411 Firelands

Who would you vote for?

2009-10-12T06:52:00.001-07:00

New Site Location: Update Your Bookmarks

2009-04-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Sandusky Register has 411 up and running - so if you like what you've been reading here, update your bookmarks to the new site location:

http://www2.sanduskyregister.com/blogs/firelands411

So far, we have the same site functionality as this site so we should be able to do all the same things there that we do here:

Videos, polls, text, pictures, it'll all be the same. The only major difference is the commenting system. You have to register - to that I say, "big deal." Register an anonymous email address with yahoo or gmail and create a pseudonym on the SR and stick with it. End of problem. But you all have your preferences and you can do whatcha like!

So: No more posts here unless something goes terribly wrong with the Register (they try to exert some kind of control on content which I don't forsee happening) or their servers are down and I'm just dying to post something which probably won't happen either. (I'll use that as an excuse to take a short vacation from blogging!)

So thanks for visiting here - and I'll see you over there.

City Commission Meeting 4/13/09 Live Chat

2009-04-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

Chat window goes at active when Channel 81 starts broadcasting the commission meeting. (Probably about 8:30.)

City Commission Meeting 4/13/09

City Commission live chat 4/13/09

2009-04-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

I am currently trying to figure out where this live chat is going to take place: On the Register or here. They have 411 ready to go - but I still have to learn how to use the text editor.

Trying to figure it out...

Bob Warner Letter To Editor April 12, 2009

2009-04-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Bob Warner attacked Bob and Ruth Haag during a city commission meeting. Warner claimed that the Haag's were going to "run the city into the ground." If you want a quick summary of what transpired watch the video here.

Warner must've been bothered by the reaction of some to his constituents after that meeting - and so he's responding with a letter to the editor of the Sandusky Register.

Thanks to Mr. Sandusky for pointing it out:

Note: Nobody in Sandusky voted for him. He was appointed. But if he runs for commission in November, he's giving us pretty good indications of how he thinks.

Bob Warner's letter to the editor:

Folks, I'm really confused by this letter. Bob and Ruth Haag's desire is to use grant money to do further testing to see if the coal tar is in the bedrock. They said this at the meeting several times. This is the purpose of the testing so that we're not reacting to the coal tar plume with hunches as Warner says. We want actual evidence of the problem so we know how to appropriately deal with it.

Further, if Bob Warner owns a boat it must be docked at Cedar Point because anyone who boats in that area knows about the thick oily substance which coats all marine vessels in that area. The coal tar problem is not new, as Warner says. Sandusky just wants to know how bad the problem is so they can come up with a plan to deal with it.

Using Public Resources For Private Business Is A Long Standing Tradition Around Here

2009-04-09T17:43:00.000-07:00

Perkins Township trustees will be re-examining a police cruiser policy that allows Perkins cops to use the cars when they're employed on private security details.

In defense of the long standing policy is acting Perkins police chief Robb Parthemore and Lt. Al Matthews. Lest you wonder why Parthemore and Matthews are not among the final three candidates for the position of Perkins police chief, take a look at their defense of the policy:

Is this guy serious?

Since the praetorian guards had one set of armor and a sword and presumably used them wherever and whoever they worked for, Al Matthews thinks that he should be able to use Perkins police cars when he's on a private security detail at Pat Catan's?

Can you imagine what would happen if everybody adopted Al "Praetorian" Matthews' philosophy?

"It's been a long standing tradition for me to use this company owned dump truck to deliver mulch to my house on the weekends."

"What do you mean I can't use the X-Ray machine when I'm not working? I have somebody here who needs to be X-Rayed and the cost will be minimal to the hospital. The film is pretty cheap."

Why can't I use this county-owned fax machine for my own private business ventures on the weekends? (Or during my lunch hour?)

If Matthews and Parthemore can't see why this is policy is wrong, what else is the PPD doing that it doesn't know is wrong?

