"GIVE ME THREE STEPS" lynyrd skynyrd

Well it appears the Riverside School System is getting very serious about getting a levy passed.
The News-Herald reported today  the  the administrators, teachers union,   have agreed to a true three year wage freeze.  Also the non-teaching staff positions agreed to a four year freeze.Many times you hear of wage freezes but little mention made to "Steps"  as well as advacements for educational credit. Which means even though your in a wage freeze your salary increases due to "steps".
The also agreed to one day furlough day where every employee must take a day off without pay The district claims a saving of $170,000 I believe this must be a typo. You would have to believe the savings would be much greater than that.

Painesville City will be putting a 4 mil. operating levy on the November ballot. One has to wonder if the PSLC employees feel the same as there counterparts in the Riverside District.
All this plus the fact the state received more lottery money than expected and the wise people in Columbus want to hold on to it. Legislatures please no games release the funds.
I have been told that the state budget runs for two years if this is true then Painesville starting next January will be start collecting new revenue even before the state might decide not to make further cuts. This I believe is called being proactive. Am I for the levy or against the levy? Haven't decided yet.
One thing that could sway me into voting Yes was if Painesville City Schools and it's employees made the same sacrifice  as the people across the river.

If this levy is used to fund increased staff and fill in needs the schools have, fine. If one dime goes for a raise for an administrator, teacher, or other staff forget it. I don't want to hear "for the children" if it goes for increase wages.

You may disagree with me and I can understand why some of you might disagree. The staff as well as just about everyone deserves a raise. This  post is not meant to be a slam on administrators, teachers and support staff. It's only the fiscal reality the people in Painesville face. If you are employed by PSLC  you have an opportunity to vote on this levy, move here. We need quality people like yourselves living in our community.. I would rather tell you the truth on how I feel than to put a Vote YES sign in my yard and then proceed to vote NO.

There has been to little transparency in government around here without me adding to it..

"FOOLS BELIEVE AND LIARS LIE" lee ann womack

Reading this aricle I can only wonder what is in our future.

Do any of you believe after reading this article Painesville Council was  made aware of any of  the problems this project would have and in the end make them responsible for what happens? I think those seven people if they had been given all facts of this Prairie State Energy Campus  from AMP-OHIO would have all voted No. and walked,no run away from this project. As I mentioned before "The Devil is in the details."

Midwest Energy News

Prairie State reverses course on Illinois coal ash site


Posted on 07/25/2012 by Dan Ferber

—This diagram from an Army Corps of Engineers permit application shows the proposed location of a coal ash storage facility in Washington County, Illinois.

In 2005, Colin Kelly, then president of Prairie State Generating Company, was sworn in at a local zoning board hearing in Nashville, Illinois, a small town nestled in cornfields 60 miles southeast of St. Louis.

The company wanted to begin building the Prairie State Energy Campus, which is now the largest coal-fired power plant under construction in the United States.

The 1,600 MW plant would generate thousands of tons of coal ash, which includes toxins like arsenic, mercury, and cadmium. So the local zoning board in Washington County, Illinois, asked Kelly what his company planned to do with the plant’s coal ash if they granted the zoning variance needed to build the plant.

“All waste products will be disposed of outside of Washington County in disposal sites properly permitted by the state of Illinois,” Kelly told the zoning board.

That was then, and this is now.

On June 26, the Washington County Board met behind closed doors with the lawyer from Prairie State and passed an amendment to an ordinance that granted the company permission to build a 720-acre coal ash landfill on flat farmland near the controversial Marissa, Illinois, plant.

The amendment allowed the company to bypass the normal zoning process, which would have involved public hearings, and negotiate a contract for the landfill with the county—all out of the public eye.

Critics of the company contend that the coal ash landfill jeopardizes air and water quality in the area. They say that it will add huge costs to a project that’s already $1 billion over budget. And they suspect Prairie State pressured Washington County into approving the landfill by threatening legal action if the county didn’t approve it.

Washington County officials admit that they had to deal or go to court, but neither they nor Prairie State will say what the possible litigation was about.

