The Observation Deck

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers, who joined City Council in 2008 when FitzGerald was sworn in, said he spent three years as a councilman trying to keep up with the new mayor.

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:"Ed set a very brisk pace as mayor here," Summers said. "He continually pleasantly surprised me at how he understood the big issues and how he was able to take a very appropriate position on those issues."

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:Summers said FitzGerald "came in untested, and passed the test in glorious fashion" by demonstrating an understanding of the dynamics of how to shrink a bloated and inefficient government.

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:FitzGerald moved quickly to respond to a rough financial situation with cuts and layoffs where necessary.

"He knew how difficult and painful that was, and how to do it appropriately," Summers said.

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:Summers said FitzGerald repeated the formula when he took over as County Executive, giving him to distinct turns at sharpening his executive skill style and capabilities.

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:"His instincts are good," Summers said. "His capacity to make decisions is good. His will to make hard decisions is proven, and he demonstrated all that at the county level as well. He's obviously ready for the next big challenge. And this will be a good one."

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html

Joe Noga, Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote:Lakewood Law Director Kevin Butler, at one time a city council colleague of FitzGerald, said the former FBI agent was exactly the right mayor for the city at the time.

"We were heading in the wrong direction, and we needed to right the ship," Butler said. "He made tough decisions. He's going to be able to do the same thing in the statehouse."

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Lakewood Planning Director Dru Siley was an assistant director in Lakewood under FitzGerald. Siley said FitzGerald is extremely talented in "righting the ship."

"He did a great job stepping into a challenging situation with the county, cleaning up what had been a longtime corrupt system and setting that in the right direction," Siley said.

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... ewood.html