"TAXMAN" beatles

Well soon we we will be getting a 'gift' from our Republican legislators as well as our  governor John Kasich.
Beginning on September 1,2013 our state sales tax will go up from 5.50% to 5.75% not much it will probably add around $32.00 more to purchase the same thing in the next year over last year. The sales tax in Lake County will rise to 7% come Sunday. Strange legislation from the party of "No new taxes"? It seems there as bad as those rascally Democrats".

I bring this up due to the fact at the same time this state government is cutting funding to our fair city at the same time raising sales tax? Lets not forget the levies will cost move due to the state revoking the 12% rollback. Why isn't the city educating you about that 'FACT'?

So the people we elect solution to the problem is to ask you to chip in little more. $32.00 here, $92.00 there and $76.00 everywhere.

After sitting on something for 32 years you would think a person would have formed some friendships in Columbus and at least went down there to go on record to oppose these cuts to Painesville? Or maybe asking them to free up $26million to $32million so as to use some of that money to make up the difference?

I happen to know his friendship with the head of the Lake County Republican party helped him defeat John Murphy run for council. The fellow even told John that.

So let me understand this the State of Ohio cut's Painesville's funding by over $750,000 a year, changes the way levies cost a community, and raises your sales tax? Where is all this money going?

Maybe our solution is to just say "NO"?

THIS  I FOUND VERY INTERESTING...., a story from Galion Live.This was from Galion council's Tuesday meeting on the proposed letter Galion want's to send to the Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Galion Councilwoman Shirley Clark led off the discussion on the measure, telling her fellow council members that she had been contacted by the Council-President of Painesville, who said while one member of their city council wished to pursue a similar type of contact, that the rest of  their Council did not, fearing that it would cost the City. In fact, Clark said, no other community had expressed a willingness to do what Galion was considering.
Councilman Daniels asked Clark how the request would cost Painesville, and Clark indicated that the Painesville contact did not share that information. Daniels said at this point that he had read the material shared by AMP, Ohio Citizen Action, and others, and that he "didn't understand the harm" in sending the letter to the Attorney General. "I don't care if AMP doesn't like this," he continued, shared details of the representation of projected costs in 2013 versus the actual current amount billed.

Anyone else starting to get a strong toxic smell about with these AMP-OHIO deals?
Well is there any of you on council or residents that still believe Mr. Hada is looking out for you or AMP-OHIO?

Look it's bad enough that our council-president runs herd over our council now he's contacting a city council on the other side of the state? What is the purpose here?
Please anyone on council will some one explain what FEAR he is talking about? I know I will be asking what he's talking about with that comment. What AMP-OHIO will throw us out of these financially bad deals? What possibly is there anything to fear.
Who is this Galion Mayor O'Leary? Council President Don Faulds shared that 27 Galion residents had written on a website critical of the contracts,and suggesting that Clark had been one of them . Clark responded that she only asked for information. Well Shirley I know how hard that seems to be to get. Wonder if Joe sent her any?

Then again what is/was the connection between Painesville and Galion is there relationships we are unaware of? Could there even be a family relationship involved?
Odd how on a visit to Galion I was asked by a resident if I knew our city manager? Seems she was his cousin, what position if any does he currently have in Galion?

You can bet Becks, Murphy, as well as Aston are looking into council's failure to look into this.

Galion voted to send the letter 4-2.

I"LL FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER" byrds

Andy Flocks Town Hall Meeting is a little different this evening at 7:00 pm at Elm Street Elementary School (the new Huntington).

Along with residents being able to voice concerns of the city. Andy has a guest speaker Ynonne Oliver Northeast Ohio Advocacy Coordinator for United Health Care Action Network.(UHCAN)
this lady's positron is to help people confused about the up coming Obamacare sign up stating in October.

This isn't a discussion on the merits of Obamacare it is an opportunity for residents to find out if they are eligible and what and who is covered. Do you have a pre-existing condition? Are you presently enrolled in a COBRA program, what will be the choices you will be able to find in the network?

I know there are many for as well as opposed to Obamacare this is just an opportunity to ask questions on the program.

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

I attended the vigil at Veterans Park last evening. Look I know something has to be done about the immigration problem in this country but riding the coat tails of a civil rights historical event to me doesn't serve their purpose.
Speakers claim the cause of Hispanic rights are the same as the rights Dr. Martin Luther King struggled with during his lifetime.

What?

In my whole life I have never seen signs proclaiming  Whites only No Hispanics , I have never heard of an Hispanic child segregated when it came to an education.
Please what the African-Americans went though to get equal rights in this country the Hispanics aren't even close.
Dutch slave ships traveled to Africa where African tribes captured Africans in tribal wars and sold them to the Dutch traders. They were herded on ships stripped of everything. Language, culture, religion, yes even their families. They became no more than someones property. They were slaves period. There is no bigger blemish on American History than the existence of slavery. We fought a civil war over this,and after that  war we had the Jim Crow era. Illegal immigrant? No one can be considered more than African-Americans they truly were brought here ILLEGALLY!