Coal power costs

The Prairie State Energy Campus was first proposed in 2001 by Peabody Energy, the giant coal company, as a source of cheap coal-fired power. In 2007, nonprofit municipal utilities from eight states— Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia and Virginia — signed long-term contracts to buy electricity from Prairie State.

That deal made small cities across the region the de facto owners of the project who are now on the hook for its costs. They now own 95 percent of the project, says the company that manages the project, Prairie State Generating Company.

About $30 million of the owners’ money will go to Washington County under the terms of the agreement approved at the June 26 meeting. The company will also pay the county $250,000 a year from 2012 to 2015. And beginning in 2015 Prairie State will pay the county a tipping fee of 30 cents per ton of coal ash dumped at the newly approved landfill, and 10 cents per ton trucked out of the area on county roads, said Gary Suedmeyer, a Washington County board member and chair of the board’s finance committee, which crafted the agreement with Prairie State.

Approved under duress?

Suedmeyer says the county made the deal to avoid costly litigation.

“Our attorneys and powers that be told us there was a good chance if we did not negotiate they could go ahead and do it on their own,” he said. “So if we tried to fight, nothing would be gained other than a big bill over court fees.”

So did Prairie State actually threaten to sue Washington County if they failed to approve the landfill, and if so, on what grounds?

“That was never explained to me,” said Brent Schorfheide, another member of the Washington County Board. Suedmeyer said he was not at liberty to say because of the closed proceedings. And when asked that question, Prairie State spokeswoman Ashlie Kuehn responded, in an emailed statement, “no comment.”

As for the plant’s neighbors, Schorfheide said, “It sucks for the people who live there, but there’s a lot of things we can do with the money we made on the agreement.”

Dale Wojtkowski, who owns two acres directly across the road from the Marissa, Illinois, power plant, accuses Prairie State of being secretive and disingenuous in its maneuvering on the landfill, and says it’s not the first time.

At the June 26 meeting, for example, Wojtkowski mentioned that Prairie State’s president had promised under oath in 2005 that there would be no coal ash disposed of in Washington County.

“It just kind of amazed me the answer I got: that it was because the people who owned the property were unwilling to sell it at the time,” Wojtkowski said.

Kuehn confirmed that was the reason for the change of heart. “While PSGC acknowledges that company leadership did state that intent in 2005, circumstances did change (the ability to purchase the land) that provided an opportunity for this monofill construction.”

Safe for water, safe for people?

If the coal ash landfill is built, it would ultimately contain a 250-foot high pile of coal ash sitting on flat farmland, said Traci Barkley, a water resources scientist at Prairie Rivers Network, a Champaign, Illinois-based river conservation group that’s trying to stop the landfill.

This type of landfill differs from coal ash ponds used to dispose of wastes from other coal-fueled power plants. It was a coal ash pond that overflowed in Kingston, Tennessee in 2008, dumping more than 5 million tons of toxic coal ash sludge into the Emory River and triggering a $1 billion cleanup operation.

But dry coal ash disposal brings its own hazards, Barkley said. “We’ve heard complaints from people up to a mile away about ash hitting the side of the house and respiratory irritation.”

To prevent the ash from blowing around, coal companies sometimes spray it with water, which can then leach off the coal ash, carrying pollutants with it. The landfill’s location heightens the risk, Barkley said. The landfill would cover more two linear miles of creeks with coal ash, as well as more than three acres of wetlands. The site is on two tributaries to the Kaskaskia River, which supplies drinking water for many downstream communities, she added.

“It’s an area that’s very sloshy with flooding—not a good area to dam up streams for mining and store coal ash,” Barkley said.

More than 100 sites in the U.S. have groundwater contaminated by coal ash, according to a 2010 report from the Environmental Integrity Project along with EPA data.

Kuehn, in an emailed statement, said Prairie State’s coal ash “will be dry, though a slight bit of moisture will be added to prevent dusting.”

Nevertheless, Prairie Rivers Network, the American Bottom Conservancy, and the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club wrote in April to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opposing the company’s application for a permit to fill the wetlands. The Corps has not yet decided whether to grant the permit.

