" I ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE" carly simons

Some things you just expect not to be rocket science. Like recyclables; are you recycling when you co-mingle items? Is it even recycling or just something to make you feel good about yourself that you may be helping the cause?
Recently, on a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania to visit my sister and her family, I asked if they recycled in Loyalstock? Now is it just me..... or is this the way I always heard it should be?





Just so you know these photo's were taken within 24 hours of when mine at Painesville were taken.
City Administration, Waste Management, Residents we can do better.
This recycling center sits between a fire station and an elementary school. It's completely fenced in.

"BORDERLINE" madonna

I recently read a story about an Akron woman who was charged with a felony and spent nine days in the Summit County Jail. Kelley Willams-Bolar is a single mother and was going to college and working for the Akron School System.[If anyone should know]
She illegally enrolled her two children in the Copley-Fairlawn School District where her father is a resident. There seems to have been a problem with resolving this issue without having to go to court for a felony charge, but that's another story.
Why bring this up here on the Painesville blog.?
Well, it seems to be a known fact that there are many illegal immigrants living in our city who legally send their children to Painesville City Schools. Will someone explain to me why these people are not taken to court and charged with the same statutes as Kelly Williams-Bolar? If you are not a citizen of the United States how can you possible be a resident of Painesville?
To those of you who believe we don't have a major illegal problem here in Painesville, why is it I see HOLA and/or Victoria Dahberg constantly asking for special treatment for people who are caught?
To some of you in the school administration; passing this levy will be harder than you might believe. I have heard a steady chorus from people who privately believe they are being ask to fund a social problem they choose not to be involved with.

"BRILLIANT DISGUISE" bruce springsteen

For you who may not realize it, today is General Paine Day in Painesville. If you had an extra twenty you could have had breakfast this morning at Jalapeno Loco to celebrate 265 years of General Paine. I have only suffered through sixty years of it.
Remember. this is not Private Paine Day or Major Paine Day, its General Paine Day here in my hometown.
Honestly, tell me, are our best Painesville years behind us or ahead of us?
Have we had too much 'paine' or not enough?

"FLY ME TO THE MOON" frank sinatra

Lost in all the discussion on what we owe AMP-OHIO whatever that amount will end up being. 2.7 million seems to be a well found number.
At the same presentation our City Manager proposed Automated Meter Reading. Rather then me trying to explain it lets take the minutes from that meeting and have her explain it to us.

Ms. McMahon then made a presentation on automated meter reading (AMR). She explained that
meter reading is being done through electronic transmission. The City updated the electronic version in
1985/1986 and we have not updated since that time.
Ms. McMahon explained the AMR Business Drivers. There is a cost reduction. The operational
savings will be a reduction in labor, materials and energy supply. There are currently 4 meter readers.
There will also be reduced capital expenses in water and network assets and the IT for AMR are more cost
effective. This will increase customer satisfaction because there will be no more estimates and it will allow
customers to monitor their own usage. AMR provides improved metering, billing and collection. There
will be more accurate measurements for water and electric. Eliminating estimates will reduce revenue loss
and improved cash flow. AMR will also help with any EPA compliance monitoring issues in the future.
Safety issues will be reduced such as dog bites and environment standards will be met. Ms. McMahon
informed Council of the other public power Ohio communities that have successfully implemented the
AMR Program; Hamilton, Bowling Green, and Wadsworth.
Ms. McMahon stated the key benefits include the elimination of manual meter reading labor and
overhead, significant reduction in field visits for move in/out and collection activities, revenue increases
from removal of slow electric and water meters and customer drive electric load management. There will
be an elimination of re-read and duplication of efforts and there will be remove service connections with
reduced opportunity for error. The customer will be able to get a digital read out of their consumption and
monitor how much they are using then they can determine what is the optimal temperature for them.
The current status of the meter system includes 12,000 electric meter and 10,200 water meters.
They meter are read every month. The fixed cost is $500,000 to read meters. There is no load control
software deployment, no outage detection software deployment and no solid state advanced meters for
future time-of-use rates (Smart Grid). The cost estimate is between $4.2 – 6 million. This is to replace all
the meters and install the technology for a signal-to-wireless network stored on a computer. The ten year
operating savings will be $5 million. This is a ballpark number from a cost-benefit analysis. Costs of the
project can be decreased through grant funding.
The next steps are to proceed with the AMR RFP development and take in the responses to
establish more specific pricing. A two-year capital cost analysis will be done. Ms. McMahon thought it
would take about 18 months to deploy the system. A presentation of data will be made to Council to
determine if we proceed. Then we research funding option, select a vendor and deploy.
Ms. McMahon stated of the next 18 months, if Council is interested in pursuing Automatic Meter
Reading, the City will proceed with the RFP.

