"I'LL BE WATCHING YOU" police
In the past five years or so I have been watching closely the action of the city. Our city manager seems to lead council around by their noses. Or maybe someone on council is leading her by the nose. People's eye contact at council meeting lead me to think this way.
Last year Painesville was awarded a large two million dollar grant by the State of Ohio Department of Development to demolish the hospital. I thought then as I still do that a better use for that building could have been found if Lake Health wouldn't have attached so many stings to it. Back to the demolishing, our city manager took bids from numerous companies . She chose a company out of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania? Where they the lowest bidder? With the unemployment in Ohio so high would have it been prudent to hire an Ohio firm, with Ohio money? The local unions at least got the Pittsburgh company to use local labor, why didn't our city manager do this?
All I've ever heard from the city manager is that we can not "mingle" monies.
Please explain how money "interest" that belongs in the waste water treatment plant loan somehow ends up bailing out Millstone property owners? How did she manage to mingle that money? Less we forget where does all the money come from to pay Buckingham, Dolittle and Bouroghs? Can't find it in the budget? If you look into the budget there are many "Other" what exactly is other?
Downtown traffic plan, I love this one. Although I understood the three lanes along Mentor Ave. wasn't wide enough by state law for four, ask people trying to get out of the YMCA hoe much more difficult it is now.
Back to downtown. Heading south on Richmond St. at Erie St. it turns to one lane , you have a left turn lane but as you proceed thur the intersection its one lane to the light in front of city hall. After you get the green light you get a left turn lane to turn onto South Park the road Chase bank is on, wait if your heading south on Liberty St. she wants to install a stop sign at Sterling St. That little side street behind the church and in front of the bank? Within 100 feet of the traffic signal? Can't wait to watch these traffic jams, Oh and we will square off the park corners and curbs to start with large planters along with painting the crosswalks green. Hope you notice it in January. When or where did she become a traffic engineer?
AMP-OHIO my favorite on August 19,2010 the News-Herald reported that she voted to proceed with the AMPGS power plant in Meigs County. Was council informed of the vote, any input? The News-Herald reported she had no comment on the issue. No comment? There isn't a gas line there now, how deep of a hole will she dig for us in Painesville? I'd love to play poker with this lady, she never folds only raises, of course it not with her money she playing with. Who's watching her?
At a council meeting she answered me that the Gorsuch Plant fine Painesville will pay is $4,700.00 within a week that number had grown to $89,000? Along with telling council it was more prudent to pay some energy consultant from Vermont over $350,000 a year for three years in energy conservation then to pay the fine? Personally I and most of you along with companies will do everything possibly to save on energy costs with out some guys who lives where the main resource is Maple Syrup to tell us how to save money.
Millstone we can't build down there. OK, why install an artificial turf football field on the other side of the river half of it payed by taxpayers of Painesville. Could this be another $600,000 down the drain or better down the river? Have to wonder about how that field will hold up after its been under water? Along with our city manager bragging about receiving a $19,000 grant to repair the pond in Rec Park. Was their matching money provided by the city? Why was it not mentioned?
I have yet to find one person that wants one of any type home she has planned for the former hospital site,
Cobblestone Apartments seems Councilman Flock caught her in few half truths on that issue in the past year, but some of her supporters on council see nothing wrong. Wonder if she will feel any remorse if something bad happens in there? Mentor at first offered EMS service and the Painesville's administration turning it down? Brilliant!
As you can tell by now I'm no fan of the city manager or some in her administration. Some have told me she's the best thing that ever happened to Painesville? Sorry I disagree She knows it, I know it and now you know it. More examples coming.
posted by terminator1 @ 8:21 AM
42 Comments
42 Comments:
We have got to get rid of this woman (McMahon) while we still have a city left. Honestly, I think this city and its finances need a thorough investigation by an outside source. By that I mean some law enforcement agency. What law enforcement agency would that be? Does anybody know?
Is there anything we can orchestrate to get rid of her short of hoping that during the next election people will finally open up their eyes and vote out all the people that support her?
Term...thanks for saying out loud what so many of us are thinking. Now I'm a little worried about you because I've been by your house and there can't be any more violations for the city to get you on...so I'm wondering what kind of retribution you will be facing for being so vocal. And make no mistake...there will be some payback down the road. Lets see...
they've made you:
-paint your house
-fix your sidewalk (and your neighbors got some of that fall-out too, good thing you get along with them)
-used the police department to try to seize your computer
and probably other stuff that no one has heard about yet.