My father once mentioned a troop train during WWII where German POW were given better seats than Black American soldiers?

 No this struggle has lasted hundreds of years and in no way compares to the plight of the undocumented workers presently here in the United States.
As I left last night's gathering I approached the only African- American woman I saw at the event, I wasn't the only one misinformed about the vigil she had brought her two you children to relive a "Dream" but as well as I was mistaken about the event.. Now she held no ill-will towards the Hispanics but claimed the date was not about them. I agreed.

"MAKES ME WONDER" maroon 5

As I mentioned in an earlier post I was going to send a request to the administration to find the 'FACTS' on the Prairie State Energy Campus contract that Painesville is involved to the tune of 9MW of power. This e-mail was sent last Thursday 08/22/13 . I would have assumed I might have heard from them already? Look if a council-person is given from Friday evening to Monday at 7:30 to review all in his packet how long should the city need to send me this information? It appears from where I sit that my email was filed in the same wastebasket as when I asked for Who,and When the legislation was passed when it came to the downtown area? This request was sent to Doug Lewis as well as the seven members of council.

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

I am sending you this request, if it should be sent somewhere else please forward it to that person. As you might have remembered Council-President Hada refused to involve council in sending a letter to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine concerning Painesville's involvement with Prairie State.
Mr. Hada seems to be waiting for the 'Facts' I believe the City of Painesville already has enough of the facts to present Mr. Hada or anyone else as to how bad a deal this has become.

I would please like a record of all financial dealing with Prairie State starting from 2012 to as close to the present day as can be provided. Loan payments, cost of electricity for the months they have provided Painesville with electric power. An explanations of levelization and to how much we presently owe and to whom. I am not asking for any 'state' secrets only the facts as so I can present them at the next council meeting. Mr. Hada wants facts here they are.
I believe when the council reviews all the 'Facts' they will understand the need of this letter to be sent.

Please don't think this is a witch hunt against our Council-President to be honest as the 'Facts' were presented to council with time and cost elements relating to Prairie State it appeared to many including myself as a worthwhile deal. After reviewing the 'Facts' in my eyes and the numbers I have seen to not be such a worthwhile deal. as that Prairie State has not lived up to anywhere near the terms of the contract. My problem seems to be that our Council-President wants to Freeze the ball until the end of his term this December. Leaving many on council who had nothing to do with this contract having to answer for it.

If you have a problem with forwarding me any of this information please let me know and why.

                     Your co-operation in this matter is appreciated
                         Angelo Cimaglio

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

After watching the discussion at the meeting it struck me , who among them will be our next council-president? If sending a letter would make all of them sit in silence not even to second the motion or at least letting the public see a vote as showing them  as believing you might be looking out for them. Not always just looking for more money from them?
To the members on council this contract all come back to bite you on the ..... Maybe not next week maybe in two years, you more than anyone should be looking for the 'Facts'.
*********************************************************************************

Here's a Bulletin; Galion, Ohio last night passed a resolution to send a letter with questions concerning Prairie State / AMP-OHIO to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Nice to see there still are places that care how residents money is being spent.

"WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN" who

Something else that interested me at the last council meeting, along with the  magnificent "7" wanting a definition of a FAMILY, ignoring Ashlawn again, plus someone else looking and waiting for facts the city already has.

There was a presentation by our Finance Director Andy Unetic, pretty much standard fare, here is our revenue so far this year for this fund or that. Here is how it compares to last year, and here how it compares to 2008. Great I have heard this story over and over again.
Maybe the next time our esteemed council-president asks for a presentation from the finance director he may ask to change up the report, lets compare all the expenses from so far this year to last year and 2008. How much has are payroll increased? Increase or decreases in overtime and where? How much has the benefits increased, has employee cost's increased? Show us where the not only the amount of money coming in show  where it is being spent on and what?
The city claim is that we are operating on around 3 million dollars less than in 2008 what were we spending that money on and why back then? That 3 million could have be spent on roads maybe in 2008?

Questions,
Should Lori DiNallo ask Arlene Becks what improvement in judgement does she now possess that you didn't have when you voted on AMPGS that has already cost Painesville  $2.1 million?
Should Arlene Becks ask Lori DiNallo that we can expect you if re-elected to promise to sit on city council for your full four year term,yes or no?

Should Tom Fitzgerald ask John Murphy what qualifications he has to sit on council .
Should John Murphy ask Tom Fitzgerald if he is elected will the still conduct tours to Europe and mail his vote in from Dublin?

Should Renee Aston ask  James Fodor what exactly have been his accomplishments on council in the last four years,any legislation?
Should James Fodor ask Renee Aston what exactly will you bring to council to further the progress of Painesville?

