Part one

( go to passage referred  to in "Rules Are Made To Be Broken " by clicking on )

( go to passage referred to in " Vote For...Don't Ask Question...Before or After " by clicking on )

February 15, 2004

Among officials, attending the grand opening of the new gym were Byrd-Bennett, Mayor Campbell, Councilwoman Fannie Lewis and Commissioner of Recreation Leonard B. Jackson. 

And sitting invisible in the bleachers watching the first basketball game take place, were many taxpayers from Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, and the suburbs. They were there in spirit only, imagining what their investments had raised and hoped the elegant structure would receive the elegant care it so richly deserved. But the investment, many knew, also raised levels of frustrations because control of this type of investment was controlled by officials in a school district known for poor supervision. 

It's not like buying a new or aged home where control of the investment is placed in the hands of the buyer. No use moaning about leaky roofs, bad plumbing, etc. Owners, who wish to protect property investments, take care of what needs to be done. And they expect nothing less from politicians in Ohio, especially those in Cleveland. 

When the mayor entered the gym to take part in the grand celebration, did she ever consider looking beyond the breath-taking grandness of the building? If she had examined the structure from a closer range, would she have found something that needed repair? Maybe not. Because attending special pubic events is to often a hurried affair. Enter smiling, wave, shake hands, give the impression of being pressed for time, grin at the cameras, say something nice, and get out before the common folk ask to many prickly questions. Hay I attended one of these events and she stayed long enough to do a double-standard flip. By that I mean, saying something nice to the common folk, but leaving the nice folk before the event ended. Did she really sit in the bleachers, blend in with the nice folks, and watch the basketball game? I don't know. But if I was a betting man...

What if George Lazarowski, Cleveland's chief Building inspector, approached the mayor with a progressive idea toward making periodic checks on the new gym. Would the Mayor have really responded, " Hands-Off! " as the PD had claimed.

Did Fanny Lewis give the gym the white glove treatment upon attending the celebration? Now if Lewis found any problems that needed attention, she knows that raising her voice, has as much effect as the "wake-up" calls from the common folk. Now you may be wondering that's not Lewis, she has the power to make things happen. Yes, as long as she has cooperative power. But when you have a " hands-off " mayor and members in council who feel the schools are not in their job descriptions the voice becomes weak. But your right, over the years she has voiced many frustrated concerns with the school system. And it is a history lessen worth hearing at the City Club. But Byrd-Bennett is the Clubs choice of speaker in providing the history lesson. But the history lessons from both women would widely vary. Lewis has always been noted to include, community echoes, a vital part of Cleveland lore of history past. 

Members of city Council, unlike Lewis, have become sleepy-eyed and really need a " wake-up " pep talk from members of New York City Council's, Education Committee. If I have stated that before, hay the alarm clocks are still ringing.  the NYC group recently finished hearings from dissatisfied teachers, administrators, principals, and those of the technical trades. Some of them presented upsets in person, others wrote anonymous letters or spoke on tape out of fear of retaliation. What was the turmoil all about? In part, the combined reform goals of the mayor and chancellor of schools was clashing with job descriptions in union contracts. Both men claimed reform was moving much to slow because contracts are full of " can't do " clauses. The committee also centered attention on other issues, but it seemed union contracts became the focal point. Union reps were present at all meetings to cry wolf if voices were raised to harshly against the " can't do " clauses. 

What surfaced in the NY Council's Education Committee is something that needs to take place here now in the Safety Committee. The Committee needs to brave the winds that blow against democracy and hold hearings on  immediate concerns over the safety of schools currently waiting for the wrecking ball to finish them off. The heart-felt question every member of the Committee should loose sleep over, are the schools that are now flagged  safe for human occupation? The answer should cause them to issue stern " wake up " calls that must shake the cobwebs from the minds of both Campbell and Byrd-Bennett and start showing some compassion, " FOR THE KIDS! " There counterparts in NYC make them look like basketball " cheer-leaders " in comparison. The youth in Cleveland deserve better attention...from half the noise I hear coming out of the Big Apple.

Zachary Reed chairs the Safety Committee. Building inspections should be a major topic for discussion. The mayors " Hands-Off " stand on the schools, should not hinder the Committee to do what is expected. Reed could do what Michael Polensek failed to do a few years back. At that time Polensek was president of Council. His idea surfaced during the Issue14 campaign. He proposed forming a committee, made up of council members to monitor among other concerns, expenditure of levy funds. His reasons had community support. Because in the past, when voters voted, but school officials failed to honor the intent, tax " fix it! " dollars went by way of faxing it elsewhere. 

