"STORY IN YOUR EYES" moody blues

Someone in another post question if the residents got a "partial" hearing on our city fathers and mothers sending AMP-OHIO over 2.1 million dollars to if your honest, to stop the bleeding. There were a few comments from the front table that "we're saving the city money." All your saving is the interest on two million dollars waiting for a court decision that doesn't look to promising presently.
I and many others have had a hard time explaining what "stranded costs" meant?  Plus the standard answer it's in litigation.
The ordinance claim that the payment be made  at Council's request.. I'm  guessing in executive session? Then it was shoved into the last ordinance of the year. No three readings. with the claim of it being an emergency.

Plain Dealer, News-Herald never questioned the administration on over two million dollar's leaving the city coffers?

Then on the front page of the little weekly paper the The Lake County Tribune an article written by Marian McMahon (no relationship to former city manager) entitled "Stranded costs to be paid upset residents" In it she told the story of the city's involvement with stranded costs.
She then took the time to explain in the article (Note: Regarding stranded costs: utility companies have argued, since they were required to build new electric plants to meet actual and future needs of customers but customers were no longer required to purchase electricity from a particular supplier, utilities building plants could not count on recouping their investments, which were then "stranded" Ohio law gives the utilities the chance to collect those stranded costs.)
Now AMP-OHIO talked us along with many other of their community members to finance a new electric generating plant  in Meigs County, Ohio  Other towns with municipal power  like Painesville will finance as well as be customers of and AMP-OHIO will oversee building and operation of this plant. The cost of the plant tripled in cost leaving AMP-OHIO on the hook for costs? Well not really. Now because of the "take or pay" contract signed by Painesville  with AMP-OHIO we as well as the other communities they are on the hook. Our share presently 2.1 million plus legal fees.
Now we can all say we all make mistakes....... At the same time AMP-OHIO with all this was going on AMP-OHIO got Painesville involved with another power plant Prairie State which was sold to Painesville as a "Turn Key ready operation."

Prairie State As best as I can figure out Painesville will send $200,000 per month to AMP-OHIO our cost of power will cost close to $58.00 per MWH. and we can use it at that high cost or sell it on the open market presently at $30.00per MWH.
I can't swear by these figures and getting information is near impossible. As you can see Painesville could lose a ton of money.

Speaking of money, Painesville's Electric Fund cut a check to AMP-OHIO for 2.1 million. Payed cash for the new substation 3.2 million and the Finance Director claims we still have over 12.2 million in the electric fund? Anybody but me thinking about being overcharged?
Last year we also sent out our number one turbine and had it reconditioned for over $250,000 O.K. why do that and not generate power at the Electric Plant. What does that staff do all day?

In the coming council meeting we as residents must ask the administration, "what's the plan?"

ALL HAVE A HAPPY AND EXPENSIVE NEW YEAR!

"MAPLE ELEMENTARY"

Mr. Sebring Principal at Maple Elementary who I have found to be pro-active sent home a letter with students about changes to be made when returning to school after the first of the year.

BREAKFAST (8:15-8:30)
Over the past few years, we have allowed parents to come in and sit with their kids during breakfast. However, in an effort to be proactive and maintain a safe environment for all children, parents are no longer permitted to sit with children during breakfast. Children are to be dropped off at the main entrance. Maple Staff are readily available to supervise and assist children. Thank you for your understanding in this manner.

PARENTS IN BUILDING (8:15-8:40)
Safety of all students is our primary focus. In an effort to proactively provide a safe environment. I am no longer allowing parents to walk down the building to drop children off at classrooms. Please say your goodbye prior to entering the building.If it is necessary for you to escort your child, please schedule to meet with  Mr. Sebring to discuss this option. If you have made prior arrangements for a meeting, please be sure to properly sign in at the main office with Mrs. Haffa or Mrs. Carmona.

AFTER SCHOOL (2:55 AND AFTER)
A strong partnership between home and school is essential. If you need to discuss anything with your child's teacher, please call them by phone to arrange a scheduled time to meet. Scheduling a time to meet and/or talk allows your child's teacher to be prepared for your conversation. Dropping in unannounced on teachers after school does not allow time for adequate preparation. As always, you can communicate with your child's teacher by notes,classroom phone or email. The best way to track your child's daily academic progress is by logging in to the Parents Portal each day. If you need assistance with this , please email Mr. Sebring at daniel.sebring@ pcls.net.

