The Observation Deck

If there is a safety concern with the parks, the proper response would be to address the safety issue, not tell kids to play elsewhere - if someone is behaving in a threatening manner, you cannot cater to them and penalize the victims. If someone decides to do something illegal such as drunk driving, you don't tell innocent pedestrians to stay off the street, you take the driver off the street... And relocating the courts based on a single person's complaint, while ignoring the wishes of all the other residents of the city who use and want them there, seems completely absurd (not to mention a gigantic waste of money).

I've never used Kaufmann park, mostly because we are closer to other parks and my kids are still very young, too young for basketball. But I find the response of 'the basketball courts at Lakewood Park are still open' to a bit offensive - just because it is open does not make it a viable option for all kids to use Lakewood Park. I moved here from a city where the closest park from my home was a 20 minute drive, and if you wanted to play tennis or basketball you pretty much needed a gym membership, so for my family the parks of Lakewood were a huge perk. When the kids and residents who use the parks properly and without problems or incidents are punished because of someone else's behavior, that is unacceptable. If they needed to close the courts for a day while they deal with the threat that is one thing, but to close them indefinitely while not doing (or at least, not appearing to do) anything? Also not acceptable.

Timeout!

What qualifies Mayor Mike Summers to declare any individual to be a "credible concern for public safety near the park" or anywhere?

Perhaps this neighbor doesn't mind Mayor Mike Summers declaring him to be a "credible concern for public safety near the park" if it results in basketball hoops being closed and our children being thrown out of Kauffman Park.

But think about the precedent Mayor Mike Summers is creating here.

Who is next?

Will you be declared a "credible concern for public safety" for disagreeing with Mayor Mike Summers?

That's a lot of power vested in one person.

[quote="Stephanie Toole"]Take the time to call and write your council person and the mayors office. [/quote]

Done. and the next Council meeting is June 2. Bring your basketballs.

Matt,

I agree completely with your statement. The mayor sure seems to have a lot of control here.

If they really do have a credible specific threat to only the hoops then pink slip the crazy neighbor and take him for 72 hours of evaluation.

Involuntary Civil Commitment for Hospitalization - http://cp.cuyahogacounty.us/Internet/Fi ... BQAEQARgA=

On another note - My neighbor accidentally triggered his house alarm last week and the police came to do a well visit. They saw he was OK and told him that another false alarm and he would be fined.

Why in the world hasn't the city gone after this problem neighbor for being a chronic nuisance and financial drain on our police department? Are their laws that allow crazy's to just keep calling?

Paul Schrimpf wrote:[Done. and the next Council meeting is June 2. Bring your basketballs.

Hey, better yet .... let's all bring our balls to 1371 Lakeland Avenue. We could have a dribble-a-thon on the sidewalk. See you all around 7PM this evening?

From what I have learned in the last day, everyone needs to be very careful in dealing with this individual. I now agree with the mayor's action, although I think the individual must be dealt with, safety re-established, and the basketball court reopened. For now, stay away. Bounce your basketballs at the City Council meeting.

Dan Alaimo wrote:Unless I have the timeline wrong, this was prior to the opening of the Lakewood Park hoops, which changed the clientele, and the discussion, at Kauffman Park.

Dan,

By change in "clientele," you mean what?

Dan Alaimo wrote:From what I have learned in the last day, everyone needs to be very careful in dealing with this individual.

And what have you learned about this individual in the last day?

And by whom?

I really think this is a slippery slope folks are sliding down.

Dan Alaimo wrote:For now, stay away.

Then why is the mayor allowing our kids to be at Kauffman Park now?

Dan Alaimo wrote:Bounce your basketballs at the City Council meeting.

On that, I agree.

That would be a wonderful First Amendment statement.

Matt

Thanks, Dan.

I appreciate your reply ... but why, oh, why does the type of information/response you just provided us here have to come from a citizen ... rather than from City Hall? (rhetorical question, i suppose)

Any chance you expound on "what I have learned in the last day?"


And, by the way, my last post was nothing more than an effort to draw out such a response .. from someone/anyone.

Clientele = demographics, younger kids

What I've learned is not confirmed and inflammatory. Until someone steps forward with hard information, let's leave it at volatile and dangerous, and keep a safe distance away. That much is well established.

At Drug Mart and there are indeed a couple folks bouncing balls outside the courts with an American flag... And a cop showed up as I type.

I'm outraged that this man can tie up our safety forces over a non-crime. At the least, he should be charged and fined for making repeated, unnecessary calls to the police.

There must be some "tool" the city can use to reign him in and put him on notice that his behavior will not be tolerated.

Here come the reins. This is good information from the Lakewood PD via Missy Toms, who lives on Lakeland:

"The police are making sure they have all their procedures, schedules, etc. in place before they reopen the courts. They want to give him ZERO reason to call and complain. Basically they are shutting him down."

I'd say that is good news.

"The police are making sure they have all their procedures, schedules, etc. in place before they reopen the courts. They want to give him ZERO reason to call and complain. Basically they are shutting him down."

I don't see how any of that eliminates the threat nor do I see how keeping the courts locked up during park hours makes any difference in the meantime.

The mayor promised me some answers tomorrow (too busy today).

"The police are making sure they have all their procedures, schedules, etc. in place before they reopen the courts. They want to give him ZERO reason to call and complain. Basically they are shutting him down."

The Mayor has said they are looking into relocating the court. He told that to me personally and to other media sources.

Zero reason to complain = moving the courts to another location = giving in to bullies and negotiating with domestic terrorists.

Terrorize: to dominate or coerce by intimidation.

Jeff Dreger wrote:At Drug Mart and there are indeed a couple folks bouncing balls outside the courts with an American flag... And a cop showed up as I type.

Jeff - you should have introduced yourself to me. I spent an hour and half dribbling.

Why the flag, you may ask? Because when people ask me if I'm protesting, responding with: "No, just standing here dribbling my basketball" doesn't quite have the power as "No, just standing standing here dribbling my basketball next to my American flag."

btw... the one police officer who spoke with was, as always, uber-professional.