The most important question they all should ask each other, if these  levies fail what are YOUR plans for the financial future of Painesville?

TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON" marvin gaye

Interesting story in Sunday's News-Herald.

PAINESVILLE VIRGIL TO HONOR MARCH ON WASHINGTON

National groups will recognize Wednesday 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial by voicing concerns about rights for parallel - individuals who are homosexual and undocumented immigrants.

Now Wednesday evening at 8:00pm the event scheduled in Veterans Park on the square in Painesville, is presented by Cleveland Jobs with Justice immigration committee along with HOLA, with support from Organize, North Shore Federation of Labor, United Church of Christ, Ohio Prophetic Voices, Dream Activist Ohio, Workers United and Service Employees International Union.

Now it appears to me that the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington is being Co-Oped by some other groups? It seems to me this anniversary has enough history to be a stand alone vigil?

Those other groups should all have there own forum to stand on this anniversary was the hallmark of the soon to be passed Civil Rights Bill.

This appeared to me to be another step in the illegally correcting the enslavement of African-Americans by this country not a justification of the illegal entry into our country. Maybe if Reverend King hadn't been assassinated he might have addressed these other issues?

Although a Priest are not to be political at Mass I was told to send email, phone calls to my congressman to be in favor of passing comprehensive immigration reform. What Jesus preached  treating our fellow humans justly, and kindly, as we would like to be treated and I have to wonder what he exactly meant when he preached welcome the stranger? If I had the answer's to these question's I wouldn't be on this blog.
At the same time during Mass when the Priest was addressing the congregation on this subject of these 12 million illegals., I wondered what would would Jesus say about a country as rich as the United States having 30 million people without health care, Please Father address this topic also.

My thoughts on Wednesday evening will it be about remembering Reverend King historic speech or pushing some one's political agenda?

During all my life in Painesville it seems every group has used Veterans Parks as it site? from the 9/11 remembrance, HOLA, Rally Group, Child Abuse pinwheels, Tea-Party, all activist groups seem to view the Park as welcoming even the screwballs from the KKK.. Maybe it's the people of Painesville that are welcoming?

"MY CHERIE AMOR" stevie wonder

City of Marceline

MARCELINE, MO_ Last night, August 20, 2013, the Marceline City Council voted unanimously to approve a deal with the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC) to exit its contract for 4MW of electricity from Prairie State Energy Campus. In the deal, the Missouri Public Power Pool (MoPEP) which already has a contract with Prairie State, will purchase Marceline's 4MW. Marceline will pay $22,000 a month for the next 45 months, saving Marceline an estimated $6 million over 5 years.

Peabody Energy, the world's largest private-sector coal company, conceive of the Prairie State Energy Campus, and then sold off  95% of the plant to hundreds of towns and cities across the Midwest. Peabody and other entities involved in Prairie State are under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Now $22,000 a month times 45 months over $2 million and they will be saving over 6 million?
Having purchased less than half the power Painesville has? Seems like an interesting 'FACT' but not to at least six people in Painesville.

Another 'FACT' Marcelines  deal is only good until May 2017 then there back in the Prairie State game. It appears once your in you can't really get out.

Yes Moody rating service rates it an asset, I rate it a toxic asset. Moody can make that claim because the Bonds purchased by people are guaranteed by US!

Seems odd that leadership in this city seems to be jumping ship presently as well as last November, anyone else wonder why?

Look if this council can't even send a letter what chance do they have f really solving anything around here?

"THANKS FOR THE MEMORY" bob hope shirley ross

Yes the official State of Ohio report card is out. If the BOE had played this out right the claim should have been made the cost of the modified contract was to get rid of him.

Painesville City Schools

Standards met      5 out of    24

Standards met       F
Performance index     D
Value added     F
Gifted student     B
Disabled Student    D
Lower 20% value added    D
AMO      F
4-year graduation rate     F
5-year graduation rate     F

Well on a positive thought for Mr. Shepard it seems he has many more possibilities to go up rather than down.I have a few idea's but none are politically correct. First off let's make student's as well as their parent's more responsible for getting their children to understand the importance of school.

It's nice to believe that an educator who got his degree from Kent State or where ever can suddenly be a magician and make your offspring a gifted child.

I read an article and I will look for it to post here how Cleveland City Schools have chosen 20 school's for a new program. Simply no more options. Please and thank-you are not options they are orders, period. No more praise for student's for doing the expected only for exceeding it.

Parent's must understand if you don't want your children to live in poverty as well as their grandchildren  future. The school's hold a key to a better future. Now if you want to have your son or daughters 'BACK' against the people doing there best to educate them. Do us all a favor and go down to Jobs & Human services and sign them up for a dismal life. Saving us the expense of trying to elevate them.

