Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
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- Jim O'Bryan
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Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
City Hall Not Responsive? Out Of Control?
This was our slated Christmas Cover back in 2014. We had just learned
about the the closing of the hospital. The rumor was, City Hall and Council
were going to strike down a small mention of "Ethics" in the new Charter
Review. In the end it went in and has been ignored by City Hall every minute,
every day, in every way they can.
For over 15 years the Lakewood Observer has had the pleasure of working with, and observing mayors in the City of Lakewood. I have also had the pleasure of working with various mayors in Cleveland, Westlake, Bay Village, Westlake, Brook Park, Parma, Parma Heights, Independence, Euclid, and City Managers in University Heights and Cleveland Heights. So I have had some time discussing hypotheticals of government and governing, laws, budgets, etc.
Lakewood City Hall seems to be out of control and unresponsive to the simplest needs of the community, trading in their solemn pledge to be honest fiduciary agents for the residents of Lakewood, into a scheming clique willing to do anything, and say anything to protect their project and the Mayor. Talk to nearly any Department Head, they can go on for hours about why it is OK to hide documents, why the City does not have to comply with court orders. This City Hall now makes it their daily work to mislead, cover up their misdeeds, and trample First Amendment Rights of Lakewoodites.
In America we live in a representative democracy. We elect representatives, fellow residents, to sit in elected office and to fill out the boards and committees. Representatives, to oversee the day to day hiring and running the city. They are our fiduciary agents working for all of us. History has shown this form of government to be easier and more efficient than having 50,001 residents standing and shouting in the Council Meeting Room. But, the only way any of this works is with checks and balances. City Hall's Administration got lost, it went off the rails. It started to represent and work for their secret dreams, and the schemes of friends, supporters and business associates. Not running the city. Instead of holding a check on the Mayor, City Council has become his gang, rubber-stamping everything.
Now this sounds terrible, but imagine how bad it can get when this entire management structure takes pride and pleasure in their refusal to be accountable. Where the Mayor, Law Director, City Council and their flunkies brag and crow about shutting down requests for documents, conversations and editing legal discussions. It is over the top, and a sign of a City Hall out of control.
When FACTS, DOCUMENTS, PROOF and SIMPLE QUESTIONS become the enemy of City Hall, and need to be "regulated" and when the intimidation of those who speak up or post is encouraged, it becomes evil.
Recently a new resident, well 8 months here, stopped by for coffee. They made an interesting observation. "It is a great city, but there seems to be a darkness in every group, every committee, every event, and on every discussion board. It is very troubling."
Welcome to Lakewood 2019...
A parody based on "The Sacking Of Rome" and a Mad Monopoly Game, where the goal is to run everything into the ground. (From 2015)
If you believe that elected officials and city workers are not immune from good ethics, and oversight, join with us in demanding better.
"Honest, Transparent, Accountable" is not just a political slogan, it is how we make sure our government is all that they claim it is. It is also the law.
.
This was our slated Christmas Cover back in 2014. We had just learned
about the the closing of the hospital. The rumor was, City Hall and Council
were going to strike down a small mention of "Ethics" in the new Charter
Review. In the end it went in and has been ignored by City Hall every minute,
every day, in every way they can.
For over 15 years the Lakewood Observer has had the pleasure of working with, and observing mayors in the City of Lakewood. I have also had the pleasure of working with various mayors in Cleveland, Westlake, Bay Village, Westlake, Brook Park, Parma, Parma Heights, Independence, Euclid, and City Managers in University Heights and Cleveland Heights. So I have had some time discussing hypotheticals of government and governing, laws, budgets, etc.
Lakewood City Hall seems to be out of control and unresponsive to the simplest needs of the community, trading in their solemn pledge to be honest fiduciary agents for the residents of Lakewood, into a scheming clique willing to do anything, and say anything to protect their project and the Mayor. Talk to nearly any Department Head, they can go on for hours about why it is OK to hide documents, why the City does not have to comply with court orders. This City Hall now makes it their daily work to mislead, cover up their misdeeds, and trample First Amendment Rights of Lakewoodites.
In America we live in a representative democracy. We elect representatives, fellow residents, to sit in elected office and to fill out the boards and committees. Representatives, to oversee the day to day hiring and running the city. They are our fiduciary agents working for all of us. History has shown this form of government to be easier and more efficient than having 50,001 residents standing and shouting in the Council Meeting Room. But, the only way any of this works is with checks and balances. City Hall's Administration got lost, it went off the rails. It started to represent and work for their secret dreams, and the schemes of friends, supporters and business associates. Not running the city. Instead of holding a check on the Mayor, City Council has become his gang, rubber-stamping everything.