I've also heard that JaHada crosses the street when he sees you so that he won't be forced by common courtesy to speak.
I would bet that Rita and her minions haven't done anything illegal (after all, she does frequently use a very high-priced legal firm from Cleveland) but the poor judgement exibited from the golden dome cannot be quantified. Keep cranking up the heat...maybe November will bring some sorely needed changes.
Anyone know a good CPA that would work pro bono to examine the budget? Gotta start somewhere!
9:31 Oh, afew minor things that they haven't heard the end of.
I have no reason not to be respectful and I do my best.
To 9:31: I'M not so sure that they haven't done anything illegal. I have no proof, but my gut tells me that if someone started digging around, we would be shocked at what could be found. I have no confidence that EVERYTHING could be found, but I'd bet we could uncover enough of it.
I believe she was offered a better position in the Sandusky area that was better than what she had here.
After the investment "mistake" sank the Nero administration she was brought back to Painesville by council. There was no extensive search for a city manager. The city was in the process of expanding its borders bt annexing land from the township. I have been told this is her expertees.
Only one member of council voted against her appointment, only because he believed the process had only interviewed one candidate.
How many years has she been city managers and its time we list her accomplishments along with her failures. Do people feel Painesville is a better place to raise a family now?
A good place to start an investigation, in my opinion, would be to check all house/land purchases by everyone who is in office now and all those who have BEEN in office. People seem to have a lot of questions on that count, so we could start there.
So Term, according to the newspaper, McMahon got us back into an AMP-OHIO deal. Did she? What do you know about this? And if this is correct, was she able to do it all on her own without a vote from council?
If you read the paper article I would say yes. Why does she need a vote from council? It was probably written in the ordinance to put her in charge, plus the fact Hada,Hach, and Fountain would have to fold leaving the city on the hook for the money already owed to AMP. This new project is the way the losses from the coal plant can be rolled into the "new" project.
Problem is people are watching. In some communuities this project is a big deal not like Painesville where its business as usual.
This is 12:29 to Term 2:52:
Thanks for the answer. I do feel that whatever deal they have to get into with AMP right now to avoid having to outright admit, and give us a firm figure, on what they lost for us, then that is what they will do. If they roll over the money, as you say, they will be able to avoid having to outright admit what they have done with our money.
I just want to say again that I think there needs to be investigations. AMP and the AMP/Painesville deals would also be another good starting point.
Really, so are the OTHER members of council just going to let us get into a NEW deal with AMP while they sit there on their behinds and just let it happen? Without getting and giving us a FULL report on how much money we lost and what are the differences between getting into a new deal and just paying what we owe these horrible business people and GETTING OUT before we get any deeper? I mean, this is just total insanity at this point. Who in the world would condone getting into yet another deal with these AMP fools.
Although, maybe AMP doesn't have to take any hits for being foolish. It doesn't look like THEY ever lose anything, does it? It's all us and the other dumbies who keep getting involved with them.
This has to end and, in my opinion, we need to end this now. Pay what we owe, and get out.
Can we recall or impeach her or something?
Talking about retribution ... is anyone else that has taken issue with the city having difficulty with their electric bill? For example, do you think it is TOO HIGH? Or even if you have not taken issue with the city, is there anyone out else out there who cannot explain their high electric bills?
well the simple answer is look on your bill and see how many days are included? One person told me his was 48 days, the next question is why? The power plant wasn't produced much power presently because it is cheaper to buy it off the grid than to generate it in Painesville due to the present economy. We here alot abot air conditioning but with the hospital gone and other companies in town dropping shifts business is the major user of power in this country.
I will be doing a post on this subject next week. Presently I am trying to figure out how all this money that has recently fallen out of the sky will affect my vote on the school levy. "Race to the Top" money of over $650,000 along with the emergency grant of over $975,000 from the Feds to help with staff. I have to wonder if people knew this money was coming our way when they put the levy on the ballot? Why so quiet?
Please comment for and againt this issue.... but do me a favor and don't tell me this 1.5 million is just a drop in the bucket, thats a mighty big bucket.
Schools Wait until you receive your new calendar these fools screwed up the months, It's an Omen I tell you.
These federal dollars are 'one-time-only' monies....not anything we can count on in the future. It's a stop-gap measure at best. The BOE had better be working on a sustainable plan that is fair...and they really need to start thinking creatively since business-as-usual is obviously not getting the job done.
are you saying the schools got an emergency grant of 975,000? where did you hear that?
6:21 pm
You are the fool.
The school did not screw up anything the printer did, and only a few got handed out, anyone with one can turn it back in and the schools will get a refund.