It's really simple. The people of Painesville have paid for the best facilities, hired some pretty good help, have not spared anything for a child to succeed. Along with many of those teacher's sharing the belief that any child can be a success. In 20 years I don't want to hear how our system failed you or yours.

" MONEY FOR NOTHING" dire straits

Looking at the headlines in today's News-Herald it seems Mentor has increased what they will help a resident with flooding problems to $2500.00 again it must be nice to have money to spend on residents problems? In the case of Painesville Council-President Hada tells residents to "talk' with assistant city manager Doug Lewis. Now Mr. Lewis is a nice guy and a pretty good public servant but unless he can write you a check for $2,500 you might as well talk to yourself.

Our Council-President had a press clipping where I mentioned that someone in the Painesville family was sitting on 26 million dollars, he also mentioned that some people have suggested that that money could be used to fix city infrastructure. Not me but people. Well what I wished he had said was Angelo I have been sitting on this council for 32 years and I have met with state officials AMP officials anybody that would listen to move some of that money into the general fund. We have gone through deregulation of the electric industry that has changed the way power companies do business but myself and other officials of municipal power owners have done nothing.

Lets be honest if whatever amount we have sitting in an unencumbered fund it came from selling electricity. Also it should be called what it really is "Profit". NOW I can't fix a road, pay to pay for transporting a person to the hospital or even buying the vehicle to transport them... But I can write a check for 2.1 million dollars to a company AMP-OHIO  that told me AMPGS was a great deal that you 'Proudly' voted for and you owe us 2.1 million dollars for this mistake? It doesn't make any sense.

In the next few days I will be sending a letter to the administration asking for all money spent by Painesville to fund getting power from Prairie State I want all the FACTS the city has I want to know month by month what we paid for power. I want to know to who and how much we owe in 'Levelization costs' Remember we were promised $48.00 MW is that a fact? Our council-president wants the facts with any luck I will present them at the next council meeting. That way other members of council as well as Mr. Hada see how bad this deal has been for Painesville.

Look presently our council acts as if they were on the Titanic waiting in the dining room for a Prime Rib dinner as the ship broke in half just  before sinking. I for one would expect more from these people that want more of your income to fix the city than just whistling by the graveyard. You should all be concerned if you are for the levies or against them.

There is a road that runs in front of our Muncipal Museum Power Plant. It was just repaved in cement. I believe to prevent flooding in a building. After 32 years on council let's name that street Hada Way. You want to know why? It ends in a Dead End. Am I being tough on Mr. Hada? Yes for good reason I have watched year after year a city in decline. Please don't tell me how lucky we have been to have Joe & Rita at the helm of this city.

"ONLY GOD KNOWS WHY" kid rock

Attended Monday nights council meeting. See above title for my reason.

Out of the box the new city manager wanted to adjust how vacation time is calculated by city employee's. I have worked under both systems and neither cost the employer any extra expense. Now seems easy but the two young ladies on council voted against it. Goes to second reading? My only thought would be they must believe this should take place during union negotiations?

Definition of a family? Why are we even talking about this? This isn't about families it's about people purchasing a home and moving strangers into it. Recovering whatever's, migrant workers, according to what I heard just about any group can be a family and we do want to upset that apple cart.  What the city proposes as a 'family' is a boarding house, and I don't care how they write it up or even if they could prove who's who. Soon to be coming to your neighborhood.

My favorite A resolution AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES FUNDING. Cut to the chase matching funds for a bike path. After discussion it failed because Mrs. DiNallo voted No. and councilman DeLeone was out ill. No matter Lee Homyock said it's going forward anyway you voted for this in the 2013 budget. We only presented this as a courtesy to you? See why you need  a line item budget, people?

Feral cat's are still a problem.

Now Councilman Flock's letter to Ohio Attorney General met with resistance from our Council-President Joseph Hada. Before we send anything let's get the facts! Andy are you a member of Ohio Citizen Action? You group has already sent at letter,right? No I am not a member of OCA Joe, and yes as a private citizen I did sign a letter for that group. Mr. Flock I believed was asked if he was a card carrying member of I don't know what?
No one on council would even second sending a letter although Mrs. Jenkins did propose rewriting a letter. My guess is that Mr. Hada is waiting for the facts to be presented by AMP-OHIO, why this man carries water for this group is beyond me. He presently seems to want to stop any discussion about AMP-OHIO until he ends his reign on council at the end of the year. Joe you want facts? I got one 2.1 million dollars for nothing. Promises from AMP-OHIO about Prairie State that came nowhere close to being close. Promised power at $48.00MW  in May it cost Painesville  $121.00 MW just the facts Jack! What a novel idea asking the number one attorney in the state to look into all this. You might then get the facts.
Mr. Hada is a  lame duck councilman and sad to see I believe these AMP-OHIO dealings will be his legacy for his time on council. The other council people seem to be afraid to do anything without the blessing of at least two people sitting at the front table. If they campaign at your door ask them "Why wouldn't you want to get to the bottom of this'? What will they answer?