Open Chat 4-8-09

2009-04-08T16:51:00.001-07:00

Chat goes active around 8:30.

Open Chat

Updates On The Site

2009-04-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

We've got some really cool things happening on Firelands 411 in the next few days. Tomorrow (tentatively) we're going to move this site from blogger over to Sanduskyregister.com. The content on this site won't be moved. It will stay here, as will the site itself. All new material will be posted on the SR's site. I will post a link to the new site once it's set up.

Now before you naysay, I just want everyone to know that the agreement is that the SR has no control over the site and that I can "pull the plug" at any time if the arrangement doesn't work out. It's still Firelands411 and will look similiar, and the content will be exactly what it would've been had I kept blogging at blogspot.

I think it will work out though. The SR has a pretty large readership in the area and it only makes sense to team up with them to deliver content without having the hassle of managing the business arrangement myself. I look at it as a win/win.

I don't know how the commenting system will work - but this is a major concern for me. To me, commenters are a major part of the site and we need to make sure we keep them happy. We'll see how that plays out and what can be done to keep the commenting system as open as it is currently on this site.

What I'm most excited about is the fact that Kim Nuesse has accepted an invitation to livechat with 411 readers. We have the chat scheduled for next Wednesday and I hope you're able to log in to ask her a question or two about her future plans in Sandusky. I'm excited about what her presence on the city commission (if she chooses to run) could mean for Sandusky. If you haven't seen her 30 minute video interview on the Sandusky Register, check it out here. (Click on the Nuesse interview in the sidebar.)

Another feature that's coming soon will be podcasting. We're working on that and would like to branch out on different types of content.

Developing...

Hope to see you next Wednesday on the live chat!

Stimulus Money Projects

2009-04-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

Run a search on Erie County and Sandusky here for a summary of projects local government is seeking stimulus money.

Tim Schwanger Letter To Editor (Plus Video)

2009-04-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

This is a letter to the editor from Tim Schwanger regarding the Marina District:

We tossed away our rose colored glasses long ago regarding the Marina District Project at Battery Park and we suggest Mr. Bedee do the same by first digging into the details of the project.

We prefer to compare the Marina District Project with the Paper District Project as we City leaders never learn from history.

While the Paper District, specifically the Chesapeake Lofts Phase I, was a noble effort to bring development to Sandusky on PRIVATE property, the project has not come close to living up to its billing of "191 owner occupied residents and 70 to 100 permanent jobs" (see Erie County Auditor Web-page for sales). The year-round residents now at Chesapeake Lofts are to be commended for their dedication in sticking with the project.

If we cannot rely on a time tested, reputable developer like Mid States Development Corporation to follow through on their development plans at the Paper District, how can we expect an untested architect turned developer to follow through with development plans. It's been 5 years and at least 4 extentions since Mr. Eymann and Mr. Hanner first presented their proposal to City Commissioners. If the City had directed the pair to vacant, private waterfront sites, their project would have been well under way.

Let me interrupt you right there Tim, because this whole idea never sat well with me: The city wants to sell off public property at well under market value (in other words sell our property for much less than it's worth) - instead of encouraging a developer to acquire private property in a much more suitable location. I mean, come on. How hard is it to drive down First Street and find waterfront property in a near perfect location that's already located between the entertainment and transient marina amenities that the MD project promises?

I bet even Maxwell Smart could find some property on First Street that fits this description...

That last graphic was an overhead shot of the Apex Property. (Oh, but that building! Who wants to deal with that unsightly building!)

Okay, sorry Tim. You were saying...

Both the City and Sandusky Marina District Development, LLC admit what makes the Battery Park and Sandusky Bay Pavilion attractive for private development is the property is cheaper and easier {for the developer} to do the project vs having to negotiate for private land. The appraisal for the Sandusky Bay Pavilion site was based on similar property sales in Ottawa County from 2002 and 2003 making the appraisal outdated.

