The Observation Deck

You don't mess with a Scorpio...that is for sure...
and we don't forget...
and once we are done....we are done!

"Can you elaborate? What was covered up?"Kristine Pagsuyoin

From everything I have heard and read here and elsewhere it would seem that all of the hard work was not just ignored for the most part if it did not fit the preconceived notions of whoever was in charge, which I take to be the school board and/or that Alive group. Even at the last meeting my wife said they, the Lincoln parents,were pushing for this reuse, that did not even appear in the paperwork she was given? How does something like that even happen in the real world? A bunch of people suddenly appear with a different agenda on the last night of a study! It would either be a complete takeover of the project, or a hail-o-mary by whoever was controlling the process probably from day one. My wife said she heard a woman in charge yelling at one of the leaders about doing the right thing. What does that mean?

The fact that many have said the school board was at all the meetings and this was a school board process that is where I would be looking. Why would they do it? For who? and What was being gained? Last week my neighbor mentioned one person in the administration was getting two pay checks for the same 40 hours of work, and wondered who else was getting these sweetheart deals. Is there a connection?

If this was state or federal money, and the school board had played these tricks before,why wouldn't they make sure it was an honest process!

(Jim did I do this correctly?)

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

sharon kinsella wrote:Friday is my birthday my Scorpio sisters.

Hug s (((((Sharon))))))
Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and may this next year be filled with love, peace and a measure of Joy

Shelley

And to you and Rhonda.

I thought it was hysterical when I saw that the three of us are all Scorpios. An here we are.

It seems that many of you are worried about politicians running for office and not planning to serve their full term. I haven't seen anyone question Mr. Demro's ability to serve if he is shipped to Afghanistan as part of his military duties?

From the images I've seen they could really use Mr. Demro's help, their trash always seems to be out before their trash pick-up day.

I raised that question months ago at the beginning of the campaign. The answer I got did not subside my fears but basically related to the fact that he thought it was highly unlikely. As I said, this was months ago

Well I am not a scorpian Sharon but where are we meeting this year to celebrate???

I don't think we are honey.

Mel Page wrote:One of the reasons I joined LakewoodAlive in 2006 when it was a PAC and volunteered so many hours towards its efforts was because they were holding public, nonpolitical educational forums.

Mel

But I am sure as you look back now you can see they were actually highly political forums
that were designed not to educate but to "educate the masses" into buying into their dream
of using the city, the politicians, and now our tax dollars to achieve their dreams of malls
instead of housing south of Clifton.

While not backing a single "politician" they are backing the party of reckless economic
development for themselves. When I say themselves, it is in the eyes of one, maybe 1.5
at the top of the LA Food chain.

So the relationship is similar to that of the Morlocks and Eloi.

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Betsy Voinovich wrote:Jim,

I like the credo of the Visionary Alliance for Lakewood, but I have to ask, why did you leave out ‘good schools’, which seem at least as important as ‘entertainment’ to attracting families to Lakewood?

Or does the modern vision of Lakewood exclude families?
...
Betsy Voinovich

Betsy

The Visionary Alignment for Lakewood did not leave out schools,and certainly did not
leave out families, far from it. It was developed almost 5 years ago to take Lakewood
into the next 50 years and beyond. What is most staggering are the projections that
were made back then. I believe the only thing that was off, was the price of silver. Everything
else that was discussed has come true or is moving in that direction. Oil, job loss,
school closing, exodus from the region, and the negative impact on Lakewood from
the buzzards of regionalism, that need to devalue Lakewood, to force us into their
lack luster dream of "regions" competing with "countries" around the world. This dillusion
surfaces in all of their talks with comments like "The CLE+ region has enough buying
power to compete with "insert country here.""

The VAL had Café University which was a plan to bring in a "name brand" university to
Lakewood into the Templar Buildings. The major university that was being discussed and
talked to was The University of Bejing. Of course one person ended dreaming small
very small and change that into Cleveland State or University of Akron. This is one
reason the VAL is not published. The program designed to make Lakewood stand head
and shoulders above any city in the region, always seemed to be co-opted by people
looking for low hanging fruit, and the easiest way to an end. A problem with many of
the so-called civic groups in and around this town. They either want the easy way, or
they are so into regionalism, they refuse to let Lakewood rise above the rest. This is
one reason why I always mention can a person really serve two masters?