Three or four people from the upper Cedarbrook area came to complain about flooding. Didn't want to hear about studies, or cameras that go through pipes only what are you going to do about flooding? The council-president asked the residents to meet with Doug Lewis after the meeting, I overheard Mr. Lewis ask if there was anything the city could do for these residents? One mentioned"you can buy my F^&king house so I can get out of here". This seems to be the sentiment of many residents, thanks for getting the facts over the years for us Joe.

"CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT" rolling stones

Last Thursday I sat in on a Board of Zoning Appeal Meeting, I also try to make Planning Meetings also.
The people who serve on these to Boards are the ones the city should be most thankful of.
They as a group spend more time on an issue and far more discussion than even the City Council.

Last Thursday BZA meeting had one of my favorite subjects on the agenda. "A Fence". Before I tell you the story this one item fence took for over an hour to decide.

First the Fence (two ) run along the owners property line on the east and west side at the height of six feet. Now Painesville ordinance says only a fence of three foot should be allowed in the front of your house. There is no fence to connect the fence on the left to the fence on the right.

The reason for the two fences was that she cared for a rescued F.B.I dog and she wanted his 'sight' line cut down? As this dog is very possive and territorial. Now my former employer also rescued the same type of dog. Parent's should wish their children listened to them as well as that dog did. He didn't need a fence, nothing only his voice command. I watched as as many as four dogs run down the street and the dog never moved without his command.

Next the resident explained that the house to her east has been unoccupied for over two years, Also the house on her left had a neighbor that she claimed they weren't getting along with to well. That claim's her dog had bitten the neighbors dog. After I listened I felt she had not given good reasons to get a variance. It wasn't the dog, it seemed to be more about her surroundings The BZA agreed and the request was voted down 3-2. End of story let's all go home. No, next city attorney James Lyons brought up a solution that maybe if the resident agreed to some compromise of 4 feet for section one, 4 feet for section two, and 3 feet for the section nearest the sidewalk was a solution. I must question why he was giving any advise in the first place but he did.

Oh, I forgot one thing the resident never applied for a fence permit for this fence, or the one in her backyard erected fifteen years ago. Neither did the person who built the fence. He should have known better.

The moral to this story is simple. Screw getting any permit from the city, if you are caught throw yourself at the mercy of the BZA chances are if that won't work you can expect a city attorney to plead your case.

I have seen many issues such as this come up in the past couple of years. Once a garage was erected improperly, another time I watched a person taken to court for not rebuilding a torn down garage, and than another person allowed to erect a metal shed you can purchase at Sear's rather then build a new garage. I for one come away from these meetings wondering what just happened.

Now in this case the BZA did what was asked of them and even after the ruling the city attorney was looking for a solution that in my eyes confused the members of that board.

Again these people give up their time to serve on these committee's why have them at all if a city attorney or city manager can change things?

Monday's Council Meeting will be asked to define "What is a Family" anyone want to bet the planning commission spent more time and asks more questions than council will?

"AMISH PARADISE" 'weird' al yankovic

I need a break?

I couldn't wait for one of my favorite T.V. show's new season

Amish Mafia

Now before some of you tell me this reality show is right up there with professional wrestling, I don't care. Never a fan of reality T.V. this show grabbed me. It made perfect sense. How can the F.B.I. bug your phone? You ain't got one. Car bombs? What you yell gaddie-up and and the horse blows up?

Lebannon Levi is the Godfather is Lancaster, Pa. He and his crew run the Amish underworld. Alvin, Jolin, John for the most part are his crew. John for one uses a push scooter to get around, Levi drives a Caddie.

In the session that started Tuesday nite. Levi was  getting pushed by another Ohio Amish Group from Holmes County headed by Merlin.

How does this all work?
Well in Tuesday episode an Amish Bed & Breakfast was forced to pay protection money as to not  have the Mafia tell the local Bishop they were running a B&B?

Also the fear of the federal government coming down on them. No not the F.B.I. but the Department of Agriculture out of fear that some Amish were selling raw milk to the 'English'. They sent this dwarf with a baseball bat to destroy the bottled milk. At the end of the scene  it appeared the bottles won the dwarf was covered with his own blood.

Another crime uncovered by Levi was that  'English' was selling  pre-paid cell phones to Amish kids out come the bats!

Now Merlin has been going thru Levi's trash and he finds out Levi has a hidden business. He's in the Maple Syrup business. The next thing I see is the little dwarf chopping trees down.

A new charater was added this season John and Esthers  brother who seems to be possessed by the devil.

I know this is all in fun but for some reason I can't stop watching.