Polensek's original idea was a hot potato that may have been shelved for autocratic reasons. Such a Committee would have placed members much to close to citizens who ask to many thorny questions and expect direct answers. Or maybe the wise idea was silenced by the autocratic strategy of a Big Guy, many common folk nicknamed, " Little Napoleon "

The collapse of the old gym, gave Mike White the emotional, penetrating bullet, he needed to pierce the heart of the community. In a full-bodied voice he stated, "dumps. There are more East Highs out there. I don't think anyone wants to live on a time bomb " White followed the boost for a levy by creating the Facilities Assessment Commission with the main purpose of focusing the public on schools in need of attention. But the real need for this group, as skeptics put it, slowly come to light once Issue 14 was passed. During the campaign, the PD helped to keep the groups wonderings alive with articles that must have saved the campaign, the Big Guy's money in promoting it. The FAC gathering of convincing evidence, was convincingly reported by the PD. However, I am convinced, the city-building inspectors could have done the same thing before the gyms collapse, if White did the right thing by closing it before the fall.

But celebrity was needed not common-sense reasoning. White appointed a star from the business community, Robert Gillespie, and one from government, Louis Stokes. Both were retired from the stage but now and than, it's hard to resist an audience. White's strategic move was another boost for the campaign. All Stokes really had to do for his part was, " Vote for Issue 14 ... " And all the Big Guy leader had to say to his co-fellows in business is, " Contributions to this campaign is a good investment... " Get the picture? What do you think?

If Zachary Reed ever finds the courage to butt-heads with a few of his upper status fellows in council, he can reprise Polensek's hot potato. For sure, the idea will still be hotly opposed, especially if the work of the Bond Accountability Commission (BAC) is succumbing to a slow death. A good sign this may be happening is the lax support foundations seem to be showing. But if Byrd-Bennett can find a good way to continue to curb or cap  information flow to the public, she may keep the group going without foundation support.

A good example of mind control gone astray, was when the director of BAC, Dennis Kolp issued a public statement regarding the districts slow progress in construction. Progress on the new gym must have sparked his comments which seemed to be on the minds of many citizens. In part Kolp stated, " ...you don't have to be slow. In my opinion, it's been too slow." Alan Seifullah, spokesman for the school district replied, that he needed to " shut his yap. " And I think the bankers would agree. Millions of tax dollars protected against withdraw, means capital gain...for the banker. Byrd-Bennett and Campbell can be trusted to do the expected. 

I really feel Byrd-Bennett needs a " wake up! " call, every morning upon entering her office. And I have just the " wake up " pill that should do the trick...and without taking the pill. I call it beam awakening. I am referring to the cracked beam, the culprit that caused the old gym to collapse. I have no clue as to why she held onto the beam for so long, but it can be put to good use as a reminder of what could go wrong when building maintenance is overlooked. We have been told the " cherished " beam is about two feet long. Just the right " keep-sake " size to hang on the wall in front of the school chiefs desk. 

I view it as a natural artifact and should be entitled, " Complacency Remembered " It should remind the chief, upon relaxing in her office chair, not to get to relaxed when it comes to the care of school buildings. Okay! I can hear the echoes. That cracked beam is not a peace of art and it should not hang in any office. It makes no common-sense at all. Common-sense art forms, no. Avant-Garde art forms, yes. The mind of an intellect knows the difference. 

The above scenario reminds me of a rumor you may have heard. When the Jutice Center was ready to be construction, a horizontal hole fronting the foundation was dug to lay sewer pipes. Crew members had a brief argument over which pipes went where. The feud between Mable the Forman and Mac of the the crew ended on a good note. Mac was guiding the crane holding a pipe in position over the hole as it descended. 

From a distance with look of astonishment, Mable saw what was happening and started running toward Mac with hands waving in the air and shouting, " Hold up-what the hell are you doing! " 

Mac gave her a befuddled look. 

" That pipe don't go under but stays on top. " Mable moaned between catching her breath. 