The VAL contained plans for all of the empty schools, and the dying Catholic churches.
It has ways to take kids from pre-school to doctorates, and would keep many of them
right here in Lakewood. To improve housing, and attract the best to the best city in the
region. Without government intervention or assistance, except in very rare cases. Of
course what the city "power brokers" hated, was that it did it by empowering people
to achieve their dreams not just the dreams of a very few narrow minded people.

So because I did not mention it, does not mean it was not there. I hate going into details
as you well know other communities like Collinwood, Parma, Euclid, Cleveland Heights,
University Heights, Shaker Heights, Beechwood, Westlake, Bay Village, Berea, Brookpark, Middleberg Heights, Solon, Independence, Mentor, Medina, Akron, and
others are willing to take these ideas and run with them, while here we fight over the
control and implementation of "downsizing," where to place dead flowers and how
much money to make off dog owners and poor people.

As I said to Mel in the previous response Morlocks vs Eloi.

Thanks for asking.


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Jim O'Bryan wrote:But I am sure as you look back now you can see they were actually highly political forums
that were designed not to educate but to "educate the masses" into buying into their dream
of using the city, the politicians, and now our tax dollars to achieve their dreams of malls
instead of housing south of Clifton.
So the relationship is similar to that of the Morlocks and Eloi.

Jim

You are forgetting the "JAIL" they want to build. And will be hyping up shortly (imo)
The auditor seemingly thought the focus on the dream jail was a bit odd during the Performance Audit process.

City of Lakewood D. Lorenz. reviewed on 2-6-08
Performance Audit D. Lorenz reviewed on 2-19-08 (Verbal discussion with auditor)
Section B - Financial systems D. Lorenz , 2-26-08 .D. Lorenz, updated on 4-25
Source: Structural Balance Task Force , City of Lakewood (B7.1a)
Purpose: Summarize key recommendations/financial implications. Concerns and other considerations

Auditor’s Note: The police section does not provide enough support that all/most of the established objectives were analyzed

Why? Other criteria/benchmarks to consider
Section is problematic because the general comments indicate that the crime, drug activity, use of technology (ie cameras) graveness’s and staffing were analyzed but focus on the report was on jail operations with it being aa issue for further study


Bill’s thoughts

I agree. I would indicate that the author conclude that police staffing is adequate, crime is lower, and several other similar conclusions. However, the bulk of the analysis focuses on the jail. No hard numbers to support these conclusions

(B7.1b The City of Lakewood, STBR analysis (Compatility Mode)

The propoganda for their dream shrine started a long time ago and seemingly is pushed on everyone and any one..regaurdless of the facts or the appropriateness to the situation-

WE DONT NEED a new JAIL- no matter how cool it would be to build one- no matter who's plan for Lakewood it fits into.

Matthew John Markling wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Ready for my question?

Sure.

Is there for lack of a better term a "secret" group* trying to exert force into realms
they have no business exerting the type of force they use, behind closed doors?

Have you ever been told to watch your step, or ...?

* Really just one or two people hiding behind a group.



.

Have you ever been told to watch your step, or ...?

Matt has very short legs, he always has to watch his step or the sidewalk crack might trip him up.

Jim, it is not very nice of you to pick on Matt for his vertically challenged issues.

Corey

JOB said:
"The VAL contained plans for all of the empty schools, and the dying Catholic churches."

Jim, small point of order ... the Catholic church closings are clearly the most publicized but, unfortunately, there are many churches of all denominations with for sale and for lease signs around town.

Paul

Paul Schrimpf wrote:JOB said:
"The VAL contained plans for all of the empty schools, and the dying Catholic churches."

Jim, small point of order ... the Catholic church closings are clearly the most publicized but, unfortunately, there are many churches of all denominations with for sale and for lease signs around town.

Paul

Paul

I agree, however I was not part of that discussion, two Jesuits were.

I am going to copy this into the correct thread.

Hence...


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