Well put - I agree.

Thank you for leading this movement forward!

You dynamos of Ward 14 are what real NEO has been lacking for some time - neighborhood activists.

You do Ed Hauser proud.

Disrupt IT

  Angel--one of the first agenda items for Ward 14 should be a verbal commitment from the current council representatives--Joe Santiago and Brian Cummins--against the I-71 barrier walls.
 

Joe Santiago has said publicly that he is not in favor of the walls.  Brian Cummins has not voiced his opinion, prefering instead to vacillate and say that residents are "apathetic."

This went to a community vote in 2005 and the barrier walls were rejected.  Now, it is being shoved down our throats again, under the pretense that the preferred option of lowered access roads has been pulled from the table.

Truth be told--ODOT just waited until residents were further compromised and disempowered.  Knowing full well that the current Ward 15 and current Ward 14 has a constant influx of immigrant residents and, by design, a shrinking base of homeowners.

Brian Cummins needs to vocally oppose the barrier wall proposal.  If he does not--I can guarantee you that if the run off in September pits him against Santiago.  Santiago will use the barrier wall issue against him.

Thanks for coming on to say your piece. It is always good to hear where a candidate stands from his/her own mouth (or keyboard).

Debbie

Nelson,

I think that most in Ward 13 and 14 are not impressed with the sound barriers but it is always good to hear that someone is willing to stand up and fight for the wishes of residents.  That does not happen very often in Tremont. 

Earlier, I posted that I was thinking of throwing my name into the ring to fill the current vacant seat on the TWDC Board.  However, consesus is that if you want to be considered for this position, you cannot, will not and shall not speak out against the organization.  That sounds peculiar, for if you find nothing wrong, or if you see nothing that needs changing, why would I or anyone else see the need to be appointed/elected to the board?

My question to you would be, where do you stand on trying to regain control and/or call  up an accounting of the monies which were allocated for Clark Metro/West 25th Street and contracted to TWDC?  I do believe that  reasonable minds would see and believe that all parties involved in the signing of this contract were nothing short of greedy, and just outright robbed that area of funds that not only were rightfully theirs but badly needed in that community as well.

Now, understanding that speaking my mind and telling it like I see it will for sure kill and  behead any possibility I might think of having at getting nominated for the vacant seat on the board.    Let's just say that I see a need for change and a need for some type of representation of all the poor under privileged people in these communities that are passed over and left suffering at the hands of the leadership in some of these community organizations.  Don't you think that the money TWDC made of with that belonged in Ward 14 should go back to Ward 14?  I do. 

  Jerleen--I was run off the board for asking too many questions about finances and reporting.  I was subjected to a preposterous tribunal.  I showed up one day to a board meeting and was subjected to the "burn the witch" treatment.  Emily Lipovan was asked by Mary Jo Marvis to leave the room, because the board had a serious board matter to discuss.  Then, in a solemn tone, Mary Jo announced that the integrity of the board had been maligned by a sitting board member.  My name was never mentioned but it was alluded and easy enough to determine by the reference to a meeting, which only myself and Dave Sharkey had attended.  Nothing changes in Tremont.  And, I am fairly sure that the same drama happens at pretty much every CDC in the City of Cleveland.  Throw your hat in the ring, but if they nominate and accept you, be ready for a hell ride.
 

Laura, they've already been after me with a whoppin' stick.  They've ambushed me at the Block Club,  Chris Garland, the Executive Director sent me a letter on TWDC stationary saying how dishonest and reprehensible he thought  I was, they've posted every personal thing they could find on the internet.  I did trace one of the assumed names to TWDC.

I'm throwing my hat in anyway - all they can do is throw it back out.

Bureacracy 101...get rid of the folks who hold you 100% accountable, get rid of the one's who expect you to follow the rules....call the ones who expect legitimacy "CRAZY", and then go about your unethical administration of business once you get rid of them from your Board of Directors...

I am humored.... not by you Jerleen...but by the people who think they have the right to violate the community at large's rights by neglecting them, abusing their demographics, and misappropriating their CDBG funding to afford paychecks to less than concerned representatives for the community...

Look, these overpaid jerks...yep, jerks...you know, the ones who hush you, the ones who are passifying you with their psuedo charismatic communications about our community-they all need a good old fashioned whipping of humiliation! 

Screw them all...they are lifelong liars, conartists, and manipulators...hiding behind the CDC's....

Anyone who calls out someone who requests accountability that sits on a BOD for the organization should be put into question themselves. That's absurd! It's a reflection of how corruption wins...

They try to make the folks who are expecting answers to their questions appear to be disruptive to their efforts to treat us all like idiots. When that doesn't work, they work to annihilate our credibility to the public.... when that doesn't work...they sick the code enforcement officers on us...

THE bottom line is that in corrupt America...anyone who asks questions, expects transparency, or wants accountability is dubbed as "crazies!" 

So, let's give three shouts out for all the "crazies" and all of their efforts to conquer these "jerks" with some good old fashioned humble pie!!!! 

The truth will come out sooner or later...at the disadvantage of our city at large. Assessing our goals to "hold the history accountable" vs building tools of prevention and accountability that protect our folks into the future is my consideration.

I am positive that complaints have been filed and investigations will be ongoing for years to come against EVERYONE associated with CDC transactions in the City of Cleveland. I anticipate a long line of folks getting their behinds handed to them on a silver platter in the public venue.... we've waged a war against them...and we have several concurrent battles going on right now....

Historical transactions....

Current transactions...

Providing a Checks and Balances System for the future....

and then...the FUTURE ITSELF!!! (CNDC downsizing!) 

Trust me...there's a lot more to the story than we can begin to imagine...but the biggest part is how they can make these planned transitions without cutting staff that have become codependent on those jobs that they hold so precious! 

We are talking about years of work to overcome this world of CDC's.... volunteer work, investigative work, and community dedication! 

Where's it best to put OUR (REALNEO) energies?

Trust me when I tell you that I am well aware of the way it goes as you stated...been there, done that, and got that T-Shirt....humorously! The pen and facts are more powerful than the sword!

They don't appreciate complimentary adversaries.... people who just want the truth and to know that they are participating in something ethical...they just want to look pretty to the philanthropists who support the dog and pony show of what they are doing!!!

  Angel: To reiterate, you said:
 

 I am positive that complaints have been filed and investigations will be ongoing for years to come against EVERYONE associated with CDC transactions in the City of Cleveland. I anticipate a long line of folks getting their behinds handed to them on a silver platter in the public venue.... we've waged a war against them...and we have several concurrent battles going on right now....

Historical transactions....

Current transactions...

Providing a Checks and Balances System for the future....

and then...the FUTURE ITSELF!!! (CNDC downsizing!) 

Trust me...there's a lot more to the story than we can begin to imagine...but the biggest part is how they can make these planned transitions without cutting staff that have become codependent on those jobs that they hold so precious! 

Good people have been co-opted into the bad CDC and local government machine.  It is my hope that some of those good people at CDCs realize that there is no future there and that they collaborate to model a new accountable form government. 

The current proposal to reform Cuyahoga County will not work and NEO is not the only region that will have to transform itself.  It will need to be a national effort and the unit that makes the most sense for everyone to consider --would be the watershed unit.  The closest government that takes water into account would be the Minneapolis-St. Paul model.  Cleveland-Akron share the Cuyahoga River watershed along with smaller communities that produce the goods and services we need to lead more local and sustainable lives.