Ms. Ferris, the Tax Payers (and Breuer) Thank You

Once again, excellent observations from Gloria. She makes an excellent observation many people have not pointed out. Where is Paul Alsenas from the County Planning Commission? What is there opinion? What is the opinion of the members of the Commission?

One could say since Dimora is the chair, he speaks for the County Comission - but I doubt it.
It would be nice to hear opinions from each of these members as well as Director Alsenas.

• Chagrin/Southeast Region: Mayor Thomas J. Longo, Garfield Heights, Vice-Chair
  
• Cleveland Region: Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Cleveland, by Robert N. Brown
  
• Cuyahoga Region: Mayor Michael S. Procuk, Brooklyn Heights
  
• Heights Region: Mayor Edward J. Kelley, Cleveland Heights
  
• Hillcrest Region: Mayor Merle S. Gorden, Beachwood
  
• Southcentral Region: Mayor Kenneth E. Patton, Brooklyn
  
• Southwest Region: Mayor Robert G. Blomquist, Olmsted Falls
  
• Westshore Region: Mayor Eileen A. Patton, Fairview Park

« The World Is Watching…

Thank Yew very Much!!

I have another post to write about the arrogance of supposed power and who do “they” think they are. But first, I wanted to put out some “thank yous” to some VERY important people who are demanding that the decision about the Breuer Tower takes a reasoned appproach to a very thorny issue. A decision of such magnitude should never be made behind the scenes if we are truly going to be a democratic society. Vague assertions by elected county officials attesting to the fact that architects and engineers are on board with our decision are not enough. We the public need to know who these individuals are. Let them come forth and speak. Have they? No! We have heard of “concepts” and refutations that say others’ figures are incorrect and too high or too low, but we have never seen the actual costs of what the county’s proposal will be. The county architect has never weighed in on this issue. The Cuyahoga County Commission was never consulted. Who made these decisions that Commissioners Dimora and Hagan are pushing so vehemently? Where are these people who stand behind the decision of these two?

See how easily it is to be taken off point. This post was about thank yous. And, here they are. The first thank you goes to my fellow bloggers who linked to my post that said we needed to be there to witness the meeting. Obviously, the word spread wider than my small blog. The second thank you goes to the number of regular citizens who took time to attend the City Planning Commission Meeting to hear for themselves Chairman Coyne’s impassioned speech comparing Cleveland to Chicago and how we in Cleveland “don’t get it, we just don’t get it! But he did, as well as three of his colleagues when they voted to deny Joe Cimperman’s long, convoluted motion with more caveats than Carter’s has little liver pills.

in all my years, I have never heard such a motion put before a board. What a sham! The motion essentially agreed to demolition IF the County showed a master plan, IF the County showed that public access from Euclid and Ninth would be a priority, IF it was shown that the rotunda would be an integral part of the plan, and I think there were two or three other IFS that I don’t even remember. And then, Larry Lumpkin seconded this sorry excuse for a motion and proceeded to again parrot Cimperman’s ‘these are our partners and we must have faith’ speech’. But then, Lillian Kuri questioned the use of partners when talking about the county. She cited that her June 8th packet from the county was missing pieces, she also waved a sheet of blue paper containing the summary that she said she still had not received by 6 p.m. Thursday the 14th. She didn’t buy the partner speech and she demanded to see real numbers and real statistics so that she and the other members of the City Planning Commission could make a reasoned decision. David Bowen again reiterated his contention that there was not enough information to make a decision. Jean Pinkney just shook her head in disbelief at what she was hearing and witnessing during this meeting. She too voted against the motion on the floor. If Norm Krumholz had been in attendance, he would have been proud of his colleagues.

So a big thank you goes out to the second oldest planning commission in the nation–our own Cleveland Planning Commission. They stepped up to the plate, refused to be bullied into making an uninformed decision, and did what they were appointed to do. They truly were the check and balance to a shoddy piece of work presented by the County. And as Chairman Coyne said, his commission is charged with making Cleveland and the County a ”Better Place” and, he just isn’t convinced.

And my last but very important thank you goes to those of you who have had the courage to phone me and email me with insight and added information that was freely given in a spirit of civic pride and concern.

Thanks to all of you.