" What-Mable! On top-you lost your marbles! " 

Restraining the the urge to push Mac into the hole Mable paused by counting up to ten marbles, than said in a calm voice, " Yea! That pipe is part of an art piece to be mounted in front of the Justice Center. " 

Mac hesitated then looked at her through squinted eyes. " I don't get it. Makes no common-sense to me. " 

Mable smiled back and said, "Me neither. It's an Avant-Garder kind of thing. Only cloud-nine intellects understand that kind of nonsense." 

Now if you never heard that rumor before, it's because I just started it.

Someone ( name withheld ) from the City Club of Cleveland seemed disturbed by my last letter. My letters have been sent to them for over a year. Now someone emailed a    " Remove " request. So be it. Removal feedback is rare and normally I do not center attention on them out of respect for the senders. However, one person does not make up the body of the City Club. The email did not start out, " On behalf... " I guess someone did not like my criticism of Byrd-Bennett. But if this is the case, the criticism should not be aimed at me, at least until a reasonable time had past for a response from the school chief. But so far, she has not had the courage to defend herself against the criticism. What I have written thus far, is mild in comparison to community echoes I have heard. I will always welcome her comments, place them on the WebSite, and let the chips fall where they may.

What is the Bond Accountability Commission (BAC) all about? Was it, in part, really meant to be an information outlet to keep the public abreast on the current status of school constructed? If I sound like I am repeating myself, I am. What do we really know about the planning, construction and cost of the new East High Gym? Yes the community was told the gym had a budget of $6.5 million and how BAC saved 170.000 of it. 

Ohio taxpayers, not just Cleveland investors, deserve full discloser of not just the end cost of construction but a breakdown of its dynamics. BAC has the information and it should be posted on there Web site. All tax dollars spent to raise the new gym should be accounted for on the site. When taxpayer invest in pubic school buildings they expect nothing more then what they plan in monitoring home budgets. 

Who were the people involved in construction of the gym. We know the firm of Robert P. Madison designed gym. But who were the contractors that took part in building it and what was the breakdown in cost for each contract. Can any of these contractors be traced to involvement in the old gym where controversy over poor planning is still a heated subject among citizens. The names of those associated with some of these firms may be different today, but can any of them be traced to ties of the old? What about materials used in construction.? Was the best purchased or did low bids, " You get what you pay for? " The Web site is ideal in touching base with citizens in Ohio who have an interest in knowing how tax dollars are spent. Does the BAC email address welcome such inquiries...that promise responses? The Web site is only a click away to find out. 

http://www.issue14bac.org/reports.htm  


The PD can become the frontrunner in discloser of the above questions, if BAC board members are silenced by the powers that appointed them. The PD not only could engage in an issue important to Ohio citizens, but at the same time address the skeptics who feel early endorsement of this years school levy, does not cause bias PD reporting of the schools.

Members of Cleveland City Council who feel BAC is now in a catch 22 situation, need to start thinking about an alternative measure, if they care to honor the wishes of citizens who want to be informed. Is there a need for an Education Committee? You bet!

There used to be a time when placing names on government buildings, was not even thought of until after the death of someone and history proved them worthy of placement. Now days, it matters not what citizens think about whomever, names are raised on buildings in honor of the living. 

Byrd-Bennett's choice of honoring Commissioner of Recreation, Leonard B. Jackson by placing his name on the new gymnasium was a good choice. But this is only my opinion. In most cases, I agree, to the old tried and true method of letting history take its course. The true character of the noted is scrutinized under the microscope of history in search of the humanitarian worth of the person.

The best way to honor Jackson's name in years to come, is to honor students and adults who inter and leave the gymnasium today by maintaining the safety of the building. Ten years down the road after the last school is built or remodeled, will the beginning compliment the ending? There are to many names of people, researched under history's microscope that are already placed on buildings, only to be downtrodden by the living, who show little respect when they allow these buildings to crumble before the time is due. Jackson I'm sure, does not want his name associated with a gym that's not cared for and this is why his name on this building is a plus. I'm sure he will do his part in joining voices with the common folk, who have proven in the past and will continue to air, preventive discourse, against history repeating itself. But will school district officials, members of Council, and the mayors office, REALLY LISTEN?

If the reader feels this message is worth sharing with others, send it out by clicking on email in toolbar, scan down to " Send a Link " and share your own opinions in the quest for better government.

Old Glory

HomePage

Community Bulletin Board