Very good points here and I do think transparency is sorely needed. But I also want to emphasize that transparency doesn't mean necessarily doing what you or I want them to do. There are 50,000+ people in Lakewood all who have different visions for what this city could be.

I see a lot of people complaining about the focus on downtown Lakewood or other initiatives and decry the organization for that. But what about those of use who like what's going on downtown and think the changes are positive?

I do think what's great about these discussions, is even when we disagree on approach, it shows there's a lot of passion in this town for making things better!

I apologize for using the 56west/5 guys thing. That was just in my head at that time as I was honestly thinking about burgers and food when I was typing. Sorry to offend.(but i do like a good sit down place where someone comes to my table and takes my order etc etc. I guess that comes from being a mom and serving the family every day ..i want it to be my turn to be waited on)

I am also speaking of a small business owner here. I am being shut out by the "big business" here. I am basically falling apart because everyone loves the big guys but us little guys get pushed out. We tiny little businesses can't compete ....and then what. We are out of jobs that we love, that we put our hearts and souls in to. Another empty store front then....(well at least I dont have a storefront can't afford one, but would love one) We don't have a marketing team, a huge list of people that can do "this" and "that" for us.

I get having companies in for revenue and for the better of the city. But why focus on chains? I guess that is what I am asking. Why more retail? Don't we have enough? Why more food places? I thought we had plenty here. I just dont want to see a city I love turned into a giant commercial place. A balance would be nice, yes, but I just keep seeing more empty store fronts.... I really can't put in to words the right way ...but I am agreeing with you guys..I just can't say it right.

Oh and housing..I won't even go there. Have ya'll seen what we have put in to our house? And the new attachment to it? I am so sick of remodeling that I don't even want to think of other houses right now. LOL. I honestly need a break from "houses". (but I know it is something that needs addressed, trust me I do, but I need to not think of that)

Oh yeah, let's also remember this...I did NOT put my name in, and have no interest in running for office. I have 2 kids, a husband and everything that I do for the rescue and the care of the dogs here. I also feel I have a lot to learn and don't want to learn at citizens' expense.

Missy Limkemann wrote:I am also speaking of a small business owner here. I am being shut out by the "big business" here. I am basically falling apart because everyone loves the big guys but us little guys get pushed out. We tiny little businesses can't compete ....and then what.

I don't want to sound heartless, but yes small business can compete. There are plenty of examples in Lakewood where that's true. Small business does need to try harder, offer unique experiences, and a better value proposition than the big guys. If you're offering something people either don't want or can't see the value of, or are offering nothing any different than what I can get from a big retailer that offers me other conveniences, you've go to rethink your strategy.

Every business needs to constantly be changing, growing, adapting whether large or small. You can't just setup and expect to run that way for all time.

I get having companies in for revenue and for the better of the city. But why focus on chains? I guess that is what I am asking. Why more retail? Don't we have enough? Why more food places? I thought we had plenty here.

We probably don't if businesses, especially sophisticated planners like Panera, etc are willing to come here. If they see market opportunity they come, if not, they don't.

I just dont want to see a city I love turned into a giant commercial place. A balance would be nice, yes, but I just keep seeing more empty store fronts.... I really can't put in to words the right way ...but I am agreeing with you guys..I just can't say it right.

I agree, but would you rather have empty storefronts or businesses, like Panera, who are willing to rehab them and move in? Again I go back to the point that local or mom and pop does not always equal better.

What "perks" did Panera get for coming here? Do we know? Were they given anything extra for coming here? Tax free for so long?

Missy Limkemann wrote:What "perks" did Panera get for coming here? Do we know? Were they given anything extra for coming here? Tax free for so long?

Don't know, but if the revenue or other benefits of them coming here justify the perks, I don't mind. That's the way the world works.

But just because they get that (if they even did) doesn't mean small business can't compete. Again, there are millions of examples of small businesses that are able to compete both here in Lakewood and nationally. It's all about business strategy, execution, and value proposition.