Please feel free to contract me if you should have any questions.

I believe the first step Mr. Sebring wants to do is account for everyone in this building.

I'M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS" bing crosby

Well here it is Sunday morning there's something outside that resembles snow? Not enough to plow but enough to make a mess. (sorry Derrick)
I was beginning to think it might be in the 50's Christmas day.

I wish everyone who visits here a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I always attend Midnight Mass, it serves me as my New Year for the coming year.
sorta like a reset button.

I hope this time of year finds you all in good health and very little strife in your life.
Many bad things happened this year and many good things happened also. How many of you welcomed a new family member by marriage or birth? Found a job or a new career. Loved ones home from a war. There are many things to be grateful for.

As I have mentioned many times if you were born in this country or had the opportunity to find your way here. You hit God's Lottery.

In the coming year I will try to see and understand how others view things.

Painesville is my home. I want nothing but the best for this city and the other people that call it home.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT" rem

Well if I am to to understand the experts on the Mayan calendar the end of the world will be Friday December 21 2012 at 6:11EST.

All this from a calendar that curiously looks like the cookie part of an OREO cookie?

All this from people would oddly disappeared and also were cannibal's. My question is do any of you believe this?
Proof that you do would be that you have already celebrated Christmas. Maybe you haven't started shopping yet? Mayans or not some will procrastinate until Christmas Eve anyway.
I for one will take any and all bets the we will all live  to see Christmas. {I guess it will be hard for me to pay up anyway}.

Then again.
What's your favorite Christmas commercial this year.?
An example the FEDEX commercial where the guy comes in and asks if it's to late to mail a package and then is asked where's his gift? He proceeds to throw some lose pens in a box and seems relieved.

To be honest many of the perfume commercials just go over my head.

"SNEAKIN' SALLY THROUGH THE ALLEY" robert palmer

 Back to the city of Painesville
I don't know how to start this?
Merry Christmas, but the bill came in? Pay no attention to that Ordinance? It's a short meeting?
Joe, Mike please tell us what "STRANDED" costs mean?

2) Ordinance Amend Approciations for FY 2012

Take the time to read the City Manager Reports on the city web site.

Almost in the middle of this ordinance is this comment.
As directed by City Council, you will see an appropriation in the Electric Utility Reserve Fund to pay the City's portion of the Stranded cost's for the AMPGS project.
Total increased approciation are for all operating costs.

                           $2,719,038.00   Where have we heard that number before?

I hope Joe and Mike as well as other's on council explain this number?

For over two years people have told me when asking about AMPGS  Some councilmen claimed I am a lunatic, plain nuts, have no knowledge of the numbers I've been talking about. What a coincidence.

Wonder how the vote will go and if anyone takes responsibility?

Plus looking at the end of the year. Am I to believe the city has 38 million dollars in unencumbered funds?

I wonder who much discussion these two ordinances will take up?

"TIME IN A BOTTLE" jim croce

If we only knew yesterday what we know today? Yesterday in a country that doesn't shock easily was shaken and today is grieving the loss of 26 individuals 20 not older than 6. Recently I posted a comment of parents that watched their children walk the twenty feet to reach the safety of the inside of their school building. We found out yesterday how easily it was to shoot out the door and with the police less than five minutes away the carnage that one person can create.
I just can't understand what would make anyone snuff the life out of one child let alone twenty along with six adults rushing to save those children.
Evil visited that community yesterday. Ten days before Christmas, presents purchased and wrapped and now gone. Parents suffering for the rest of there lives. Brothers and sisters left wondering why?
Some may not ever be able to cope with the loss.  More sadness.
After all tragedy such as this one we go to our religious leaders and ask why. We pray,we cry and we go back to living our lives.
Religion has a place in our lives maybe it may stop someone from random killings.
Gun control, violent game control, maybe it comes down to self control and knowing evil exists.
We will all wonder, than go back to watching the NFL , the Voice, the X-factor. All but 26 of us.