The original 11 acre City Hall relocation portion of the project began as "no cost to taxpayers" to "we'll borrow money to finance" and now relies on a request for $12 million in Stimulus Program funding.

Likewise, the Developer, through Strnisha Development Advisors from Cleveland, is requesting $12.4 million in Stimulus Program funding (toledoblade.com).

We agree with Mr. Bedee. The Marina District does impact the whole area. The entire country will pay for the private Marina District Project on public park property. We encourage people who don't live in Sandusky to call City Commissioners and let them know you do not agree with this type of "pork barrel" spending and they should be requesting Stimulus Program funding to create permanent, living wage jobs for Sandusky.

Tim Schwanger

Responding To A Nuesse Hater

2009-04-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read something in the SR comments that irritates you? Of course you have. That's what makes them the SR comments!

This morning I read a comment from Joecitizen that made me roll my eyes. However, it was actually readable. (Mostly because I really am curious about why they hate her so much.) Since Kim Nuesse haters have been hard to find as of late, I'm jumping on this chance to respond to one of them.

Here's Joecitizen's post in it's entirety:

If Joecitizen's viewpoint irritates you, go here to see a line-by-line education.

Nuesse For Commission?

2009-04-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

The SR has an article in today's paper about Kim Nuesse possibly candidacy for city commission. What are your thoughts on this?

Coffee With Mr. Stahl Afterthoughts

2009-04-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

I went to the meeting this morning. Stahl fielded some tough questions - some of which went unanswered because they dealt with the Nuesse case. I'm low on time again - so let's have an open thread here. If you went this morning, what feelings, observations would you share?

If I had to share one feeling I came away with it would be this: The push for reform is gaining momentum.

My two cents would be: People to need to organize and the ideas shared in the meeting need to be articulated in public so the ideas can crystallize among a greater portion of the citizenry. The voices in Sandusky need to be amplified.

"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed." --Abraham Lincoln.

Meeting On Changing Form Of Government

2009-04-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

A commenter:

Don't forget to announce the Mr. Smith's coffee house meeting on Friday at 5pm to start the ball rolling on a change of rule in town.

Erie County Prosecutor Sues Sandusky Register

2009-04-02T15:35:00.001-07:00

Here's the 22 page lawsuit.

Reading...

Note: Because he's a public official, Mr. Baxter will have to prove "actual malice" in a jury trial.

The suit was assigned to Judge Tone. I'm curious about how this is going to play out. Will they bring in a retired visiting judge?

Coffee With Mr. Stahl

2009-04-01T20:17:00.001-07:00

At Mr. Smith's Coffee House this Saturday from 8am-9am.

Commissioners Waddington, Warner and Kaman will be hosting morning coffee at Mr. Smiths.

Discuss all questions Sandusky. Special guest will be Mayor Stahl.

City Commission Planning Session 3/31/09

2009-03-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

I attended only half of the meeting. The comission talked about regional dispatch. They're moving forward with co-locating the city's dispatchers with the county. Mr. Kaman brought up a good point about maybe having a commissioner involved in the planning of the whole thing. Which might be a good idea because dispatching emergency services is part of basic taxpayer funded city services. (By the way, economic development is not.)

The Hacker Complaint:

Mr. Kline dismissed Mr. Hacker's concerns outright. He claimed that there was no favoritism from the city street workers. Mr. Kline said that he had not seen the video online so he was unaware of what the video actually showed. Kline said that other people told him what the video showed and that it was simply city workers removing snow. Basically he said that removing snow is their job. They did nothing wrong and that there was no favoritism. (Big surprise eh?)

Mr. Kline did not address the 2 1/2 hours of video or material that Mr. Hacker dropped off to his office and to the commissioners. (I'm still confused about why Mr. Kline believes this issue is about an internet video, but what the hey.)

This topic will be covered more in depth later on - but if you were wondering, that's what Kline said about the issue.

More to come...