Then again FOW8 News reported that Sunday evening a 21 year old Painesville man was seen at the corner of Walnut and State St.  Shaking a blow-up doll furiously at passing driver's!  The man was cited for disorderly conduct by Painesville Police.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO STEP AWAY.

"LOOKIN' OUT FOR NUMBER ONE" cheap trick

Painesville City Local Schools Treasurer's Comparison of Hanlon's 2011-2016 Contract vs. 
Modified Contract.

 

Now here's what Mr. Grippi received. You figure it out.

My first question is why are his vacation and severance pay the same amount?
Dr. Hanlon didn't retire so how is that he is receiving a Retirement Bonus. Is this what Chardon's BOE will be a saving for them?

"NOTHING FROM NOTHING LEAVES NOTHING' billy preston

What we have today is a double header or a daily double depending on the sport of your choice.

I have been informed by e-mail that if you got time to kill and those few extra bucks in your pocket seem to be burning a hole in them. You can spend some of your valuable time convincing other Painesvillians to throw some more money into the pit.
********************************************************************************

Please join our group of volunteers Tuesday, August 13th at 6:30 pm in Morley Library Meeting Room A.

These levies protect our community by ensuring enough funds to upgrade aged and failing safety equipment.
********************************************************************************

Sorry, I won't be attending but not for the reasons you might believe.

First off the City of Painesville does not believe in a line item budget. That said if in the 2014 budget the administration budgets say $70,000 for new police cruisers, and say the police levy passes council can use that levy money to purchase the police cruisers. Than in turn take  the earmarked $70,000 and return it back to the general fund to do with God knows what. This administration has proved it can't manage money well.

Look if  I really believed that money would help the safety forces I would vote for it. Presently I view the police and fire being used as pawns to squeeze some money out of people that are squeezed out.
Tell us that money will be used of police and fire wages and I would vote for it.

The Road, Fire, and Police levy are being used so more 'general fund' money can be directed elsewhere.

"I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW" johnny nash

"Well not really and it seems neither can Ross Grippi"

I will print Mr. Grippi's letter and maybe you can figure it out?

August 12, 2013 PCLS BOE Meeting

At the July BOE meeting I asked several questions regarding Dr. Hanlon's modified contract, which according to the information I received, Hanlon is going to walk away with $111,228 of tax payer dollars despite a very poor performance over the  last 11 years on the Ohio State Report Card averaging only 28% of Indicators Met. In July of 2010 the PCLS BOE extended Dr. Michael Hanlon's contract not 1 year, not 2 years, not 3 years...he was given a FIVE year contract, commencing August 1,2011 through July 31, 2016. The board of education approved a FIVE year contract for Dr. Hanlon even though our district received 2 out of 26 indicators met on the State Report Card in 2010. With all this in mind... The PCLS BOE gave Dr. Hanlon a FIVE year contract. That contract included $129,552 base salary, an additional $5000 per year stipend for possessing a Dr. of Philosophy degree, paid 100% of his STRS contribution (by the way... the teachers got a 1% raise just recently that is being eaten up by an increase in their STRS contribution), also included in his pay was his right to severance pay, also included the taxpayers will pay 3% of his base salary payable in monthly installments to an approved tax shelter annuity selected by the superintendent, as well as tuition reimbursement, $250 per month expense account, $300 per month stipend for use of his personal vehicle, and the tax payers will pick up all costs associated with Hanlon's cell phone. There is more but I didn't want to spend the majority of the time talking about his FIVE year contract extension. Once again... Look at the data in front of you... 2 out of 26 indicators met 2010. I don't get it. What business, organization, sports franchise or other school district would give their CEO a highly compensated package over five years for that type of performance. Our new treasurer  (which is not responsible for this contract) provided me with a comparison spread sheet of our taxpayers saving $100,202 by the board modifying Hanlon's contract. If you look at the comparison it leads you to believe we are actually saving money. Numbers can be deceiving. Why would the board approve a FIVE year contract for a person with a poor performance record... 11 years of poor performance. We really did not save anything... Poor leadership by the board in extending Hanlon's contract cost taxpayers $111,228. What do you say for yourselves? I am tired of this board & the administration blaming the students, teachers & community for the districts poor performance. It is all about leadership, wasteful spending and failed initiatives. As a taxpayers, I expect a full account of Dr. Hanlon's time for the next 5 months. I would like to know what he is working on and the amount of time he spends on each project. He must account for 750 hours of work.

After that I got up to speak, all the time thinking Alex Rodriguez should have Dr. Hanlon's contract attorney. ( maybe he did? ) My first question was who broke the FIVE year contract? How do you get rewarded for breaking your contract? Why isn't Dr. Hanlon here tonight? I answered that myself he's currently at Chardon's BOE meeting. What as a Painesville taxpayer can I expect to receive from Dr. Hanlon in the next five months? In around about way I was told  he will not spend time in any of our buildings but is on board as a "consultant" to the administration, Ross don't expect that 750 hours. It's all a ruse. But that's not how it's spelled out in the modified contract is it?
Now about those 100 day banked vacation days?