I'm rambling for I don't know what else to do. "Why, Why, Why"

"TICK OF THE CLOCK" chromatics

This song is from the movie Thelma & Louise. When they drove off the cliff. Speaking of cliff's are we about to drive off one also?
Please correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we have an election last month and didn't the guy who claimed he wanted to raise the rate of taxation on the top two-percent win? Even won the popular vote alongwith the the electoral college? What's that saying elections have consequences? It seems polls show a majority of Americans  agree with the President.
Now if I'm even a little right and the GOP wants big cuts in Medicare, and Social Security I willing to bet those people at the Tea Party meeting I attended never believed they were expecting to take a hit?
My question is what are the Republicans fighting so hard for this 2%? I believe the President should double down and tell them "O.K. lets raise the top rate to 42% and anyone making over 10 million a year 48%.
I also love how many in the GOP fear a private citizen Grover Norquist. than they do the President? You have to wonder where their loyalties lay?
This deal that for the most part came from the Republican leadership, believing no one would want what would happen on January 1st. Well times running out. The GOP seems to be raising the bet with them holding a pair of deuces against a President holding a full house.
My advice is if you can't bring yourselves to raise the taxes on the top 2% well let's play Thelma and Louise. I believe this President has had enough. With these politicians along with the Remora's that swim with them.

Republicans speak of the "gifts" the President allegedly promised what are "loopholes" but another form of a gift.
Read this week in the Wall Street Journal 26 of the top 30 corporations paed no tax 2011? And you complain about 47% of what.

A warning I do not believe the President will blink, now where does that leave you and me?
Guessing alot more crying along with House Leader Boehner, I'm still waiting for Rep. Cantor to stick a knife in his back anyway.

"OVER AND OVER AGAIN" nelly tim mcgraw

Well at Monday night's school board meeting it was announced that the board will seek a renewal of an operating 6.06 levy with the present effective millage presently at 4.4 mills. Read about it in the Wednesday News-Herald. This could  be put on the May ballot and if it failed you could see it again in August, November.
Presently I am waiting for my tax bill to see what the last levy along with the reappraisal of my home is.
Many will not understand that this is a renewal not like the one last November. I believe the board will have to explain this to taxpayers.
The board also discussed finding a headhunter to find a replacement for Dr. Hanlon.

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Also as manny of you might have noticed Steele Mansion seems to now have it's windows in place and I bet we can expect some interior work this winter.

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The acting city manager has answered my question on the submitted electric bill. My math was wrong? If that person had been a Painesville customer their bill would have been 13 cents cheaper??? Along with the claim that over a year the Painesville resident would see a 20% saving? Now it's my turn to check the math. Were running a 25 million dollar operation to save 13 cents?

PAINESVILLE COUNCIL MEETING 12/03/12

Monday's City Council meeting had only two things on the agenda. First passage of the 2013 budget. Along with a resolution thanking outgoing Congressman Steve Latourette.
We also had a presentation about Shamrock P.U.D.

I questioned what in the budget was Signals? Page 82 Signal (720) went from $34,682 in 2009 to $159,153 in the 2013  Budget.

Also I read a paragraph from the Budget Draft this on page 78 this  also in the public works budget.
"Alternative methods of preparing the streets for safety will be pursued to offset the increase expenses associated with maintaining the roads." I asked what that meant. Mr. Unetic said he would find out what that meant.

Tony Torrie asked about the electric rates that were submitted to the city manager. Mr. Unetic claimed he couldn't understand the numbers I submitted to the city. Also in all cases the city was cheaper.
I summited a bonafide First Energy Bill. all he need to do was compare Painesville  rates for the same amount of  electricity during the same time period. I can't understand what was so hard about that?
I am sure if the city bill was $10.00  $25.00 cheaper we would have heard about it.

Now for the uncomfortable part of the meeting. The Werners statements to council. This week Law Director stopped them and asked Mrs. Werner if  the council meeting this is the place to have this discussion? He seemed to believe as most in the room that this was a police matter. Also Mr. Gurley questioned what they wanted council to do?
The only thing that I belive the Werners want is that Jackie's move and the building left vacant again. I don't see that happening. I just hope this problem doesn't escalate.