Open Thread

2009-03-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

Speak on it...

Conclusion Of Nuesse Case

2009-03-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

Conclusion Of Nuesse Case

Updated: City's Closing Argument In Nuesse Case

2009-03-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Scroll down for update.

The city's closing argument is now posted on the Sandusky Register. Go hear and click on the appropriate video. (Still no permalinks.) It's a 40 minute argument - and Ms. Cannon must've covered the city's whole case because if they had any details they were leaving out or the city had an ace in their back pocket they would've shared it during the closing argument.

I'd really love to hear from the Nuesse haters on this. What's the case again?

1. She falsified Weed and Seed grant information? Based on interpretation.

2. She had a parking ticket voided? Completely debunked. There was absolutely no way Nuesse could've handled that situation in a more proper way short of simply paying the ticket which would've made her look paranoid after being told not to worry about it by Captain Frankowski, City Manager Mike Will (who was admittedly embarassed that the ticket was even issued) and Law Director Don Icsman. Everybody was aware of the ticket and nobody had a problem with how it was handled.

3. Failure to cooperate? He said, she said by a bunch of whiny males not used to being challenged. Look who Margaret Cannon says is so upset: Kevin Baxter and Terry Lyons. Consider the sources. (Cannon sneers: "But Randy Glovinski said it is standard procedure to tell the prosecutor and Sheriff when you're about to make arrests...")

4. Misled the commission?

Oh, Cannon says that Nuesse misled the commission during the executive session - not the public portion. Okay, let's ask the people present in the executive session: Kaman says that Nuesse never made statements to lead any of the commissioners to believe the dispatch system was "on the verge of collapse" - and Waddington said he doesn't recall Nuesse characterizing the dispatch system as "on the verge of collapse." But because Waddington wasn't willing to call Farrar, (who, admittedly, wasn't even present) Fuqua, Stahl, and Crandall liars for claiming that Nuesse did claim it was on the verge of collapse - Cannon relies on the possibility that Nuesse misled the commission - not on actual proof that she did. The possibility only exists if you're willing to call Dan Kaman a liar.

Don't know about you, but I'm having such a hard time accepting the possibility that Mrs. Bobblehead, Fuqua, Stahl and Crandall fibbed in concert to protect each other.

In the end, this case comes down to he said, she said. And I'm embarassed for Sandusky as it becomes painfully obvious that this is how our elected officials run the city.

The Question: After reviewing the evidence and listening to both sides, did the city convince you that Nuesse needed to be fired? (Million dollars well spent?)

Discuss.

Dan Kaman emails:

I will miss the live chat tonight. I stand by what I said from day one. I take pride in the fact that during my testimony Sue Porter said something like "so you expect us to believe you over 4 other commissioners who said Nuesse said dispatch was on the verge of collapse?" (or words to that effect) and I said YES. Proof is in the video and the minutes!

Sad State Of Critical Thought

2009-03-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

The SR's current public opinion poll:

Yet this is what our young people choose to protest:

A feckless SR commenter:

Great. But will you attend a public meeting and protest tax dollar misuse? Or is that just a little too much to ask?

Personalized Service From The City Of Sandusky

2009-03-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

On Monday March 23, 2009 city resident Mike Hacker addressed the Sandusky City Commission about cutting costs for the city by ensuring that city workers are not misusing city resources by giving preferential treatment to family members and friends. Hacker explained that he had dropped off pictures and videos to the commission that showed city vehicles parked in his neighbor's driveway for extended periods of time.

Hacker says that his neighbor frequently receives personalized service from city workers using city owned dump trucks and front end loaders. Said Hacker: "I'll watch [my neighbor] move his truck and within five minutes a [city owned] front end loader arrives to clear out the snow in front of his house."

Video exclusive:

Updated: City of Sandusky Coal Tar Map

2009-03-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

On Monday, City Commissioner Bob Warner "ambushed" Bob and Ruth Haag - who are contracted by the city of Sandusky for environmental work. Warner said that the Haags were going to bankrupt the city by further testing the property west of the Chesapeake Condos.