In a public presentation on July 11 that was organized by Prairie State, toxicologist Dr. Lisa Bradley told attendees that the coal ash landfill was safe. Coal ash, she says, is similar to other natural material, including soil, in its levels of heavy metals and arsenic, and the expected levels in coal ash at the landfill are too low to be dangerous, she said, according to a PowerPoint presentation supplied by Prairie State.

Bradley, who was recently elected to the executive committee of the American Coal Ash Association, gave a similar presentation on July 18.

Kuehn said the landfill will have “some of the most stringent standards in the country.” It will be lined with a three-foot-thick clay liner and a synthetic liner and surrounded by more than 30 groundwater wells for monitoring potential contamination, she said.

But when coal ash landfill liners have failed in other locations, an expensive system of monitoring wells and pumps must be installed to keep a plume of contaminated groundwater from spreading, Barkley countered. And with coal ash landfill liners, “it’s not a matter of if they’ll fail. It’s a matter of when.”

An unnecessary landfill?

Critics also question why Prairie State’s planned landfill is needed at all. “It’s one of the big mysteries,” Buchanan says.

The company already has two disposal sites nearby that have been approved by regulators to hold ash from the massive power plant. One, a spent coal mine site called the Randolph Preparation Plant, has more than 500 acres of coal ash landfill space available and 22-year life expectancy, according to documentation submitted by Peabody Energy to the Illinois EPA in 2005. The other site, another strip-mined area called the Jordan Grove, has 953 acres available. The Illinois EPA projected even more capacity there.

“My concern is that they’re just banking storage capacity for coal ash into the future and are getting it in under the wire before coal ash regulations,” Barkley said.

Prairie State denies that. Suedmeyer confirms the new agreement with Washington County prohibits the company from shipping in coal ash from other sites. And Kuehn said that Prairie State Generating Company owns just one of the sites. The second site “is owned by Peabody Energy, to which Prairie State does not have disposal rights.”

Prairie State was able to buy the land adjacent to its power plant only in 2010, Kuehn added. That then allowed the company to consider building a coal ash landfill that “will allow Prairie State to transport the coal combustion residuals via a conveyor system, and keep it off the railways, which is the current transportation path for disposal.”

A done deal?

Despite Washington County’s approval of the project, the planned coal ash landfill is not a done deal, Buchanan said. In addition to the Army Corps permit, Prairie State needs two separate permits from the Illinois EPA—one to landfill the material and one to allow water pollution.

And whatever the company promises regulators or investors or Washington County about protecting the environment from the hazards of coal ash, critics remain skeptical. “There’s a growing group that’s realizing this is a bad idea,” Barkley said, “and it’s just getting worse and worse.”

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/07/25/prairie-state-reverses-course-on-washington-county-illinois-coal-ash-site/

"HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT" pat benatar

Rumors abound that well this blog. is just too "negative"? To some of you it must seem that way. See I never attended a class on "spin" I have heard from some there seems to be more than one way to state facts.
That said when I mention that at an open city council meeting the AMP-OHIO President CEO Marc Gerkins tells every one in the room we owe 2.7 million dollars I take him at his word. Now new numbers come out all the time the latest by the city manager is of 1.9 million. Could be true but that begs to ask who's paying the litigators, as well as the interest on the borrowed money? what we only owe AMP-OHIO 1.9 million and the attorneys $500,000 and interest of $300,000?
Why is it that residents have to inform council people that they are paying over $100,000 in bond interest per month and why were they  never informed about of this by the city manager? How am I to spin that?

MainStreet Sreetscape sorry I can't find a bigger waste of  funds close to $300,000 of city money even though we will get a $600,000  Grant. Wonder if Main St. is rated a 1 or 4 by the city? There are many areas downtown that need work ahead of  Main St.  $900,000?  You have to wonder who pulled that number out of a hat. I just wonder how long after the construction starts the city and residents will be hearing the moaning that all this construction is hurting our businesses  from the merchants on Main St.?

A group like the POC was only started because it seemed city council never had any intention of holding the city administration responsible for anything. From budget issues to many "other" issues. We even presented them with ways to cut costs. The result, you get viewed as a small group of "negative" people. Ever wonder why the Council-President or City Manager seem so silent after being asked a question? Only because of by law they don't have to answer you. "It's a bad idea to air your dirty laundry out in the open" How has that worked out for us in the last 30 years?