AS I returned to my seat I kept wondering what if this bunch would have negotiated the AMP-OHIO contract?
Remember it's for the kids.

"SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD" elton john

"Nothing sucks more than the moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong"

My ongoing misunderstanding of the fence in front of Your Vine or Mine seems to have reached a conclusion.
According to ADA the fence is legal and I have had two others check the measurements. The business went through all the proper paperwork to make this fence legal. I have seen the paperwork.

If you remember my problem with the fence wasn't about the business that built it but where the legal authority came from to let the fence be possible. I will show you some of the paperwork and you have to wonder where and who it came from. Remember we need three readings for council  to decide how many chickens a resident could own, yet this just mysteriously  appears?

No one on Zoning, Planning or Council remembers anything about this? Why?

Look all I'm asking is that where this legislation came from, presently it must have just dropped out of the sky.

 They have a form letter stating the office of Economic Development eager to have local downtown restaurants display and provide outdoor patio areas. Nowhere on the letter is a date.

They have a SIDEWALK PATIO AGREEMENT  with no date but the year 2013.

This agreement ($10.00) grants permission for the use of this Premises by the MERCHANT for the outdoor cafe' for the period between May 1,2013 until October 31,2013.

The Merchant agrees to hold the CITY harmless during that period.

The MERCHANT will purchase liability insurance protection the CITY from liability in connection  with the use of the Premises in the amount of $250,000 for damage to property and $1,000,000 for injury or death to one person and $3,000,000 for injury or death to two or more persons, growing out of the accident.

There is also a CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS 

This asks to describe the proposed construction. This was a described as a four foot iron fence surrounding seating area. Now I always believed  the fencing surrounding the front of a property was zoned only to three feet without a variance?

The applicant/owner signed this  7/19/21?

The City of Painesville Community Development Department on 07/19/2012
MISCELLANEOUS FEE RECEIPT

ITEM: 101.612.44401 Fom YVOM 154 Main St. Painesville, Ohio 44077 for the amount of $20.00.

Again YOUR VINE OR MINE followed the procedure to the Letter of the Law. My question is simply! Who, What, and When this legislation was passed by anyone with the authority to do this?

If you are a council person or someone running for council you should be more than curious where this legislation came from? (please don't tell me executive session)

To the three or four disabled people that have contacted me about this issue. I guess I've gone as far as I legally can. I will support any of you that would like to go in front of a city council meeting with your concerns. Remember the business did everything legal, maybe if more voices asked we might get an answer?

"HAVE YOU HEARD?" moody blues

Well to days the final day to drop off your petition to run for an office, pass a levy, change a charter.

Well Painesville as I have mentioned before will have charter changes, votes on a Police, Fire and Road levies.

Plus people running for three Council-at-Large seats.

Along with openings on our school board.
Off the cuff here's how I see it  coming out of the gate.

 Lori DiNallo vs. Arlene Becks

John Murphy vs. Tom Fitzgerald

James Fodor vs. Rene Aston

Anyone see a late candidate for school board?  that will explain ATV?

Should be an interesting time from now to election day in Painesville.

Candidates for Council-at-Large should be prepared to answer a multitude of questions, including  'What will you do if the levies don't pass?' The answer's could be telling.

Pretty much hit it on the head. Now Murphy/Fitzgerald? An Irishman's dream,  Plan on seeing a lot of green signs.

Expect an interesting race Fodor/Aston may be a surprise here.

DiNallo / Becks  Well please explain how Painesville wins here?

Off the bat the incumbents seem to have the edge. DiNallo, Fodor and Fitzgerald with the Hada machine behind him.

As far as the levies? " What are your plans when the levies fail"  Anyone believe they will? and why?

Kathleen Powers Dolney Painesville school board. soon we will understand ATV. Something new a person with a plan.

"ONLY YOU KNOW AND I KNOW" bonnie & delaney

Who decides some of this stuff?

By now most of you have received the August edition of the much heralded Painesville Pride. First off one sentence grabbed me.

-Property tax is deductible off your income tax.

First what income tax and how?

Well not city income tax? Federal income tax maybe? Yes you can deduct property tax off your federal income tax IF you itemize your deductions on a long form 1040. Well if you take the standard deductions not so. Is this added to make it sound like it won't cost you anything?

-In 2006, the cost of asphalt was approximately $24.00 per ton, now it costs approximately $73.00 a ton.
- In 2006 cow manure cost approximately $5.00 a ton and now it cost approximately $14.00 a ton, what's your point?  What were you doing with the money in 2006 that you weren't buying more asphalt? Oh, isn't that the time we hired an assistant city manager to spell our overworked city manager?