Now my question where will the 6 million dollars come from to pay for these new meters?[Power Factor?] What will happen to the meter readers, along with costing the city $500,000 for these four meter readers? Will this system include American made hardware? Who in the city has the expertise to implement this system and what will that cost? In a city where most streets remind people of Beirut, what's in this for who?

"THANK-YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND" andrew gold

I guess we can all thank the good Lord for averting tragedy today in Fairport Harbor.
Listening to the scanner, I thought it would soon become "Fireport Harbor."
Painesville should be proud to reach out to their neighbor to the north at this time.
No one seriously hurt, residents as well as first responders.
I can't believe anyone would think that the firefighters didn't earn their pay this morning.
Again thanks to all including Fairport's Mayor for issuing a reverse 911 call.

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT" rod stewart

Attended the Painesville School Board Meeting had to leave early. What I heard left me wondering.
Mr. Taylor announced that in order to acquire the 1.4 million dollars the schools need, in the next levy they will put up a 6.5 mil Emergency 5 year levy.
The administration presented figures that they believe the state will cut funding 10%[$1,900,000.00].
Many interesting facts were displayed. If you cut kindergarten back to half day you would save $330,000.00 on teachers salaries alone. The administration figures a teacher being cut as $55,000.00. Cut 3 bus drivers $90,000.00. I got the impression you can say good-by to all para-professionals.
Pay to play, first sport $100.00 second $50.00 third $25.00. estimated savings
$160,000.00.
Bizarre.
Not at any meeting did the school administration or the board ever address whether they have talked to either the Classified or Non-Classified employees about wage cuts to keep everyone with a job. My question is why? I have been told teachers and their union are inflexible?
The question we should ask is how important is this school system to Painesville?
In its present state I'm guessing not a whole lot.
Again, the debate will be raised on how much this levy will cost residents.
Most have already seen the increase in taxes due to the Lakeland College/MRDD levies that passed.

In other business the board also heard from the city about dorms being built on the Harvey site, and the city claimed that could be a part of the citie's Master Plan for Downtown. I believe that property is in WARD III [good luck] All residents have an opportunity to address the school board at the February school board meeting.
8 acres... $238,000.00... seems awful cheap to me.

"MONEY" pink floyd

I may start a small civil war. Here is a thought on raising revenue for the city.
First, I will admit that there are many of you that drive a car, deliver a baby, and cook a seven course meal all at the same time.
Others that drive a car, help a child with homework and finalize a business deal all at the same time. Multi-taskers...you gotta admire them!
Unfortunately there are many of us that can't. I was almost broadsided by a woman who blew through a stop sign and almost hit me. Then there was the man driving a pick-up with a plow who turned into my lane, both with their heads cocked into a cell phone. It's not a male or female thing it's a human thing. I see it all the time when I'm driving down the road and watching someone texting.... but really hoping they're not.
An ordinance that brings with it a $100 fine: anyone caught using a hand-held cell phone. Other local communities have successfully passed similar ordinances.
Post signs throughout the city to make everyone aware of this ordinance.
As I shop or drive I wonder how we ever got through life without them but there is a limit...or there should be.
Now this is just an idea. I'd like to hear the pros and cons.

Is having parking meters downtown worth the trouble? Costs vs. Revenue.
Is there another way to make sure that county or business employees don't use all the prime parking spots?
Please feel free to make your suggestions, seems council has hit another "Brick in the Wall."

"COUNCIL MEETING 01/18/11

We will have a presentation Cathy Bieterman, Economic Development Coordinator.
Can we at least get a Rally's, Sonic?

The rest of the meeting will be a Ordinance on how we will pay off our notes,LOANS
We will reissue a LOAN $226,000 to pay off the loan of $234,320 for financing of the Renaissance Business Park? Does that mean we only paid off $7,320.00 of that loan last year? Hope we get an explanation.
Ordinance to reissue a one year loan coming due on March 12,2011. This reissuing of this loan is for projects completed in the last five years. Resurfacing Argonne Drive, the new apron for the fire department, ect.
I get the impression our City Manager pays off one credit card using another take your VISA and paying it off with your Master charge, all legal but I wonder what all this reissuing costs us in interest?
If council approves another loan we will repave Hartshorn Dr.

I wish the City Manager would replace the word NOTE with LOAN in all her ordinances, even I don't think the word note sounded like debt.

Every loan passed. Tune in to watch Councilman Werner ride a dead horse!

"IF I LISTEN LONG ENOUGH ..." rod stewart

I'll find a reason to believe...

The Board promised "Transparency". I expect it.