"THE GIFT" dave nichols

There have been many posts that concern Harvey High School on this blog. Many of us including myself are Harvey Alumni. I believe the reason for keeping the name of the high school T.W. Harvey was the tradition that the school has. Many of us will always be Red Raiders due to many of the traditions from past graduation classes.

This is a short story about the Harvey class of 99'
When these students were juniors at Harvey one of their classmate died in a tragic accident Jeff Vest I knew Jeff because  my daughter Angela was a member of that class. Jeff always struck me a a good natured kid who was a normal kid growing up in Painesville. Jeff was active in school and was on the football team.
I remember how not only the Harvey community sadness of his death but also my daughter and my father. Jeff had left an impression on both of them.
Jeff died in 1997 Jeff's death was followed by his mothers shortly after. I asked Angela what Mrs. Vest die of her reply was a broken heart.

Jeff is buried at Riverside Cemetery David Nichols a classmate of Jeff's visits the cemetery often. Dave also noticed that the headstone was beginning to age and needed repair. David with the aid of facebook contacted members of the class of 99' and explained the condition of the headstone. Within three days enough money was collected to refurbish the head stone. The song "THE GIFT" was composed by Dave and is available on I tunes which proceeds also went towards the headstone.
The headstone was completed before Jeff's sister Stephanie visited the area this year.

Harvey grads keep there high school memories close. My class the class of 68'  was fortunate that Joe Hada being on city council. Joe was instrumental for having a ball field named after Roosevelt Braggs  who was killed in Vietnam during the war. Roosevelt a well known classmate  always wore a smile and played on one of Painesville Little League team that went  on to become state champions.

Theres a lot that goes into Raider Pride. Forget the stories, the test scores  whatever many of us will always be proud to call ourselves Harvey grads. I believe this is one tradition that all  future Harvey students take with them.

"TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR" jane taylor

As by now we all know of the death of our beloved Twinkies. "cream puff of the proletariat's" along with cupcakes, snowball's, Ho Ho's , Ding Dongs and even Wonder Bread Building your body 12 ways! What happened.
It seems Continental Bakeries who many believed owned the brand since the 1930's really didn't own the company. As it was purchased in 2004 by Ripplewood Holdings another Vulture capitalist such as Bain Capital. Now when they purchased the company what was the goal? Well at the start Hostess was loaded up with $860,000,000 of debt. The purpose of this is unknown , Unions both Bakers and Teamsters have given many concessions to the company to keep it afloat. At the same time the CEO's salary went from $750,000.00 to $2,500,000.00.  I can only guess that was a reward for gaining concessions from the workers? Not one penny was ever spent to modernize equipment and even as they have gone out of business the want $1,800,000 bonuses for 18 company heads?
For the life of me I have no idea what the purpose of all this was to saddle the company with debt, take the assets down to the bone, and sell the remains to someone else. I believe we have not had our last Ding Dong or Twinkies. Some one will purchase the remains for whatever reason, maybe a group of Dentist's or Heart Cardiologist's? Hostess Brands must have been behind many  people seeking their services.

Why am I telling you this? Well all I have heard lately is about the entrepreneur's we have in our nation along with remembering not to stifle free enterprise. This to me is just rearranging the chair's on the Titanic. What did Ripplewood create? What benefit to it's employee's and the general public was gained? Is this the "New" capitalism?

Now about the employee's. Yes you want to keep your job but at the same time how do you view this situation that seems like a cancer to the business?  Your thinking ,well I going to be out on the street sooner or later might as well be sooner. The present ownership has no appetite to grow or even save the business. The company will down size maybe from 18  national bakeries to 10. The Teamster's may be out of a job as they might us a different delivery system .
Ripplewood  Holding has loaded the company with large debt along with putting pension obligations on the federal government. The company caucus is all that is left.

As some of you might know I am a collector of Lionel Trains. Lionel is presently owned by Wellspring Holding they have closed the plant in Michigan and moved all manufacturing to China several years ago Guess what, I haven't purchased a product built in China. I don't even care that Neil Young is a minority owner. How many Harley-Davidsons would  be purchased if they moved production to China?
Some brands I view as iconic to America.

I guess my question is this the new way we will operate to save America?

How long will Painesville survive without  Twinkie's and Ho HO's?