-The funds generated from the Street Improvement Levy will NOT be used to subsidize salaries of City employee's nor can the funds be used to purchase or repair any equipment.......
Well that's kinda true. Let's say this road levy would have passed last November. The City had decided in the 2013 budget to fund the road repair of Charlotte St. for $150,000. After the levy passed they could have taken money from the levy and repaired Charlotte St. What happens to the $150,000 out of the budget set aside for that street? With the stroke of a pen from council that money could have been sent back into the general fund and be used for who knows what?  More Lawnmowers for Lee? Purchase another backhoe, how many of those do we currently own? It's not a street levy its a general fund levy and they must be honest with their claims.

When this PAC comes to your door ask them if these facts are true. Ask them to show you their drivers license to verify where they live in Painesville. Only around 20% will be able to do that.

Since this was presented as educational, you have to wonder why no mention of the Ohio 2013 budget any government body will no longer receice a 12% rollback on NEW levies? Seemed telling you something will cost you more would seem important? Let's call these articles 'selective' information.

At the end of the article this was printed.

* The information above is for educational purposes.
I will do them one better.  I'll sign my name to this response, something there article didn't do!

Angelo A. Cimaglio

"AIN'T TO PROUD TO BEG" temptations

Well at least ask nicely?

News I found interesting this past week.

Mentor digs into it's general fund ( must be nice to have a stash)  for up to a million dollars to provide residents with up to $1,500.00 to correct homeowners flooding problems. Now right off the bat Painesville solution is to send you to the fire station to pick-up a plastic bucket, a quart of bleach, along with a stiff broom in need of some assembly. Tough lot us Painesvillians.

Now take it a step further, for a citizen of Mentor to get up a $1,500.00 grant for sewer repair. They must submit  their plans to the engineering department and they are the final arbitrator if the plans being the right method to correct the problem.
 
Over the weekend I watched a neighbor in my Mother's neighborhood start working on his solution.
First lets put a lot of dirt in the backyard and change the lay of the land and have flooding directed into your neighbors property. Then get three or four of your buddies rent a backhoe, purchase four or more twelve packs of Beer and let the digging commence.

First question out of the box "did you go to city hall and get a permit?" Oh yes. You know it should be in view of the area in question. Next question to do exactly what? Response hardly made any sense. Asked do you know where the gas line is? No, Well I'll tell you although your digging on both sides of the house. Its on this side of the house. Did you call East Ohio Dominion before you started to dig? Oh, have you noticed your driveway is starting to collapse from underneath ? Really, have another Corona.

After a call to Councilman Fodor, and Ward IV councilman DeLeone  construction came  to a halt.
I have witnessed assistant city manager Doug Lewis twice on Sunday making sure all had stopped. These three officials should be thanked for their quick response.
 Now lets understand if this neighbors were replacing the roof on his garage I for one could care if he did or didn't have a permit. What I fear will happen with all these "shoemakers" doing this work in the end one property may or may not be made better off and at the same time screwing up five or six properties down the road. People in this neighborhood view construction such as this suspiciously

On a final note the property owner had no idea where his redirected water would end up. My first guess into a nearby homeowners basement.

"GIVE ME SILVER, BLUE & GOLD" bad company

I see in today's News-Herald 08/01/13 the reporters tried to explain Painesville's former superintendents roll in the district that will cost all of us $111,000. I cannot in any form see the justification of this money being spent on him
 for the next five months. First since becoming our superintendent things have spiralled down not up.

Over a $1000 a day for his advise? I got some advise to the BOE don't let deals like this become public, that advise is for free!

Now the President of the Board of Education claims he is entitled to this, well I'll call it a gift.
If he is entitled to this in the first place why must he work twenty days a month to receive his entitled benefits? Doesn't sound like to smart of a guy to have running your schools.

That $111,000 could have been put to better use than this. How will the BOE ever negotiate with the two unions that they have to negotiate with?

Chardon believes Dr. Hanlon can pass levies? even if that were true will it be worth what it will cost Chardon in academics achievements?  That will be fun to watch. In the story it mentioned that Chardon has him under contract for $120,000 a year for three years. Now we in all our wisdom have him under contract for five months for $111,000. That amount was never mentioned in the article, why?

Well after December the divorce will be final, he will have received all the silver and gold he can out of us, all the while looking for a new place to land.

I guess after December we will finally be done with Dr. Hanlon. It does seem like an expensive way to end the relationship. "Remember It's For The Kids"  Dr. Hanlons kids.

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

In my frustration this morning I forgot to give someone some free advice:

Please don't think without the support of a long time council members who is now seeking retirement and his decision to support another candidate is misfortune for you.. Look upon this as a plus and  a strength. This person's endorsement is not as 'golden' as in the past. I believe association with him hinders not helps a candidate. How much has this person cost Painesville in their tenure?
No one in Painesville is looking for another lap dog, trust me.