Omen to you......
11:13 Read about it in the 9/3 News-Herald under "Local Districts to receive Educational Job Fund"
Painesville share $977,000.
Look it up.
Yes, and most of the homeowners in town are looking for a "stop gap" and not finding one.
Still looking for the "Sacrifice"?
This money can't be used for day to day expenses. So to run the schools they must come to us for more money in the new levy.
To !!:19....it's not an emergency, grant per se...but it's still only a one-shot deal. (as of this writing)
And Term...they had to have an idea about this money coming (or at least the possibility of it) since government doesn't do anything quickly or quietly. I would imagine the feds had to have some input from the state and local boards of education in order to come up with their allocations.
And hey, 6:21 lighten up!.....before the curse of the 50% genie falls on your head. :>)
8:12 I understand the "Race to the Top" money can't be used for day to day operations. What about the $977,000?
Where and why does this money flow into any system if its not meant to shore up loss tax revenue? It's almost like giving a person a large sum of money, their behind on their mortgage, utility bills and you give them $50,000 and you tell them it can only be used to purchase a plasma T.V. and a sports car?
Most people know that money in the form of a government grant has strings attached, but lets keep in mind its our money to begin with. What's the schools going to tell us we received this 1.5 million but we can't use any of it to pay current expenses? Strings? Government grants? I wonder whats attached to that 2 million dollar hospital demolishing grant?
This is 6:21 sorry I won't lighten up! If this school system gets their levy , lets just say it will cost me thousands! For what the worse system in Northern Ohio?
Can't sell your house now because of the poor performance of the schools? Thats the main reason young family's don't move here. Now they want the HIGHEST school taxes in Lake County. Try selling that house then Bunkie. The money will not do anything to improve the system. Money doesn't guarantee success it only beautifies failure.
Can we just say NO here....and not let ourselves be guilted into spending money no one has for a broken education system. This can be compared to going to that shyster mechanic that keeps promising the next time will be 'the fix'...in the meantime he's taken a cruise and driving a sportscar on my dime. If a Painesville parent really wants to help their kid...sit down with them and help them do homework...take them to church, take them for a ride in the car, rake leaves with them...do anything with them that will get them engaged with their family and community. Don't be totally dependent on the schools to provide social, educational and moral guidance.
Hanlon should wear a mask in public, like bank robbers do. He's sticking us up and holding our kids' educations hostage. Lead by example sir; take a meaningful paycut and start getting creative.
PLEASE VOTE YES, OUR KIDS NEED IT, THANK YOU
This city is so lame. You get up at a council meeting and attack the relationship between Painesville and Amp-Ohio and when your done. Silence.
Either your right or they don't have a clue whats going on.
Could be both, nuts I tell you we put this bunch in charge.
get rid of the illegasl and their anchor baby kids, and there will be plenty enough money to educate the legal children. I will vote no. This levy is needed because the city has allowed the illegals to take over. VOTE NO!
do you homework, folks, any and all school levies, 85% of one dollar goes for administration, and 15% goes for the children.so, you decide, does the administration need more money? A PERSON WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR THE SCHOOL LEVY.
Another PERSON WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR THE SCHOOL LEVY. VOTE NO!
I have two points here:
6:16, I'm with you. They built these schools counting on the numbers of illegals. They not only welcomed them in, they asked for them. When they get rid of the illegals, then there WILL be plenty of money to educate the legal citizens. Until then, I vote no, too.
Term, thanks for your statements at the last council meeting asking them to NOT get involved in any more AMP deals. I was perturbed like 1:48 was. Not a word from ANYONE up there. There are no leaders there -- only followers. And they are following McMahon and Hada who are running this city right into the ground -- and we don't even have a hospital anymore to bandage its wounds!
“At a council meeting she answered me that the Gorsuch Plant fine Painesville will pay is $4,700.00 within a week that number had grown to $89,000?”
Term, we owe BOTH.
$4700 is our portion of the Civil Penalty.
Page 20 75. Within thirty (30) calendar days after entry of this Consent Decree, AMP shall pay to the United States a civil penalty in the amount of $850,000.
$89,000 is our portion of the Environmental Mitigation Project
Page 18 66. …Project will be considered complete when AMP and the Gorsuch Members spend a total of $15,000,000…
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/decrees/civil/caa/amp-cd.pdf
Then there is also the Gorsuch Debt that we are responsible for.