Watch Pervis Brown's reaction at the end of Warner's dramatic speech:

Bob Haag logged into our live chat (you can read the entire chat right beneath this post. Skip to 8:50 - that's when Bob logs in) to explain and answer questions about Sandusky's coal tar plume.

Since people are curious about what the coal tar problem looks like, here is the map:

Hopefully the Haags get into describing this problem for the community a little more in depth.

More coming!

Update: Jason Singer is writing an article for the Sandusky Register.

I am writing a large story on the coal tar plume — how it got there, where it is, what are the dangers, what are the possible solutions, what happened at the city commission meeting, the possible problems with Hall & Associates' plan, and what the Haags proposes we should do — which will run some time this weekend.

City Commission Meeting 2-23-09 Follow Up

2009-03-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

City Commission

Open Thread

2009-03-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

A quick note here:

I'm running thin on time, but I'd like to launch another live chat at about 7:30 to pick up where we left off when Buckeye Cablesystem rudely interrupted our live chat on the city commission meeting last night.

I've got so much material that I'd like to put up - but just don't have time. Hopefully I get caught up here...

Another day at the Nuesse hearing took place today. Short day, though.

Treat this like an open thread.

Live Chat: City Commission Meeting March 23, 2009

2009-03-22T19:43:00.001-07:00

Chat window will go active at approximately 8:15 pm. The topic of discussion will be the city commission meeting which will be broadcast at 8:30 pm on Buckeye Cablesystem Channel 81.

City Commission Meeting March 23, 2009

Mayor/Ward Vs. City Commission

2009-03-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

The debate stems from the struggle for accountability on the commission. Kaman is frustrated with the lack of accountability - but we've been through the mayor/ward vs. commission debate before and it never got off the ground. As I understand it, the mayor/ward system would allow the city to replace the city manager with an elected mayor. Right now Sandusky has a ceremonial mayor but the consensus seems to be that Mr. Stahl is overstepping his ceremonial authority.

Sandusky Register March 22, 2009:

And here's the funny part:

Craig Stahl said he likes the current format and Brett Fuqua disrespectfully blows off the idea by calling it "a joke."

Not advocating either side - but given the fact that the ward system is used in thousands of cities in the United States, what's more of a joke: the ward system or Fuqua answering the question that way?

A Divided Commission

2009-03-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

It would be nice to know Mr. Stahl and Mr. Kline's plans, goals, objectives. One of the issues that was brought up this morning at Mr. Smith's coffee house was that the commission hasn't sat down for a work session yet this year.

The commission is divided and the "majority party" doesn't seem interested in sharing any information with the rest of the commission.

In reference to the Pisarsky contract mentioned above. This is from the February 23rd Commission Agenda:

Firelands Blog Ring Forming

2009-03-21T04:10:00.001-07:00

As blogs are created for area news and issues in the firelands area, we'll showcase them and link them in the sidebar.

The RemoveBarbJohnson blog has information on the 'tea parties' that are popping up in America.

Huron2009 is a new blog created to cover issues in Huron.

Hopefully these blogs stay active! It's nice to see more and more people realize the benefit to citizen journalism. It doesn't take anything more than accuracy and fairness to provide a news outlet for people in our area!

Once again, if you are interested in learning the ins and outs of blogger, contact me at the address in the upper right corner of the sidebar.

Mr. Smith's Coffee House 8:00 AM

2009-03-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Be there to discuss city issues with Dan Kaman and other city residents. Mr. Smith's is right across the street from the State Theatre. See you there.

Click on pic to visit their website.

2009-03-20T05:28:00.000-07:00

Please no more references to World War II era dictators, please.

Open Thread

2009-03-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

An open commenting thread to write whatever your heart desires. It's been a long day...

