The Observation Deck

Thus far, my conversations with, and LO Deck readings from electoral contenders have revealed an underlying theme consistent across parties, and age groups.

It's the belief in markets, the desire to realize a better Lakewood through maximal leveraging of market forces.

I challenge the mayoral contenders to articulate: Who, if any among you, is willing to carry this ideological premise through to its rational conclusion?

In a city with socio-economic demos shifting rapidly downward, what do you sense as an appropriate response by the mayor's office to:

1. The incongruence between the services provided by youth and human services, and the services needed in order to maintain good order on the streets and in the homes of Lakewoodites?

2. Concerning the Lakewood Police Department, the incongruence between the current levels of capitalization/suburban police culture and the emerging safety needs of the city.

Who among you is willing to realize and act on the fact that the jobs of administering these institutions/departments constitute special markets.

Special skill sets are needed to deal with the culture shock of a changing demos. Special experience is needed to know how to employ those specialized skill sets to successful ends.

When will a market-wise contender step up to the plate, realize that these markets are national, promise to capitalize the positions to the degree necessary for competent, qualified institutional leadership and put out the call for the best talent in the Nation State?

It is at this moment in Lakewood's history that we need the best, leading every institution, with urban experience. The sub-urban good-ol boy network is going to drive us into the ground.

Mr. Slife.

Not meaning to be harsh but even the college-educated among us will have a hard time deciphering this.

I read this four times and ultimately gave up:

2. The incongruence between the levels of capitalization, and sub-urban bureaucratic culture of the Lakewood Police Department as the environment goes urban and chaotic?

Can you translate into more user-friendly terms, keeping in mind that for most, philosophy takes a back seat to whether the trash is picked up, there are no potholes on the streets, and the cops show up when you call?

whatever urban means....

when someone or some people regularly talk much louder than other people in public, and use the S word as a universal noun, it is hard to teach them to not do that.

But if you could figure out how to teach them that and put it in a bottle or a pez dispenser you could make a billion dollars and real estate prices would rise at least 20 percent.

Dee,


2. Concerning the Lakewood Police Department, the incongruence between the current levels of capitalization/suburban police culture and the emerging safety needs of the city.

I'm not real sure either how to interpret the original post. Let me take a shot at it though. Do we really want leadership that is going to embrace the socio-economics that are rapidly shifting downward as you say? What will be the cost to a city that continues to say bring us your poor who we will have to support on the tax payers dime with continual increasing social service programs? Please correct me if I'm wrong but if by leveraging market forces that refers to attracting developers for either commercial or residential projects then great.
I'm sure that there are differences between how various municipalities run but should Lakewood really be expected to be run urban when there is no industry to support it? What differentiates urban from suburban? I always believed that urban referred to a city center based on traditional industrial operations. Suburban on the other hand was outside of the central location and was more residential. Based on our limited commercial income streams maybe we should be looking for someone who has condo association experience.

Shawn,

I interpret "going urban" to mean "going downscale", eventually to the bottom.

The socio-economic churn is largely due to macro economic forces, beyond our direct control.

Shawn Juris wrote:Do we really want leadership that is going to embrace the socio-economics that are rapidly shifting downward as you say?

No. We need leadership that knows how to deal with the social chaos of the downwardly mobile, Guliani style. Take no shit. Have no fear. Bust heads. Save the city.

I submit to you that the suburban culture of our city administration/departments knows not how to engage in this way..... they've never had to. Thus, the national call for heroic administrators is in line.

Shawn Juris wrote: What will be the cost to a city that continues to say bring us your poor who we will have to support on the tax payers dime with continual increasing social service programs?

Shawn, I thought you were a regionalist. The case load increases with regional collaboration with Cleveland. Check out Cleveland Fair Housing, and ask mayor George why we've helped Cleveland to eject their underclass.

Remember, Cleveland has set a long term strategic plan of displacing their down trodden and sending them into the inner rings. They are looking to gentrify the entire city, after "shrinking" blocks through demolition. Look at the east side, hundreds of acres cleared, now inhadbited by the Clinic. Where do you think the downwardly mobile residents displaced from those blocks moved to?

Only through Guliani style hyper localism that rejects the Cleveland proposition of Lakewood as catch-basin will save Lakewood.

