Is it just me...

[Brad Presutto]

Well maybe he will realize where sticking with that cabal got Bullock and O’Leary - both who had aspirations of higher office.

Not only did they NOT benefit from that association, it actually tainted them.

Budish/Fitzgerald/Summers is poison.

I believe his willingness to wade into the waters here on The Deck shows that he's willing to learn. While I think he has the same aspirations as those two, I think he has the emotional intelligence to learn from others mistakes.

I also have positive expectations for Bullock in the next two years. He is contributing significant proposals to council instead of waiting to the last minute as O'Leary did. I am a big fan of his ideas for Lakewood regarding green technology and our future, and I always appreciate the support he provides to Bike Lakewood.

Then again, this could be me being naive. I really hope these positive trends will benefit the entire city, regardless of socioeconomic status.

[Jim O'Bryan]

His participation in the secret government's candidates was just in passing. While they encourage him to run,

Oh yeah, I believe that.

I call bull$hit. Come on, you have a group approach you about a campaign flyer and the group is a recently formed PAC attempting to influence the election and is headed and run by the old guard and you choose to participate knowing that? Knowing that there is controversy about the group’s motives, knowing that other candidates are refusing to participate? And you go ahead with it anyway?

Don’t tell me he’s his own man.

Bridget

I guess I do not have the background of Council Elect Shachner as you do. I was only able to speak with him 4-5 times over the election, while speaking with people from his day job, and other people that knew him.

To my knowledge, Jason not only never lied to me, but came back time and again to correct nuances to make sure the record was straight.

Jason got involved in Lakewood because it is what he does, no matter where.

Without the background knowledge, the secret government machine is nearly perfect and secret. A direct pipeline from schools to seniors all spreading positive news, while behind the scenes they try desperately for a vice like grip on Lakewood. If you do not understand it first hand it is easy to make it look foolish. But many council people, school board people and civic leaders have openly spoken of "the secret government" before they were run from office, or even worse co-opted by those that prefer control. Take one step back and look at EVERY BOARD in town. Thank you I rest my case.

Time will tell.


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[Richard Baker]

Someone, please enlighten me on how a prosecutor can have the basics for a mayoral position? That's akin to asking a sanitation plumber to work as a roofer in the sunshine.

[Bridget Conant]

Someone, please enlighten me on how a prosecutor can have the basics for a mayoral position? That's akin to asking a sanitation plumber to work as a roofer in the sunshine.

I, too, question the seeming love affair with lawyers. So many on council - present and past- were (white, male) lawyers.

There is some misplaced adulation for attorneys in our culture. As if they somehow possess this vast range of knowledge - business, finance, marketing, development, management, environmental, etc. Geez, in Lakewood they are even health care experts!

Fact is, the vast majority of lawyers did their undergrad in political science. Now THAT is a useless degree. You learn no math, no real science, no business.... Then law school is primarily memorizing what you need to know to pass the bar. These aren’t real world skills and competencies.

[Dan Alaimo]

I'm not sure I get it either. And I sure didn't get it when Sam try to use whatever experience he had as a prosecutor to justify his election.

To me, it's as valid as any other job experience although it requires considerable and demonstrated intellectual capability to become a lawyer. What they do with it as an entirely different matter. Being a lawyer itself makes no more difference to me in terms of the Mayoral stakes as, say. being a plumber or journalist.

Jason was my second choice in the Ward 2 race, but I liked and respected him and I never thought once about his credentials, except to question how an officer of the court would deal the fiscal shenanigans of the Summers gang.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Someone, please enlighten me on how a prosecutor can have the basics for a mayoral position? That's akin to asking a sanitation plumber to work as a roofer in the sunshine.

I, too, question the seeming love affair with lawyers. So many on council - present and past- were (white, male) lawyers.

There is some misplaced adulation for attorneys in our culture. As if they somehow possess this vast range of knowledge - business, finance, marketing, development, management, environmental, etc. Geez, in Lakewood they are even health care experts!

Fact is, the vast majority of lawyers did their undergrad in political science. Now THAT is a useless degree. You learn no math, no real science, no business.... Then law school is primarily memorizing what you need to know to pass the bar. These aren’t real world skills and competencies.

Bridgett

Again I do not have the background you have with this subject.

I do not vote in Ward 2. I would have voted for Brad had I voted in 2.