Live Chat Wednesday: Local Conspiracy Theory

2009-03-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to liveblogging on Firelands411. Please be aware that the text from this chat will be archived on this site so an audience far larger than the actual participants are able to read it.

In order to create a useful dialogue let's do our best to follow a few posting guidelines:

1. Be considerate to other chatters.

2. Stay on topic and be constructive.

Tonight's chat topic will be local conspiracy theories.

Chat window will go active at approximately 8:30 pm.

Local Conspiracy Theory

Video: Kline Confronted On False Accusation During Nuesse Civil Service Hearing

2009-03-17T20:51:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wanted to see someone get busted on cross examination? Here's your chance.

To understand this video clip - make sure you've watched this clip of Matt Kline during the city commission meeting back in February of 2008.

This is Kim Nuesse's lawyer K Ron Bailey asking Matt Kline about the duplicity he used to fire Nuesse:

Duplicity.

Wednesday Night Chat

2009-03-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

If the voting totals don't change "local conspiracy theory" will be the topic for tomorrow night's live chat. The loonies might come out of the woodwork, folks. But on the same token, the chat might end up being pretty entertaining.

I've gotta clear this up:

I don't remember saying that "not too many people in Erie county read the Sandusky Register blogs..." Maybe Julie R. can point out where I supposedly made that comment?

Julie, I hope you join us tomorrow night. And have your friend Buff log in too!

Current City Commission Review

2009-03-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

A quick review on the current city commission and how they were "elected."

There are seven seats on the commission. In the 2007 election four seats were contested. Five candidates were on the ballot, but shortly before the election one candidate withdrew.

The vote totals:

Once Carl Wolf withdrew his name, the remaining four were guaranteed seats. Julie Farrar won her seat by simply having her name on the ballot, as she had no prior experience as city commissioner.

The current commission consists of two extra names: Bob Warner - who was appointed to fill Dennis Murray's vacancy when he was elected to the Ohio House of Representative, and Pervis Brown who was appointed to fill Brian Crandall's seat when he ~~cowardly jumped ship in the middle of the Nuesse debacle~~ resigned in April of 2008.

Three seats are contested in November 2009: Craig Stahl, Pervis Brown and Bob Warner.

Chief Justice At Register Building

2009-03-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

The Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court was interviewed at the Register building yesterday. What's interesting is that it appears to have been a surprise visit. A surprise visit in the midst of all the political pot stirring...

Confirmed: The Chief Justice called at 11:00 am and showed up at the building at 5:00.

The major points of the SR article are these:

1. Moyer is campaigning to change the selection process for members of the supreme court. (Which is a debate in itself) He thinks that a panel of members made of mostly of "nonlawyers" should decide who's on the court. Moyer says that the court is compromised by big money donations and that the donators then expect the court to rule in favor of their interests. I imagine he's talking about insurance companies. Moyer would have to openly debate this idea because frankly, having a panel choose the justices doesn't make much sense for a variety of reasons. Who chooses the members of this panel? Why can't the justices just refuse the money from special interests? Nobody forces them to take campaign donations. We had a problem in Erie County with unelected visiting judges wreaking havoc on our legal system - so what would happen if that problem of unelected accountability raises itself to the level of the highest court in Ohio? (Incidentally, we haven't had much visiting judge action around here lately, have we? Campaign promise kept: Ty Tone, Roger Binette.)

2. Moyer gave the Register a legal pointer on the appropriate next step to obtain the results of a BCI investigation into our local prosecutor - which is a writ of mandamus:

3. Moyer called the AG's decision not to release the document "curious."

Insight, anybody? (Especially you attorneys who are reading this...)

Commenters: Make Every Comment Worth Reading

2009-03-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

Please don't leave comments that earn me angry phone calls, because I don't need it and it undermines what we're trying to build here: A credible forum where people use anonymity because of legitimate concerns of retaliation - not because you want to cowardly lash out with cheap shots. Cut the hyperbole. Make your point artfully and stay away from the inflammatory bunk.