Well, at the Monday School Board Meeting the board and the administration agreed to ask for a levy that would generate $1,400,000.00 a year in revenue. Last November they lost a renewal levy by 19 votes so now they'll come back in May asking for an Emergency levy that is $500,000.00 more then the $900,000.00 levy they asked for in November?
Nothing in the main stream media [News-Herald} but I imagine they will get around to it eventually.
At the last couple of meetings I heard some residents tell the board what programs should be spared cuts. I can't argue that they all gave good reasons.
Now these parents will probably vote for the levy for numerous reasons. Saving the AG classes, full day kindergarten, sport's programs, staffing issues.... the list will continue to grow until May.

Will this board and administration put on paper "guarantees" for what programs and staffing would be saved if the levy passes?
Can't do that? We'll hear the board doesn't know what the state budget cuts will be. Well then I'm not going to give you people almost a million and a half dollars on faith....sorry.
Bussing, class sizes, plus some of the above must be known before you people even consider voting thumbs up or down on this levy, it's just common sense.
Dr. Hanlon must have taken lessons from AMP-OHIO and used them on the board. This is as bad as a "Take and Pay" contract. Only you will be giving this administration all this money with "NO" promises. This is a "Give and Hope" contract you give them money then hope it's spent the way you want.
Some of you have seen some of the waste in this system first hand, you want to give them more money? You'll be voting on this in about a hundred days. By Tuesday you will have received your first-half property taxes, surprise! If you got the extra 200bucks.... go for it, it's almost like shooting craps in Vegas.

"FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST." rod stewart

Well, the Painesville School Board held its monthly meeting Monday night. I can't even start to get the facts to you. First, check the school system site tomorrow to see how our district compares to all nearby districts. Dr. Hanlon was fixated with Ashtabula City Schools and Lorain City Schools? Check the school web site.
Mr. Bull discussed AYP & AMAO. At first I thought it was a new railroad through town. He explained "Adequate Yearly Progress" and "Annual Measured Achievement Objectives". I got the feeling we didn't do too hot.
In 1979 Painesville Schools were approximately 20% African American, 80% White.
Today we are 17% African American, 32% White 11% Mixed and 40% Hispanic. A big change in 30 years.
We authorized the submission to the state to go back to half-day kindergarten. Only as another tool to work with? Nothing decided yet.
Also the Board declared it necessary to put an emergency levy on the May ballot that would generate $1,400,000 millage. Still just a proposal at this point. If you remember last November they had been asking for $900,000 in additional funds.
Go to the school site Tuesday for the comparisons, and if you have the chance watch the meeting on Channel 12 at 2:30 daily TIVO if you can.

"ARE YOU TUFF ENOUGH" fab thunderbirds

As most of you know, I believe the future of Painesville is going to be tied to the continued success of Lake Erie College. That being said... is it a good idea to build four dormitory buildings on the "old" Harvey site?
The city's famed "Downtown Master Plan" shows no dorms or any other college buildings on that site. Will this be the first major casualty of the plan?
Surrounding this site are two nursing homes; Homestead I and II, a senior living community and numerous private homes in the immediate area. It also borders our 'historic district'. Also, the proposed site is not attached to the college property.
I realize the Board of Education is in a financial bind and could be facing an economic catastrophe. Is this the time to let that property go at a "fire sale" price. This is a one-time-only opportunity for the school board to maximize their return on that property. I just don't think they should give it away. Should something be built there that would not add to the city?
Maybe the college could come up with a plan to build an educational building that would only be used for classes instead of housing for students. Let them keep their students on campus where they would be the responsibility of the college.
I agree with Mr. Powers (school board member) that the land is being given away to an entity that can afford the real value of that property. I'm not really sure what the role of the Lake Port Authority is here but I do strongly believe that this is a very important decision that all parties involved should consider very carefully. These will be very tough decisions that all three entities will have to make. The results will be with us for along time.

KODACHROME......paul simon

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Just a quick drive-by of our dump....oops, I mean recycling center. I wasn't aware that empty paint cans and the odd Christmas tree were permitted. And just remember folks....this 'recycling center' will cost the city of Painesville $20,000 for the next five months.

"I'D LOVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD" 10 years after

Painesville Pride
October 2010
COUNCIL'S CORNER
Jim Fodor, Council-at-Large

With fall comes another Browns football season. This year especially has seen reason for HOPE for Browns fans. This HOPE comes from the leadership both on and off the field. The Browns organization has a plan for improvement that will bring winning and pride to Cleveland. Painesville City Council and Administration also have a plan to move the city forward and provide the citizens of Painesville reason to HOPE.....

First don't blame me for the analogy blame Jim Fodor.

As most of you know Cleveland coach Eric Mangini was fired Monday. The Browns organization just doesn't see back to back 5-11 seasons as progress.
What do you think, is Painesville just another 5-11 city? And for how long?
How long will our city leaders be happy with present results.
Is it time to change Painesvilles coach?