The blog. or a certain group like the POC  might keep a business or a home buyer from coming to Painesville? Well a few years back I met a retired lady who feel in love with Painesville. Actually Veterans Park. She purchased a condo in town and now views it as one of the biggest mistakes she ever made. Not with anger but with tears.

This blog. acknowledges positive things in town. Steele Mansion is one. Ask them how they view the POC? Even though, certain unnamed council people did  much greater harm to the way people viewed the city then this blog. could ever possible do. the D.O.G.S. program in the schools is another positive.

All I ask is but please never expect me let someone crap on my head and expect a Thank-You for the hat  just deposited on my head .

Why do so many of you read this? I don't spin the stories the correct way?

"MISSING YOU" john waite

Party in the Park weekend is here. This is our weekend to put a positive light on Painesville. A time for residents to meet each other, for former residents to come back and check out the city they at one time called home. As well as people who just never even thought about coming here. Good music, food, interesting vendors. You couldn't choose a better venue for this city.

In the post before this one "QUESTIONS" I thought PITP would be a good time for residents to go to the city booth and ask about the future of our electric rates and even to inquire about the upcoming road levy.

Guess who is MIA?  Well I was informed that the city manager is out on vacation until near the end of the month?
I asked if it was a emergency vacation due to a death or illness in her family I was told a memo was circulated that just she was just on vacation.
Since I was informed it was planned you have to wonder what good reason she could come up for leaving Painesville this weekend?
This is the weekend when you can meet the most residents of Painesville explain what's your vision for our future and to address concerns in a very social setting. Sure Painesville has many capable employees to handle the questions. It just seems odd that she would want to be out of town during it's biggest event of the year. Kinda like the department store Santa taking his vacation the week before Christmas.

With everything happening in Painesville presently you would think the captain would be onboard?

You can draw your own conclusions as to why she decided to take her vacation this week. I will keep my thoughts to myself. Many of her defenders would not want me to express them anyway.
 What you do have here is a classic case of  " the tail wagging the dog" Council  members only purpose seems to be passing legislation she brings to them, to answer concerns about electric outages, questions concerning chickens and barking dogs, along with thanking city departments and employees for doing what they are paid to do in the first place. This  as well as using a council position  as a stepping stone for bigger and better political jobs.

I'm  be waiting for the the reasons why I'm delusional on this post?

"SOUNDS OF SILENCE" simon & garfunkel

 The sounds of silence that resonate from city hall concerning AMP-OHIO are well amazing, Council was never informed of even the $100,000 a month payment to Prairie State let alone Painesville residents.

This weekend Painesville will celebrate our Party In The Park. I understand that the city will have a booth at the event. If you should happen by and see the city manager, assistant city manager,  or a council person at the booth please ask them how this investigation by Channel 5 Ron Regan will affect your price of electric power in the coming year?

Someone did a check on Painesville Power compared to First Energy and for the month of June Painesville Power was close to 9% cheaper than First Energy. Just a few short years ago it was over 30% cheaper then First Energy. At a council meeting Council President was quoted as stating we were 50% cheaper this was less than five years ago.?  On 400 KWH we are presently 9% cheaper, how long with what you have seen transpired in the last year or two can the city still be able to make that claim?

If you are told none or very little please ask them to explain just how much money they have in reserve?
 Gorsuch fines, Meigs County loses, Prairie State investment fees, purchase of land along with the cost of a new sub-station, and what will the cost be to run lines to the JEDD area. How big of a reserve do we have.

Please if you didn't watch Channel 5 News Monday go to there web site to view it.

Also the video can be viewed at;
http://www.prairiestatecoalplant.org/

"QUESTIONS" buffalo springfield

I attended the monthly Tea Party Meeting at Harvey Tuesday night, same fare different office seekers.
I have to wonder what a State Senator can contribute to a discussion on a U.N. policy, but thats where we seem to head every month.?
After the meeting I spoke to Chuck Laughlin one of the leaders of the LCTP and asked him if I could ask him a few questions? He agreed and I won't give his answers here now. I want you to answer these questions as I presented them to him. Answer all or just one. Now I know there are more Democrats that read this blog. as there are a lot more Democrats in Painesville. Chardon for instance I believe has more Republicans.