Now this sounds terrible, but imagine how bad it can get when this entire management structure takes pride and pleasure in their refusal to be accountable. Where the Mayor, Law Director, City Council and their flunkies brag and crow about shutting down requests for documents, conversations and editing legal discussions. It is over the top, and a sign of a City Hall out of control.
When FACTS, DOCUMENTS, PROOF and SIMPLE QUESTIONS become the enemy of City Hall, and need to be "regulated" and when the intimidation of those who speak up or post is encouraged, it becomes evil.
Recently a new resident, well 8 months here, stopped by for coffee. They made an interesting observation. "It is a great city, but there seems to be a darkness in every group, every committee, every event, and on every discussion board. It is very troubling."
Welcome to Lakewood 2019...
A parody based on "The Sacking Of Rome" and a Mad Monopoly Game, where the goal is to run everything into the ground. (From 2015)
If you believe that elected officials and city workers are not immune from good ethics, and oversight, join with us in demanding better.
"Honest, Transparent, Accountable" is not just a political slogan, it is how we make sure our government is all that they claim it is. It is also the law.
.
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
Mark Kindt wrote:Right On!
Ask your elected leaders (at all levels) > "Who do you really represent?"
For most it can easily be argued that they represent themselves (their legacy, their incumbency, their political career, their financial interests), corporations, lobbyists, dark monies, etc etc.
Novel idea > Find and elect leaders who represent "The People of the City of Lakewood"
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
What's the latest debacle in 2019, or is this still droning on about the hospital?
- Jim O'Bryan
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
J Hrlec wrote:What's the latest debacle in 2019, or is this still droning on about the hospital?
Thank you for proving my point.
No, not at all.
But obviously if some one were to even almost mention something anything, out from under the rocks the marginalizers crawl.
No this post is about ethics, never mentioned the hospital.
I suppose you are one of those that thinks Ethics like Hospitals have gone the way of the horse and buggy.
Only in Lakewood can you find residents willing to argue that Elected officials do not need ethics, honesty or accountability!
.
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
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- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:49 am
Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
I've been going out of my way not to mention the hospital in my posts.
“Never let a good crisis go to waste." - Winston Churchill (Quote later appropriated by Rahm Emanuel)
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
J Hrlec wrote:What's the latest debacle in 2019, or is this still droning on about the hospital?
A Word To The Wise
At this point, I will encourage Mr. or Ms. J. Hrlec to avoid reading my future posts on this Forum, because it is clearly my intention to keep on "droning on" about the hospital, the hospital-giveaway, ethics-in-government, and municipal misgovernment.
Considering that the citizens have just lost $200,000,000 in contract rights and assets, I expect to offer continuing commentary and analysis as long as I believe that I am being lied to by elected or public officials or that public documents are being withheld from the public.
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
The reason I try not to refer to the hospital is that certain people use it as a short-hand dismissal of all the many more important issues that have arisen.
When Mike Skindell ran for mayor, he was dismissed as a single-issue candidate (the hospital). But it was so much more - economy, ethics, government malfeasance, jobs, future growth, and on and on.
The same thing here. People dismiss Mark Kindt's detailed and far-reaching research with reasoning along the line of "he's just nostalgic for the hospital."
Mr. Kindt can and should keep referring to the hospital deal. It was the centerpiece for everything that happened before and after.
As for me, I am trying to not give them the opening to so easily dismiss a multi-faceted government failure. We're talking about a set of affairs that is far greater than the hospital controversy, and I keep waiting for Council, especially the newer council members, to wake up to their current responsibility for it.
When Mike Skindell ran for mayor, he was dismissed as a single-issue candidate (the hospital). But it was so much more - economy, ethics, government malfeasance, jobs, future growth, and on and on.
The same thing here. People dismiss Mark Kindt's detailed and far-reaching research with reasoning along the line of "he's just nostalgic for the hospital."
Mr. Kindt can and should keep referring to the hospital deal. It was the centerpiece for everything that happened before and after.
As for me, I am trying to not give them the opening to so easily dismiss a multi-faceted government failure. We're talking about a set of affairs that is far greater than the hospital controversy, and I keep waiting for Council, especially the newer council members, to wake up to their current responsibility for it.
“Never let a good crisis go to waste." - Winston Churchill (Quote later appropriated by Rahm Emanuel)
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
J Hrlec wrote:What's the latest debacle in 2019, or is this still droning on about the hospital?