Shawn Juris wrote: Please correct me if I'm wrong but if by leveraging market forces that refers to attracting developers for either commercial or residential projects then great.

There's a market for everything. When city hall's need reform, you bet there's a market for the administrators who will do it.

Having the courage to put out the national call nearly seals the deal on accountability, ensuring a clean slate lacking political connection to the entrentched declining machine.

If those wishing for meaningful, market driven development are ever going to realize this vision, the safety front will have to be locked-down first. Nobody's going to live in a $250000 condo surrounded by ghetto,
or shop at an upscale restaurante where crack dealers and their clientel roam.

Shawn Juris wrote: I'm sure that there are differences between how various municipalities run but should Lakewood really be expected to be run urban when there is no industry to support it?

We have no choice, Shawn. Urban is supported by the industry of goverment saftey nets, of welfare and section 8. The urban population is here. If we are going to survive, we will have to contain the choas of this demographic: the protect our asses and assets.

Shawn Juris wrote: I always believed that urban referred to a city center based on traditional industrial operations. Suburban on the other hand was outside of the central location and was more residential.

In 21 century Lakewood, and for the purpose of this dialogue, I'm refering to the under-class migrating from Cleveland's inner core. I'm refering to the social networks that bring crime, chaos and social disorder to the streets of Lakewood, whether directly or indirectly.

Shawn Juris wrote: Based on our limited commercial income streams maybe we should be looking for someone who has condo association experience.

Dan,
Thanks as always for the detailed response. You refer to cracking down a number of times and that it's a problem of migration from Cleveland. In a city that can be described as very liberal (in the sense of community outreach and social programs) aren't we attracting those that will take rather than those that will give? Rather than increasing costs of enforcement and creating new programs of diversion and prevention that will only increase the tax burden would it make more sense (even if it only knocks a small amount off of the bottom line) to cutback and restrict some of these services? Admittedly, it's a cold hearted, difficult suggestion. But if the city really has a problem with the "living off the dole" characters isn't it more effective to take away the carrot rather than paying to buy a better rod?
As far as being a regionalist, I see the benefits of limiting duplication to lower costs. If the concern is displaced residents from Cleveland shifting to Lakewood then maybe their strategy of scaling back neighborhoods makes as much sense here as it does there. Again, I refer to eliminating historical insignificant, poorly maintained, apartment buildings to limit the supply which economics should teach us will increase demand and thereby price. Conversion of doubles to singles, I'm still not convinced of but upgrading commercial property currently occupied by 20 unit nuisance attractions sounds reasonable.
Beyond what we've said so far, I wonder if any leader is going to step up to admit that at this point we can't be all things to all people. If we are going to do more than just get by, the city will need to focus in on one demographic and stop with this notion of being great because we have a diverse socio-economic community. While blue collar living next to white collar is nifty, section 8 living next to upper middle class will only cause the more mobile to get moving. Others can spin away but I do not see how, who and why anyone with a choice and the means would select to live next door to someone politically correctly described as socio-economically diverse. A unique, authentic community is one thing. I can appreciate not going cookie cutter but if we continue to be all things to all people we will be nothing great to anyone and the default of those without alternatives.

Okay - let's just get this straight -

Underclass refers to economically deprived, does it not? I reallly do not like that phrase and would like people to think out what using that phrase really does - marginalize people - a lot of whom are single moms - and make them sound "not as good".

Also - Section 8 - let's just say this - perception is non white.

I've got news for everyone here - diversity is coming whether anyone wants it or not. Instead of being reactive and talk of omitting sections of our population because they are not rich enough, educated enough or white enough sounds elitist to me and not proactive.

Gentrification - have you all looked at Detroit Avenue at the condos going up in marginal neighborhoods? Lakewood has aging housing stock - which allows us to be economically diverse

Frankly - what are you going to do to live in the real world and do it well?
Lakewood has aging housing stock - which allows is to be economically diverse.

This is the wave of the future folks - it can be exciting like our beautiful new library that will allow access to educational materials and technology. Our wonderful schools system that afford ALL children a decent education.
And the opportunity to experience cultures and relationships with people who do not necessarily look like everyone else.