Question 1. Should Mitt Romney release his IRS returns?
Question 2. As a Tea Party member does it bother you that a candidate has assets in Swiss banks, or in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands?
Question 3. Who do you believe the Tea Party would like to see as Romneys Vice President?
Question 4. If you could get rid of any regulation what would you choose?
Question 5. What is more important to this country, Values or the Economy?

Now what made me ask some of these questions was as I listened to Mr. Laughlin and the end of the meeting it seemed  at least to me that we were not voting for Romney as much as we were voting against Obama. Now in the past many times when your reason for doing something only to change something usually it backfires on you. Talk to the people who had Chevy's and replaced them with Ramblers?

The statement of the local Tea Party is that they are non-partisan? Yet in all meeting I have attended have I yet to find support for ONE Democratic officeholder.
If you would like to join in and help this NON-PARTISAN  group remove President Obama as well as Sherrod Brown  please feel free to meet up with them every Saturday morning at 9:30 AM at Republican Headquarters on the square in Painesville. That just must be a coincidence?

To end in all Tea Party meetings I have attended the crowds have always been very respectful. Yet on the whole they don't seem to have much use for  Democrats.any Democrat.

Looking forward to some of your answers.

"MONDAY MONDAY" mamas & papas"

Can't trust that day.

Monday evening we will have our annual July City Council Meeting. One in July and one in August.
Close to an 80 million Dollar budget and we run this city like a Junior Achievment Project?
Well the city manager will do the usual dance of moving 2012 budget money around.
Seems we had a problem at the waste treatment plant that unallocate funds need to be spent there.
Council will somewhat be forced to vote on a 2.5 mil street levy. {unless they hold a special meeting later this month} the board of elections needs to know if Painesville will want this on the ballot before we have an August meeting.
Lets add it up schools want 4 mil, city wants 2.5 mil this on top of the $96.00 a year they added to everyones utility bill last year? Hey did any of you see the Cleveland Magazine's Rate the Suburbs? Painesville has over 26% living in poverty. I will have a post coming on why I believe BOTH of these levies will pass, and it will upset some of you.

Also I would suggest all of you watch WEWS   Channel 5 news Monday. They will have a special investigative report on something that affects all Painesville residents.
Let's just say it's now just starting and the chickens are  coming home to roost.

You have to wonder  starting Monday if certain leaders legacies in Painesville will change? One or two in particular, who pushed these projects through council.

Some of you in Galion might find this very interesting also  watch at 11:00p.m.

"LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS" beatles

Attended the Painesville School Board Meeting last night. Many topics were brought up including the new Principal at Harvey, that for an upcoming  post. Finance Director Taylor last day on the job will be July 31, 2012.
The board voted to appoint Treasurer/CFO, as approved with the Lake County Educational Service Center for shared Financial Services, meaning both will share the Treasurer and both will contribute to her salary.

The board also agreed to approve a Shared Service Agreement with Riverside Local Schools for Director of Nutrition Services. This will save both districts money as they will share the cost of the
director and will probably save money on bid purchases of food stuffs.

They also agreed to a Shared Service Agreement with Riverside Local Schools for fuel Purchases. I wonder how this will affect Painesville City in that the schools had an agreement before with the city?

Also they voted to approve a Shared Service Agreement with Riverside Local and Perry Local Schools for Director of Transportatation Jim Haffa. This will put all three bus services under hs umbrella and at times Painesville students cound be riding  on a Perry bus and a Riverside student could be riding on a Painesville City School bus. Also he will coordinate repair issues between the districts.
These changes should show saving for everyone involved.
Can you imagine the savings if all three districs agreed to privatize this bus service?

The board also spent  time discussing Ohio Senate Bill 316 I would suggest all of you read this. One change is that if a student cannot read at a third grade level he cannot move to the fourth grade. There are waivers, some that did not  make sense to me . One if a student is in this country for less then two years he could move to the fourth grade, I guess I don't understand the logic . Also if during the  first half of the next school year the student can pass to the third grade level a provison to move that student to the fourth grade has to be made.