I only know Jason through a handful of conversations, and all of them were informative, fun, nice, and clear of any knowledge of true Lakewood History. Which when you are as ingrained as I am, was very nice and enjoyable.

Now I know lots and lots of lawyers, some of them good, some of them not so good. Some clear thinkers, some not so clear thinkers. Some extremely clear thinkers on one subject and you get them to another subject and you have to wonder if they are the same person. So I would call them "people."

I really think the city owes itself a fresh look at Council, all of them.

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[Bridget Conant]

I really think the city owes itself a fresh look at Council, all of them.

For a city that likes to scream it’s “diverse,” you’d never know it looking at council.

Sure, you’ll find a single woman. But it’s been held by white men. WHITE MEN.

Women are more than half the population. Yet we only allow one at a time on council?

People of color? That seems to be a No No.

It seems to me Council does not adequately reflect the face of the city.

[Dan Alaimo]

I really think the city owes itself a fresh look at Council, all of them.

For a city that likes to scream it’s “diverse,” you’d never know it looking at council.

Sure, you’ll find a single woman. But it’s been held by white men. WHITE MEN.

Women are more than half the population. Yet we only allow one at a time on council?

People of color? That seems to be a No No.

It seems to me Council does not adequately reflect the face of the city.

Here's what I told Brian Essi while we were discussing Council and the lack of Republicans: why don't you throw your hat in the ring?

[Brad Presutto]

I really think the city owes itself a fresh look at Council, all of them.

For a city that likes to scream it’s “diverse,” you’d never know it looking at council.

Sure, you’ll find a single woman. But it’s been held by white men. WHITE MEN.

Women are more than half the population. Yet we only allow one at a time on council?

People of color? That seems to be a No No.

It seems to me Council does not adequately reflect the face of the city.

Here's what I told Brian Essi while we were discussing Council and the lack of Republicans: why don't you throw your hat in the ring?

Throwing your hat in the ring does not mean it will result in staying in the ring. There have been plenty of diverse candidates that have ran or applied for appointmentss that have been rejected by our predominantly white, male society. I hope the new council takes the voice of all people of Lakewood into account when making the decision to replace Meghan George.

[Stan Austin]

Here's what I told Brian Essi while we were discussing Council and the lack of Republicans: why don't you throw your hat in the ring?

Wow-- now that's an interesting potential nominee. Given the many requests for documents that Mr. Essi has made indicates that at the very least, he knows where City Hall is.

[Dan Alaimo]

These people may not, and probably won't, get it. But it is a first step toward getting their names and awareness out there that they are potential candidates. It broadens the scope of the range of potential candidates. This applies to Laura amd Bill Call, too. They could use their application as a basis for getting their ideas out there in LO and Deck posts.

Women, Republicans, minorities are all underrepresented or not represented on Council.

[Bridget Conant]

Women, Republicans, minorities are all underrepresented or not represented on Council.

An understatement!

NO Republicans

NO minorities

ONE woman. And that seems to be as far as they can get. Once the token female is seated, that seems to fulfill the requirement.

[Dan Alaimo]

Women, Republicans, minorities are all underrepresented or not represented on Council.

An understatement!

NO Republicans

NO minorities

ONE woman. And that seems to be as far as they can get. Once the token female is seated, that seems to fulfill the requirement.

Can anyone provide a percentage breakdown of these various groups in Lakewood? Before the 2020 Census hopefully.

[Kate McCarthy]

Women, Republicans, minorities are all underrepresented or not represented on Council.

An understatement!

NO Republicans

NO minorities

ONE woman. And that seems to be as far as they can get. Once the token female is seated, that seems to fulfill the requirement.

Can anyone provide a percentage breakdown of these various groups in Lakewood? Before the 2020 Census hopefully.

Here's some information from the census bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/lakewoodcityohio,US/PST045218

[Dan Alaimo]

Here are sceenshots. Not here are Republicans who last I saw were somewhere in the 30%s, women at 50%, and independents who are even higher. Republicans and independents are counted by the BOE.

So Blacks and Hispanics/Latinex are not represented.but also not underrepresented because of the low percentages in Lakewood. Women at 50% and Republicans are underrepresented. I'm not sure how independents would be accurately represented.

Conclusion: Council at present is not an accurate reflection of Lakewood's population. Given that, a woman, Republican or bona fide independent would be the best choice.

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I see that percentages of Republicans, independents and the majority Democrats are off. Maybe someone can help make the picture more accurate.