The Observation Deck

When allegations of “conspiracy” are made, the accusers round up the usual suspects: Jim O’Bryan, Bill Call and Matt Markling. Never mind that these three ask independent, intelligent and tough questions and boldly state facts that directly challenges those in power—they have never alleged a “conspiracy.” A couple of weeks ago I spoke with Jay Foran as chair of the Recreation Task Force about a recreation center in Lakewood. He denied that there was any truth to that and told me Matt Markling and Jim O’Bryan had “made that up” and “people are just repeating what they said.” So it seems that those is power and those aligned with them do not answer the tough questions or have a rational fact based debate—rather, they simply define citizens as conspiracy theorist to marginalize them and obfuscate secret agendas.

On June 15, 2015, at a Meeting of the Whole, Council President Madigan said that she was adding an unscheduled item to the agenda—she did not say what that item was. Minutes later, at the actual Council Meeting (but after the citizen speaker sign-up sheets were collected), Ms. Madigan announced that Jay Foran, head of the Recreation Task Force would be the first speaker.

Among the claims Mr. Foran made while giving his “report” were:
(1) It was just a “rumor” that the Recreation Task Force involved a recreation center---Foran said “at the outset” his task force determined Lakewood did not need a recreation center;
(2) It was just a “rumor” that the Recreation Task Force is about separating or changing the recreation functions from the Board of Education.
(3) A goal set by the Recreation Task Force is “SHARED USE” of investments.
(4) The Recreation Task Force is assembling a final assessment to identify “funding sources”

After Mr. Foran was finished speaking Ms. Madigan gave him kudos and said she looked forward to his full report. She also announced that the timing of Mr. Foran on the agenda was so that Council could plan the 2016 budget. So Ms. Madigan is moving forward to budget for something that has yet to be made public.

That Mr. Foran, Former Council President Brian Powers, Ms. Madigan and Mayor Summers collaborate on the Recreation Task Force is obvious. For example, in late 2013, Mr. Powers and Mayor Summers were working with the Board of Education and promoting a tax increase to support their plan to restructure or create a new entity for recreation. That was when the Recreation Task Force was first proposed. On February 18, 2014, Mayor Summers sought a secret meeting with the Board of Education—it is documented in the public record that he discussed a new recreation center and a tax increase to support it. At that same meeting, Dru Siley and the Mayor discussed the Lakewood Hospital campus as the site for the new recreation center.

So it seems that Mr. Foran fabricated a conspiracy on the part of Matt Markling and Jim O’Bryan when in fact his friends---Mayor Summers, Ms. Madigan and Mr. Powers have all pursued their goals of restructuring recreation, a recreation center on the hospital campus, a tax increase and now use of hospital funds to support recreation activities. I guess they will continue to say this is just another conspiracy fabricated by citizens. Like Bill Call saying for years that the Clinic planned to close the hospital--- just “rumors”.

Brian Essi wrote:So it seems that those is power ...

That ("those in power") is a relative term.

"The power to question is the basis of all human progress." - Indira Ghandi

"The way to have power is to take it." - William M. ("Boss") Tweed

Brian Essi wrote:When allegations of “conspiracy” are made, the accusers round up the usual suspects: Jim O’Bryan, Bill Call and Matt Markling. Never mind that these three ask independent, intelligent and tough questions and boldly state facts that directly challenges those in power—they have never alleged a “conspiracy.”

In the absence of full public disclosure conspiracy theories serve a useful purpose.

Way back in 2007 I noticed that Drug Mart Plaza was sold for $6 million when it was appraised for only $2 million. I wondered why they would do that. I concluded that they weren't buying Drug Mart Plaza they were buying Kaufman Park.

Denials all around.

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-hea ... -city-park

When Ed Fitzgerald took office he gave me a copy of the memorandum of understanding where the City agreed to sell Kaufman for $2 million. If I remember correctly is was dated sometime in the spring of 2007. As far as I could determine there were no Council meetings to discuss the sale, there was no public input and there certainly wasn't any competitive biding.

(Just a side note, I got copies of the plans for the development that included a multi-story condo called the Forum at Lakewood or something.)

Somewhere in the archives is an Observer article I wrote about the whole issue.

Anyway...

I wonder if there is a Memorandums of understanding related to the sale of Lakewood Hospital property?

I can actually be convinced to tear down the Hospital for a first class medical facility with a development plan that would provide a really big financial boost for the City. The fact that the Mayor and his supporters have not revealed their plans reveals a lot.

From that refusal to engage the public and inform the public the conspiracy minded have good reason to conclude that there is something just not right about the whole deal.

FUBAR

The attached letter from December 13, 2013 makes it clear that the Recreation Task Force originated with Mayor Summers, then Council President Brian Powers and then Council President Mary Madigan proposing a new Recreation Department.

On February 18, 2014, Mayor Summers and Dru Siley discussed with the Board of Education a recreation center on the hospital campus.


As a follow up to my earlier post above, Mr. Powers has written me that he was not in favor of a recreation center in Lakewood.