One Resolution #12-240
Maybe an educator could  explain this to me is a Moving Stipends? So what exactly are you moving from one school to another?


Finally The Board passed Resolution#12-225 to proceed with a Current Expense Levy, of 4 mil. to be placed on the November 6,2012 ballot. This has also been approved by the Election Board.

"WHEEL IN THE SKY' journey

My granddaughter has a pet hamster named Winston. Now hamsters for the most part are nocturnal, meaning whatever they do what they like to do in the dark.
Now Winston has all the latests hamster gadgets for a comforable standard of living. Houses, ladders, wheel. Now the wheel which he will get on at around 10 p.m. and run on it all night long. I often wonder if he realizes that he's not getting anywhere. Now for the reason for this Winston story?

Last week the Labor Department released that only 80,000 jobs were created last month. Democrats tried to put a positive spin on the story but that's pretty hard to do with a country with over 8% unemployment and a country with over 300 million  souls living in it.
Republicans claimed again it was the failure of the Obama administration to entice businesses to invest in new  jobs.

My point? Why bother? Why should anyone creating jobs. Along with what does any of this have to do with Winston and his wheel?

Well in a story a few weeks back about a company named Sensata Technologies in Illinois  that makes sensors for aircraft, automobiles, and electric motors. This company was recently purchased from Texas Instruments by Bain Capital.

Bain informed the approximately 170 employee's some of which have been employed by Sensata for over thirty years that by the end of the year their jobs would be phased out and moved to China. Lets add those jobs to the over 4 million jobs lost to China since 2001.

 My question is our economy on a wheel that no matter what we create, we just run and run and  won't get anywhere, pretty much like Winston?
Along with investment companies as well as industrial giants who like to operate in the dark?

"MARK TWAIN SONG" harry belafonte

Strange title? Well this is a story about Hannibal, Missouri The city of Mark Twain's youth and where many of his stories took place. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn both grew up around Hannibal.
Hannibal is an "American" city, populaltion of 18,000 pretty much the same as Painesville.

Now all of us remember reading in our youth how Tom Sawyer got neighborhood kids to pay him to paint his Aunt Pollys fence. Along with the story of how Tom Sawyer the con artist robbing the neighborhood kids to view his injured toe?

Well it now seems in 21st century Hannibal the people are looking at getting fleeced again this time by a electric power deal, This nightmare has only one positive side for us in Painesville. Hannibal purchase more power from Prairie State than Painesville did.  Hannibal  presently pays $300,000 per month Painesville "ONLY" $100,000  presently. These numbers will double in July to pay for Unit II. Even though that unit won't go online until 2013.
If the power from this is costing $56.00 to produce, how do we make money on selling it for $35.00? What, please don't tell me Tom will tell us we will make it up difference on the volume.

Pairie State Unit I is operational  now but could there now be a problem of the water supply to wash the "clean coal" from mine?

Please read the following article and see if you agree?

******************************************************************************************


Prairie State finally generating revenue for BPW.


DANNY HENLEY/COURIER-POST .

The Hannibal Board of Public Works Board expects to begin receiving from the sale of electricity generated at Prairie State later this summer.

The rate of financial loss being seen by the Hannibal Board of Public Works as a result of the Prairie State coal-fired power plant is decreasing, but BPW officials may not know by how much for another month or two.

Since February the BPW has been making $300,000 a month payments for its ownership share in the Unit 1 generator at the power plant, located approximately 60 miles southeast of St. Louis. The sale of Hannibal’s 20 megawatt (MW) share of the power from the 1,600 MW plant was expected to lessen the city’s financial burden. However, because of an assortment of delays Unit 1, which initially had been expected to be in service by August 2011, did not go live until June 6. In a memo last month, Bob Stevenson, the BPW’s general manager, told the BPW Board that the city’s cash outlay through the end of June would be “about $1.5 million.”

Stevenson, who in June reported that the commercial sale of power from the plant might not occur until Jan. 1, 2013, calls the marketing of electricity from generator 1 “a big deal.”

While power from Unit 1 is now being sold, the BPW isn’t expecting to see a check for a while.