”The debt service will be collected monthly from Gorsuch participants
through 2012. There are 48 AMP Members that have contracted for power from
the Gorsuch Project. The debt is non-recourse to AMP, in that only the revenues
from the underlying power sales contracts with the 48 participants are pledged to
cover the debt.
$78,870,000 minus $17,720,000?
“The total amount of the Gorsuch term notes is $40 million”
I’m not sure of the amount of debt. Maybe someone else will understand it by reading it here.
Page 10 at
http://amppartners.org/pdf/financial-statements/2009/2009_Combined_Audit-Management_Discussion_and_Analysis.pdf
You know its great to see someone follow this besides me. I believe you know more then the rest of us.
I wonder why theres silence about all this at City Hall?
Thanks and keep commenting on new info.
I'm glad you pointed out what a rathole the "recycling center" has become No business in town would be allowed to have this view from the street. Get rid of it or at least hide it behind some fences.
Joe Hada is there once aweek what exactly has he been looking at?
They can sell advertising space (tastefully done) to help defray the cost. And maybe more people would recycle if they knew where it was and/or it was a decent facility. You only get one time to make a first impression... and that's one group you want to impress....young families with kids. Hope the city gets past the fact that it was your suggestion and takes some action.
Sorry Term, but you sorta got upstaged by the guy who complained about some of our lazy city workers, yes I've seen it first hand myself. 70 minute lunches? street sweepers screwing around early in the morning.
Then you can also get treated by rude utility office workers, who tell customers "I don't want to hear anymore the complaint department is east of the Pennsylvania border, not here.
Although I'm in 100% complete agreement with you that the residents are here to serve the city employees and not the other way around.
It's fun to watch them scamper home to Perry, Concord or wherever they reside. They atleast know better than to live here. HOLA!
Another suggestion for recycling: They need to occasionally educate people on what and how to recycle. It is still unclear to me, and I have been trying to educate myself on the subject for years. Don't assume people know what to do. I think I know about 99% correctly, but that is no thanks to the city, and I think a lot of people have no clue how to do it correctly. They're doing their best, most of them, but they need information.
I would also like to comment on rude utility office workers. I got one a week or so ago. Wish I had gotten her name. I believe she also gave me incorrect information. The attitudes in that place have been disgraceful through the years. It's not everybody, but there's always one or two. That Rosie was the worst. Hope she's gone now. What a rude, uppity, pompous person she was (is?).
If you had words with Rose, then you were late on paying your bill ?
Most people late on bills don't like the people trying to make them pay, I think the ladys there are very good to most people.
Rose takes care of late bills? Wish she would have reminded some of those business that stuck the city, where was she then? Well if thats true maybe the reason so many of the high bills were caused by the city not reading them on time? Then to turn around and be rude to customers when they complain. Hate to say it but it seems to be the culture of this administration to be rude and distant. The complaint department is in Pennyslvania? No its not it's under that "Golden Dome". I wonder how most of you would feel if you knew the wages these office workers are receiving? Maybe it's time to let residents know what some of this lazyness and arrogance costs them?
This is 9:41 to 1:10: No, I wasn't actually late on my bill. Rosie thinks she is God. I also have it on good authority from many people that when they go up to get HEAP help (yes, with late bills), then Rosie or whomever acts like the angry parent. They make them come into the electric office and pay a certain amount on their bill, before they will okay HEAP help. Now, you tell me, what business is it of Painesville Electric to have that kind of control over people trying to get from a Federal program. And can you imagine if you were having that hard of a time, and had to forego the Federal help because you didn't have enough money to put on your bill so Painesville would let you get the help?! This city is just so out of control, and it is reflected in the attitude of many of their employees. Is that woman still there?
And, by the way, if I HAD been late on my bill, I can tell you that I STILL would not have deserved the attitude and treatment that woman gave me. Disgusting and unacceptable. She likes and demands that people kiss her feet. You said most people do not like the people trying to make them pay. I can tell you that I am a mature person in age and attitude, and nobody has to treat me like a child in ANY situation to get proper behavior out of me. Rosie gets no pass from me, and I hope she is no longer there.
If Painesville had an ounce of common sense they would outsource the utility billing, instead of paying big bucks to people sitting around and being a pain in the.....
Painesville has one screwed up utility dept. Electric meter was read on 11/24/10 and switched to another relative that day. In December no bill was sent and was told they don't send a bill for a partial month. Besides they don't have enough meter readers and that's why some bills are estimated.
To beat all in January received an estimated electric bill for $5.75 and we knew the next bill would be a whopper. Since 11/24/10 the next meter read date was on 1/31/11 meaning our bill was only read twice before our whopper electric bill came on 2/11/11.