Thank you.

New Internet Verb?

2009-03-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

From the live chat the other night:

The mayor's name lends itself to being used as a verb, as in: "You got Stahled." Which could be synonomous with being "stonewalled."

And now you've got this Don Lee cartoon.

The City's Public Records Expert

2009-03-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

A piece of information to store in the information bank:

Willliam Lang is the city's public records expert.

Read this decision from the Ohio Supreme Court which suspended him from the practice of law for a year (six months stayed on conditions.)

(Thanks to whoever posted that tip in the comments.)

Recall Poll Final

2009-03-14T02:52:00.001-07:00

Discuss.

*I'm wondering how many votes it takes to secure a place on the commission. Anybody know? Or at least know where to view some election results for the last few commission races?

Let's analyze.

Downtown Economic Development & Local Government

2009-03-13T18:51:00.001-07:00

One of the reasons I love the digital media age is because in the DMA, there are no 'word limits.' You will never find a '300 word limit' rule for a letter to the editor on this website. On the web, space constraint is no longer an issue when covering subjects of public importance.

On Firelands411, your view won't be blocked or severely limited for the benefit of a few people.

Downtown development is a hot topic in Sandusky, and so let's get all the information on the table and debate what's best for the city. Many people disagree with the marina district project for legitimate reasons. They're not "negative" or "against progress." They're simply articulating ideas they've learned from researching the best practices from other cities facing the same issues, and not subscribing to the pie-in-the-sky waterfront development ideas that haven't had positive long term results anywhere else in the country. These folks certainly don't deserve to be written off as "not credible" like the Sandusky Register editorial board has done here:

The Sandusky Register has a monopoly on which viewpoints achieve "market penetration" - and on downtown development, the SR has clearly favored the Marina District.

How about an opposing viewpoint?

Chris Wimer is a lifelong Sandusky resident who has done a substantial amount of research on downtown Sandusky history. He authored a few reports on proposed downtown development and was kind enough to send them in for publication.

Mr. Wimer's report - and it's extensive - is here.

What Does It Take To Change The Form Of Local Government?

2009-03-13T04:54:00.001-07:00

And would that be a good thing?

If you have knowledge of this, dicuss:

2009-03-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to everyone who is dropping the Firelands411 link in commenting threads on the Register!

Future Plans

2009-03-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

A commenter:

Great idea. We could have a public records expert, like the attorney from Kent State University who is quoted frequently in the Sandusky Register, participate in a live blog and he could take questions from citizens in Sandusky. One could ask him what can be done about the current situation of secrecy in the city. You might be surprised to find that most attorneys go into law because they have respect for the ideals this country was founded upon. Many of them would gladly direct you on how to make progress with forcing public accountability. All you have to do is ask them!

Don't you believe that public sentiment carries weight in the decisions of politicians? I received several phone calls today about how interesting the concept of liveblogging is and how we need to advertise it more widely to increase awareness and participation. I did have the same thought as you, ("In the end, this is just idle talk,") but action starts with a plan. Plans start through discussion.

I'm planning on hosting a liveblog for every commission meeting. The meetings are broadcast on Channel 81. The chat will go active at 8:15 and we can all watch the meeting together on TV and chat about it on the net. Citizens who go to that podium won't feel like they're being stared down by the commissioners and sulked at by the likes of certain commissioners. Citizens don't deserve that kind of treatment, and this is one way to support them.

Live Blog Debriefing

2009-03-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the live blog. We had about 50 people watching - but only 12 actively participated. On one hand I'd like to see more participation, but at the same time too many people and the chat gets hard to follow. Special thanks to Sandusky City Commissioner Dan Kaman for taking part - and logging in right at 8:00 pm to boot!

If any other commissioners are interested in taking part, please send me an email so we can set up moderation planning: firelands411@yahoo.com

Question: What topic should be covered next week?