“My guess is for energy produced in June we’ll probably get a check in August,” said Stevenson. “Somebody’s got to buy it (Prairie State power). They’ll pay for June energy in July. That payment will go to MPUA (Missouri Public Utility Alliance) and then as soon as MPUA can account for all of that they’ll turn around and pro-rate our share. I’m figuring they’re going to take a month to do it.”

Don’t look for the sale of energy from Prairie State to fully cover the BPW’s payments, at least initially.

“We know what the market is doing and market price for generic energy off the grid is less than what we’re paying for Prairie State this year,” said Stevenson. “The price for power on the grid right now is depressed because of the lousy economy. If and when the economy ever turns around we would expect that price to start going up.”

The BPW’s $300,000 payments will double in the next month or so when its cash obligations begin for the Unit 2 generator at Prairie State. As with Unit 1, the BPW will be expected to make payments even though Unit 2 is not generating a volt of power for commercial sale.

“Originally we thought Unit 2 was going to be delivered early for commercial operation and then they had an operating accident during testing. They wrecked a fan which is a major setback. It’s going to take them six or nine months to get it repaired,” said Stevenson.

While the Prairie State payments are stretching the cash reserves of the BPW’s Electric Department, Stevenson believes that in time having a stake in the facility will prove beneficial.

“Early on it doesn’t look too attractive because we have a pretty big mortgage payment, but 10 years from now it will start to look pretty sweet and for the life of the plant it’s going to look really good,” he said.
********************************************************************************************
Bob Stevenson AKA Tom Sawyer

FOURTH OF JULY 2012

Have a safe and happy fourth . Hope the plans you have made will work out for you.

This is the first time that I can remember {doesn't mean it hasn't happened before}  The Fairport Mardi Gras started before the parade? Parade is Thursday at 7:00pm

My Father used to tell me that if you were born in the United  States or managed to get here, you had won God's Lottery. Take some time Wednesday to thank some of those who that made it possible for you to purchase your ticket.

All said and done havings a Holiday on a Wednesday still sucks!

"DOWN ON MAIN ST. bob seger

By now most Painesville residents are aware of the sprinkling ban being enforced presently in the City of Pain.
Our City Manager has inacted ordinance 933.20 to restrict sprinkling, to only Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This to me makes little sense if the purpose is to keep water pressure high during this drought.
I am sure if a resident is found sprinkling on other days there is a possibility of a fine. We even managed to be on local television news with this story.

What that said, although I don't like turning in my neighbor's......BUT
Will someone please ask the people under the "Golden Dome" on the square why during the past weekend the sprinklers were operating at Veterans Park downtown?

You sorta lose credibility with people when for some reason you don't even follow your own ordinances?

Maybe this is more of do as I say, not as I do, OR maybe they don't know where that shut off valve is for this either?

"DESTINY RULES" fleetwood mac

Many of you (including me) seem to believe… well… actually know… that much of the Hispanic community seems to be having a problem assimilating our American culture.

Many of you also believe they have no desire to even try.

We should start with making English the official language of the United States. Let’s ask everyone... the President, his opponent, Senators and Congressmen to make that happen at the federal level.

Look at our Canadian neighbors. Did you ever notice how one side of a truck has a description of the contents in English and the other side is in French. This makes little sense (except to the French minority) and probable hurts their economy.

Having discussed the language issue, let’s move on to some other thoughts on assimilation.

Many organizations reach out to Hispanic communities. Church groups, for example. You have to wonder if these organizations take the time to explain why so many Americans seem angry with Hispanics. If they do bother to make any attempt, it probably goes something like this: "The people that are mean to you are just a bunch of racists." That is an easy answer but it is not based entirely on fact.

OK, let’s get down to brass tacks. Those of you out there aiding the Hispanic community ought to implement the following suggestions. To do otherwise is a disservice to them and everyone else.

First, explain to them that English as a second language is a bunch of B.S.

When living in America, English should be your FIRST language and the language of the country of your origin should now be your second language. Want to claim this is racist? Not if you want to get ahead in America. In addition, if you truly want your children to succeed… they must be fluent in English as well. Let’s flip the coin here too… shouldn’t I consider you a racist when I’m sure that a group of two or more Hispanics know English… but for some reason switch to Spanish when an Anglo or a Black enters the room.

