The Observation Deck

Sam O'Leary on the campaign trail.

Council spent a lot of time on this decision, and through my contacts with many council
people the choice was a tough one with so many good people sending in their resumes.

Many standouts, and many deserving people stepping up to serve in Ward 2.

A couple days ago I ran into City Council President, Mary Louise Madigan speaking with
Ward 1 Councilman David Anderson at Black Bird Bakery. I asked her, who they were
picking. She said there was no consensus at that point, and she had not seen all the
resumes and the interviews had not even started.

Two days I called the Council President and she still maintained, a lot of it was hinging on
the interviews and then the vote and discussion and revote.

Last night as midnight approached council sat down and took their vote and Sam O'Leary
the political phenom that had damn near got voted in on his own was chosen. While I
had a couple favorites on the list, it is hard to argue with this choice. Sam is a young
smart political machine, that came up through the Young Lakewood Democrats at LHS,
and was always looking for for a way to server the city of Lakewood in government.

When I sat down and spoke with then Candidate O'Leary he made it clear he was going
to be on City Council someday. He has spent most of his life dreaming of that and working
towards that. Sam is a lawyer with a B.A. Political Science with Public Policy
Concentration, cum laude, from George Washington University and currently works with
MCGown/Markling Law Firm that specializes in government law.. He has worked in
Cleveland's Legendary Councilman's Joe Cimperman's office, and now will be a councilman
that I am sure can pull from his youth, his experience and his knowledge to help guide
this city.

Good work council, and thank you to all that applied for stepping up and going through the process.


The portraits of Sam I did while talking with him.

From the McGown/Markling website:
In addition to practicing law, Mr. O’Leary currently serves as a member of both the City of Lakewood Board of Zoning Appeals and the City of Lakewood Tax Incentive Review Council.
Educational Background:
• The George Washington University
• B.A. Political Science with Public Policy Concentration, cum laude
• Trustee Scholarship Recipient
• Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
• Barrister Scholarship Recipient
• Urban Development Law Clinic
• Transactional Law Clinic
• Student Public Interest Law Organization
• The Gavel, Senior Writer

Professional & Civic Memberships:  
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
• City of Lakewood Board of Zoning Appeals
• City of Lakewood Tax Incentive Review Council

Bar Admissions:  
• The Ohio Supreme Court

.

An excellent choice. Mr. O'Leary is a long time Lakewood resident who nearly won a seat in the last election. In a sense he was chosen by the voters as well as council.

He has an impressive resume and seems very ambitious.

Any word on whether the Ward 2 council seat is a stepping stone or will he stick around for a while?

Charlie

I have not spoken with Sam since the appointment but when we did the drill down on the
councilman, he admitted he would love a shot at mayor down the road, and after he has much
more experience under his belt.

But the way it so easily rolled off his tongue, his background and what he has done, it would seem
he is staying in Lakewood, but does have political aspirations beyond being appointed to fill a seat.

It is always interesting observing these young lions as the grow and mature.

But you have seen what it is like in Ward 2, and that State Senate seat election is coming up...


.

Yes those young lions that have done so much for the community and are still so involved in our community.

Dennis Dunn, Ryan Demro, Brian Flannery.


Bill

Bill Call wrote:An excellent choice. Mr. O'Leary is a long time Lakewood resident who nearly won a seat in the last election. In a sense he was chosen by the voters as well as council.

You are a class act, Bill Call!

Bill Trentel wrote:Yes those young lions that have done so much for the community and are still so involved in our community.

Dennis Dunn, Ryan Demro, Brian Flannery.


Bill

One of the unspoken requirements (in my opinion) was that the candidate be a Democrat interested in higher office. I don't have any problem with that. You have to have experienced candidates to build up the bench.

I don't even have a problem with Lakewood politicians using the City as a stepping stone. What bothers me is that after they attain higher office they forget the City and its needs. Where is the payback?

If I had a higher office I'd be funneling money into this town. There would be the Call wing at the Library, the Call center for cancer research at Lakewood Hospital, the Bill Call solid gold sewage treatment plant, Bill Call's Peninsula Project, Bill Call Public High School and more!

Samuel is sworn into office by Judge Patrick Carroll as Morgan McPhearson holds the Bible during the January 21, 2014 Lakewood City Council meeting.