Substitute the word "Russia" for "hospital", and you have Donald Trump.
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
[quote="Michael Deneen"][quote="J Hrlec"]What's the latest debacle in 2019, or is this still droning on about the hospital?[/quote]
Substitute the word "Russia" for "hospital", and you have Donald Trump.[/quote]
No, your unsubstantiated rhetoric and tripe is typical liberal Democrat. Your immaturity and an OCD Trump bashing brings Trump into a discussion that is totally unrelated to national politics. I believe it was a Democrat council and mayor who was allowed to screwed the pouch with the hospital by good one lever voting Democrats.
Substitute the word "Russia" for "hospital", and you have Donald Trump.[/quote]
No, your unsubstantiated rhetoric and tripe is typical liberal Democrat. Your immaturity and an OCD Trump bashing brings Trump into a discussion that is totally unrelated to national politics. I believe it was a Democrat council and mayor who was allowed to screwed the pouch with the hospital by good one lever voting Democrats.
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
[quote="Michael Deneen"][quote="J Hrlec"]What's the latest debacle in 2019, or is this still droning on about the hospital?[/quote]
Substitute the word "Russia" for "hospital", and you have Donald Trump.[/quote]
No, your unsubstantiated rhetoric and tripe is typical liberal Democrat. Your immaturity and an OCD Trump bashing brings Trump into a discussion that is totally unrelated to national politics. I believe it was a Democrat council and mayor who was allowed to screwed the pouch with the hospital by good one lever voting Democrats.
Substitute the word "Russia" for "hospital", and you have Donald Trump.[/quote]
No, your unsubstantiated rhetoric and tripe is typical liberal Democrat. Your immaturity and an OCD Trump bashing brings Trump into a discussion that is totally unrelated to national politics. I believe it was a Democrat council and mayor who was allowed to screwed the pouch with the hospital by good one lever voting Democrats.
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
These Are Local Issues
We read of local indictments this morning of county public officials. Earlier this week the Law Director for the County resigned. In November 2018, a federal report excoriated the county for its abysmal jail conditions.
I write this as a third-generation Democrat.
This is all of a similar piece.
Our problems are local. Our solutions have to be local.
If we conflate these issues with national politics, we enter the realm of national paralysis and dysfunction.
The ethical problems in Lakewood are just a subset of the ethical problems that afflict the Democratic Party at the county level.
Council-person Rader has an ethics-in-government initiative that is a courageous effort to bring Lakewood into the 20th Century [Sic]. This effort deserves our wholehearted support.
We read of local indictments this morning of county public officials. Earlier this week the Law Director for the County resigned. In November 2018, a federal report excoriated the county for its abysmal jail conditions.
I write this as a third-generation Democrat.
This is all of a similar piece.
Our problems are local. Our solutions have to be local.
If we conflate these issues with national politics, we enter the realm of national paralysis and dysfunction.
The ethical problems in Lakewood are just a subset of the ethical problems that afflict the Democratic Party at the county level.
Council-person Rader has an ethics-in-government initiative that is a courageous effort to bring Lakewood into the 20th Century [Sic]. This effort deserves our wholehearted support.
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
Conflating the hospital situation with Trump is symptomatic of a logical fallacy known as cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance results when one processes information that (1) cannot be refuted (e.g. Democrats shuttered the hospital) and (2) that destroys one’s worldview and hence one’s ego (e.g. Democrats are good and Republicans/Trump are bad). Cognitive dissonance is a mild form of insanity that is endemic to all humans. There are many other logical fallacies that humans fall prey to. For example many of us demonstrate confirmation bias and I’m no exception. It is difficult but possible to overcome logical fallacies. Mark is right. We need to recognize and address it. But honestly, it's wearisome....
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Re: Lakewood Rejects Ethics, Do You?
Mark Kindt wrote:These Are Local Issues
We read of local indictments this morning of county public officials. Earlier this week the Law Director for the County resigned. In November 2018, a federal report excoriated the county for its abysmal jail conditions.
I write this as a third-generation Democrat.
This is all of a similar piece.
Our problems are local. Our solutions have to be local.
If we conflate these issues with national politics, we enter the realm of national paralysis and dysfunction.
The ethical problems in Lakewood are just a subset of the ethical problems that afflict the Democratic Party at the county level.
Council-person Rader has an ethics-in-government initiative that is a courageous effort to bring Lakewood into the 20th Century [Sic]. This effort deserves our wholehearted support.
Too bad lying and steering contracts are not indictable offences in Lakewood.
David Anderson has no legitimate answers
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