Well the day finally came and we finally got a huge electric bill of $535.27 which included an inflated "Power Adjustment Charge" of $308.11 and 69 days usage with "5772" Kwatts used. This bill got to be this big because we never received a regular bill only one estimated bill.
When we got there we handed the clerk the bill and she then stamped the bill as if we were paying it. We then told her we weren't paying it because it wasn't correct!
Then we started telling her why we thought it was incorrect and she kept telling us to shutup and let her speak. First of all we need to tell her why it's incorrect before she can answer us. She couldn't understand that part and called to the person in charge and she did exactly the samething wouldn't let us explain anything. Then she told us if we thought the estimated bill in January was too low we could of paid more. Duh, that's the bill you sent us so that's the bill we paid. We don't invent a bill for us to pay since you don't know how to send us one or read our meter!
After about 10mins it grew into a shouting match and that's when some guy appeared. Didn't introduce himself just told us he'll have the meter read on 2/14/11. Hello, if the meter is correct what's that have to do with a $535.27 bill because they only read our meter twice since 11/24/10? How is that going to fix the inflated power adjustment charge of $308.11 that grew to that size because of a bill for 69 days?
The only reason our bill grew to the size of $535.27 is because they only read our electric meter twice and that wasn't our fault. It wasn't because of non payment it was clearly because they didn't send us a regular bill from 11/24/10 and in January a estimated bill.
If nobody was following along it's like the gas company not billing you for almost 3 months. Then sending you a bill for a $1000 and telling you to pay us in two weeks. Most people could see this is wrong and would be upset getting a large bill. Like i said most people, but the people at the friendly Painesville Utility dept can't see why we're upset and they don't have a clue!
This whole mess is because of their negligence and incompetence. Nobody there can actually grasp they are in the wrong of which is totally sad. All three of them who we talked to try to resolve this matter wasn't interested in what we had to say.
All i can say it's really twisted these people have jobs when some people with common sense don't. By their actions that day they really tarnished a city that already has bad image by it's leadership.
Painesville crime problem is only getting worse with their judicial system. Examples are people who commit domestic violence get their cases dismissed when it clearly was a case of domestic violence for both parties involved. A Car was damaged and a kid was hurt, again what a farce of a legal system.
In Painesville they walk and are allowed to do it again. What a joke! Why even bother to arrest people when they get a get out of jail free card.
Then you've got people who are involved in other crimes get arrested for traffic offenses. Then to beat all this thug decides twice not to show up for a court hearing. What should happen to this guy? In most "normal" courts they would issue a warrant for his arrest.
Not in Painesville they turn his pass due fines over to a collection agency. The judicial system in Painesville needs an overhaul and by the actions of people who are doing the judging the citizens of Painesville ought to tell them this farce of a court system stops here.
No wonder why people keep commiting crimes in this city because most of them will get away with it. The word on the street is Painesville is a joke and slowly going down the toilet by the people who are supposed to be upholding the law are giving the criminals the upperhand. I guess this is why Painesville is becoming a great place to raise a criminal.
If you don't like paying city taxes you've choosen the right city. I guess i'm just a glutten for punishment. I file city taxes every year unlike some that live here. If i had to estimate i'd say there is probably over 30% who don't even file a city income tax.
Here's how it works if you don't want to file your taxes. If you work in a different city and not in Painesville you don't have to pay according to CCA. Even though it's a requirement if you live in Painesville "you must file city taxes".
I got tired of getting the short end of the stick and reported somebody who makes 40k a year to CCA. Yeah, i know i'm a snitch,blah,blah, etc.. But the way i look at it if i have to do it they should too!
But to my surprise when i called CCA i was told that person who makes 40k a year wouldn't owe any taxes. What? How can that be? Not to mention but i will again it's a requirement if you live in the city of Painesville you must file your city income taxes. I was even told this ridiculous response from CCA the city taxes were deducted from their check. Duh.. so were mine when i made less than $9 an hour and i still owed city taxes.
I can't say for you but when i made less than $9 i did in fact owe city taxes the next year. So there is no way in H_ll this person who makes 40k wouldn't owe any city taxes. It's like saying make the poor pay taxes but the rich don't have to. We know that doesn't happen or does it?
If you want to pay less taxes or none make Painesville your home. The people running the city must not have a clue of what's going on well now they do. Since the city owes and operates a non profit electric company. Why should they care about some people who don't even bother to file a tax return. This last statement might bother some but for the rest it doesn't matter.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home