The Observation Deck

Lakewood City Hall please do not wait until "the Moon is in the Seventh House, and Jupiter Aligns with Mars.."

We deserve honest, transparent accountable government NOW!



Lakewood Observer, Markling and Essi looking for the light switch.



originally in the Sacramento Bee.


Originally in the Columbus Dispatch






Lakewood Observer

And let's not forget yet another attack on Free Speech, and Lakewood's Right To Know..


Many thanks to the lawyers, advertisers and true civic leaders that helped defeat what Mayor Summers now calls "his biggest mistake ever."

Support Our Right To Know!

There is no room for secrecy in Government!

Send a note to City Hall, PLEASE OPEN YOUR RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS!



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More links about Lakewood Observers talking and fighting for free speech and sunshine in Lakewood.

Frivolous Lawsuit SLAPPED Down by Judge
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... ck#p174177

Court Orders Butler to Release Records & Explain Why He Has Not
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=23854

Marx Public Records Point to Dishonesty in Court by Marx, O'Leary & Butler
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=23856

Reasonable Expectations That Every Citizen Should Have For Their Public Servants
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=23751

The "Cheaters" Admit:"There Was a Violation" of Open Meetings Laws by Council
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=23836

View first unread post BOMBSHELL: Skindell Forces Butler to Admit City Council's Violation of Sunshine Laws
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=23814

If you have favorite posts of the Observer fighting for the rights of ALL LAKEWOODITES to know facts and discuss them, post them.

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I was just at a fundraiser for Tristan Rader for Lakewood City Council. St. Sen. Mike Skindell introduced Tristan. Mike (who served on Council) pointed out the privatization of the former Lakewood Building Dept. After my initial WTF moment I wondered how such a maneuver happen? And why? to what end? It is the complete antithesis of municipal American government. The Mayor of Newburgh Hts who co introduced Tristan emphasized the same thing.

I'm thinking maybe we should apply this alien visa thing to our current elected officials and City employees. KEEP OUT!!!! This is our City; you in government don't belong.

Let's not forget the same group of scoundrels refusing to turn over public records change the publ;ic record retention laws, dumping records in 2 years instead of 3. I told you then they could not be trusted, and they have proven it at every turn.

Demand Lakewood retains it records for at least 5 years!

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Specifically--- show me the legal link between an opinion on a building permit from a private party to the legitimate requirement to comply with the building codes

Stan Austin wrote:Specifically--- show me the legal link between an opinion on a building permit from a private party to the legitimate requirement to comply with the building codes

Garbage next. Quick $200 dollars from each home.

Hospital didn't break us, we merely had to lie, perjure ourselves, hid records, and stiff thousands of residents while spending over $1 million of our dollars trying to convince us how great their plan(?) is.

City Hall Get Straight, Release All Records Now!

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Let's get down to the ultimate--- Is the Lakewood Police Department legitimate?

2012 manual on Ohio Sunshine Laws if anyone is interested in the details:

http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Abou ... anual.aspx

What I find odd, is that anyone sane, could argue against or be against Government agencies being transparent.

I get that some people that are desperate to hide things, but public records and the ability to get them is the cornerstone of democracy.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Charles Zimmerman:
"The rule in Ohio is that public records are the people's records, and that the officials in whose custody they happen to be are merely trustees for the people; therefore anyone may inspect such records at any time, subject only to the limitation that such inspection does not endanger the safety of the record, or unreasonably interfere with the discharge of the duties of the officer having custody of the same."
Patterson v. Ayers, 171 Ohio St. 369 (1960).

Thomas Jefferson:
"Information is the currency of democracy."

Patrick Henry:
"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them . . . To cover with the veil of secrecy the common routine of business, is an abomination in the eyes of every intelligent man."

James Madison:
"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

John Adams:
"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right and a desire to know; but besides this, they have a right, an indisputable, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers."

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In recognition of Sunshine Week, the preeminent law firm of McGown Markling suggests ways to inform yourself about these laws and participate in ensuring open and transparent government.

There are many links on the site to further information on all aspects of complying with these important laws. Please explore!

http://mcgownmarkling.com/current-issue ... 2-18-2017/

Bridget Conant wrote:In recognition of Sunshine Week, the preeminent law firm of McGown Markling suggests ways to inform yourself about these laws and participate in ensuring open and transparent government.

Agreed that this is well worth reading; I hope to visit some of the linked content soon.

For now, I thought this might be the most notable item on their own page:

While elected officials are allowed to designate someone else to attend these training programs and seminars on their behalf, why would any elected official really want to do that? Elected officials will be hard pressed to make the argument that they somehow absorbed three hours of sunshine law training via osmosis through their designees. And, in any event, ignorance of sunshine laws will never be an excuse or defense when elected officials find themselves in court for sunshine law violations. To that end, McGown & Markling encourages all elected officials to actually attend all three hours of sunshine law training themselves – the training is even free and can be taken online.

Three hours, no financial outlay. So much to ask?

I found that quite interesting.

Three hours, it's free, and available online!

Wow, so hard. Yet in Lakewood, they send one person to take the class and grant those not attending credit "in absentia."

In fact, one Lakewood official "took" the class for eleven 11 others!

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/v ... ng#p173836

mjkuhns wrote:

Bridget Conant wrote:In recognition of Sunshine Week, the preeminent law firm of McGown Markling suggests ways to inform yourself about these laws and participate in ensuring open and transparent government.

Agreed that this is well worth reading; I hope to visit some of the linked content soon.

For now, I thought this might be the most notable item on their own page:

While elected officials are allowed to designate someone else to attend these training programs and seminars on their behalf, why would any elected official really want to do that? Elected officials will be hard pressed to make the argument that they somehow absorbed three hours of sunshine law training via osmosis through their designees. And, in any event, ignorance of sunshine laws will never be an excuse or defense when elected officials find themselves in court for sunshine law violations. To that end, McGown & Markling encourages all elected officials to actually attend all three hours of sunshine law training themselves – the training is even free and can be taken online.

Three hours, no financial outlay. So much to ask?

Bridget Conant wrote:I found that quite interesting.

Three hours, it's free, and available online!

Wow, so hard. Yet in Lakewood, they send one person to take the class and grant those not attending credit "in absentia."

In fact, one Lakewood official "took" the class for eleven 11 others!

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/v ... ng#p173836

Just so I'm clear, the Orwell quoting, Progressive posturing, Councilperson O'Malley, passed on this? That he was content with Kevin Butler bringing home the truth.
Sunshine Week:
Mr. O'Malley what is your position with regards to Lakewood's Law Director, Kevin Butler, withholding public records.
Ms. Marx what is your position on this?
Mr. Nowlin, what is your position regarding Lakewood's Law Director withholding public records?
Mr. Bullock... You know what, who really cares what your position is.

Rob Masek, I think this is my favorite piece of yours.

Let's assume I'm really slow at understanding things, which I definitely can be. Could someone please explain the cartoon to me. What exactly is going on and what is represented? I totally don't understand it.