These next few suggestions go for any race or nationality, not just Hispanics.

Please do not drive up to Human Services or the Health Department in your brand-new Cadillac Escalade, with the 20" wheels to pick up food stamps. Please do not claim ‘dad’ isn’t around either.

Do not proceed to Redi-Go and purchase foodstuffs that you could purchase elsewhere at a savings. Convenients, Redi-Go's etc. were never meant to be the place where you purchased your weekly groceries. Don’t get a ‘so what… it's free money’ attitude either. You might not want to be standing in line talking on your iPhone and wearing $150.00 sneakers. For the most part, people have no problem helping others in need. But they start to get the feeling that they are being taken for a ride when they watch you get your stuff and then cramming yourself into that Escalade.

To the clerks at these stores… yeah… I'm glad you want to practice your second language on these customers and their children. However…you’re not doing anyone a favor. Neither are you folks at Lowes and Home Depot!

Health care is a big issue in this country. Do not drive your wife, significant other, girlfriend or your child to Tri-Point and pretend that you are not able to pay. Do not sit in the emergency room clogging the system while you chat away on your iPhone. Funny… nice vehicle, expensive clothes, latest high tech phone but zero health care? What and/or who is to pay for this, I ask you.

Don't think people might be prejudiced because they were a victim of identity theft? Someone here illegally may have been responsible for an accident and have no license or auto insurance. Sure they might have uninsured motorists insurance, and their rates will go up. This anger is not racism.

Are you being paid under the table? Well my friend… you’re screwing yourself as well as the rest of us. Working in the township somewhere and been told by a tax preparer that you don’t have to worry about Painesville City Income Tax? Have you heard some version of ‘Don't worry about that, CCA doesn't check’. Just a heads up… start worrying… there is a new collector in town. This RITA won't let you get away with it like the old Rita did.

I’m sure you realize that the city has certain ordinances that cover how many people can reside in a dwelling. This is generally determined by square footage. Now when I see a house that is only a three-bedroom and yet has four Waste Management dumpsters at the street on collection day… please do not think you are fooling anyone.

Please get a clue that in this country we urinate inside our homes. It is unacceptable to go outside and water your foundation. Please learn American bathroom etiquette.

Music? Everyone loves music…the problem is that most like THEIR music as much as you like yours. Music is a personal choice, I love mine and you might hate mine. Do not make me listen to yours and you do not have to listen to mine. Fair enough?

Keep an eye on your children. Some of you seem to believe there are not any bad people out stalking kids or nutty drivers that aren’t paying attention. Please also follow the laws regarding your pets… no… dogs are not allowed to run free-range in Painesville. Also a good rule of thumb; if there is a sidewalk in front of your house… it’s probably not a good idea (as well as against the law) to slaughter farm animals (or for that matter, any animal) in your garage. Cock fighting is also against our laws.

Want to fly a flag from the old country? I can understand your devotion, but also fly the flag of your new country too. Can’t find it in your heart to fly both? Don’t want to fly our stars and stripes? Then just maybe you are in the wrong place and should pack your bags and return to the place where your alliance is. America has one rule whoever you are and wherever you came from… The United States will never be anyone’s "OLD" country.

Expect to contribute. What… you have little to contribute? Those young people, your children will play a big part in this country’s future. Leaders, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, protectors… the very future of America is currently growing up in your homes. Nurture this, get involved in their education, show educators and your children how important an education is. Do not assume that once they are of an age to start contributing to the family, that they have now had enough education. Understand and teach them the opportunities an education presents to them.

Use your common sense. Do not believe everything an advocate for your people tells you. There are limits to what they can and cannot do. I can promise you as much as they can. Many advocates are self-serving. Please never tell an American "you need us." We seemed to thrive pretty well before you arrived and will survive if you decide to "self-deport". Love Mitts plan? Do you think it will work?

You bring a lot to the table. Family values, a great work ethic, pride in your property. Get involved in the community meet your neighbors, join civic groups, join the POC, and get to know your community. Follow the rules! Eventually suspicion and preconception might be replaced with trust.