Live Blogging Wednesday: Transparency In Local Government

2009-03-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to liveblogging on Firelands411! We're hoping to establish this feature on Firelands411 as a way to discuss hot topics in the Firelands area. Please be aware that the text from this chat will be archived on this site so an audience far larger than the actual participants are able to read it.

In order to create a useful dialogue let's do our best to follow a few posting guidelines:

1. Be considerate to other chatters.

2. Stay on topic and be constructive.

Tonight's chat topic will be transparency in local government.

Let's kick this off with a question for all participants: Do you believe we have a problem with transparency in local government?

The chat box below will go active at approximately 7:45pm.

Transparency In Local Government

'Gurg Is Updated

2009-03-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Regurgitator is updated.

Live Blog Wednesday: Tranparency In Government

2009-03-10T16:58:00.001-07:00

Firelands 411 will be hosting a liveblog session on Wednesday night. We'll go live at 8:00 pm and close the chat at 9:00 - depending on level of activity. Maybe we'll extend it if good discussion is generated. If tomorrow's chat is successful, I'll place polls on this site for readers to choose which topic to cover on the next chat. We'd like to do live blogging at least once a week. The topic can be chosen by the previous week's poll.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2009 we will be discussing the issue that seems to be on everyone's mind: Transparency in city government. We'll discuss whether the level of transparency in Sandusky is a problem and if so what can be done about it.

Hope to see you then!

Live Blogging Explained

2009-03-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

If you're the kind of person who finds themselves wanting to lean over to a fellow spectator at a public meeting to discuss something - like the fact that Julie Farrar doesn't put much effort into hiding her contempt for citizens who voice their opinion to the commission - or the fact that Craig Stahl was elected on the "get-out-the-coffee-pot-we're-gonna-be-here-all-night" philosophy to public dialogue but he discarded the idea as soon as he faced political adversity - then you would love the idea of "live blogging."

Read more

Video: City Commission Meeting 3-9-09

2009-03-09T22:39:00.001-07:00

Forgive me for this grainy video, but I was unable to make it to the Commissioner's meeting and was forced to use the video from Channel 81. I ended up 'liveblogging' the first recording on Channel 81 which was actually pretty interesting. I thought of doing it at the last minute and went from googling "live blogging" to embedding the code on this site in about 2 minutes flat. Liveblogging is that easy. Only 4 other people logged on, but it was after 10:00 so I wasn't expecting much.

I think if we advertise this type of event the community would engage. You can scroll through the chat if you like - it should stay right there below this post. If you want to get involved in the Democratic process, there ya go. The guy who stayed on with me for awhile made some good suggestions about setting up events like this to talk about topics facing the city - and I mentioned possibly getting the commissioner's involved.

As usual, there were alot of topics for discussion from the commish meeting, but I thought this clip was the most noteworthy. This video is the SR's Jason Singer asking some tough questions about the inevitable insurance costs related to the Nuesse debacle which of course Craig Stahl refused to answer. Dan Kaman piped up though. He seems to be the only person who understand the gravity of the situation. Others might too, but they don't have the political guts to answer.

Take it away, Jason:

Live Blogging City Commission Meeting 3-9-09

2009-03-09T19:53:00.001-07:00

City Commission Meeting 3-9-09

City Commission Meeting 3-9-08

2009-03-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Marathon meeting down at 222 Meigs tonight. Got a report that it was pretty heated at times. It's on right now: Channel 81.

I hear that the Register's Jason Singer asked some great questions on the Nuesse matter.

Budget problems galore, the marina that appears to be pushed through without running it through the standard bid process, the Nuesse matter, many questions few answers.

What's the 411?

2009-03-09T16:22:00.001-07:00

I didn't make it to the Commissioner's meeting, so if you're so inclined, could you give a rundown on the good stuff in the comments? I really wanted to cover it with the camera, but other duties called.

2009-03-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

Google searchers, if you've found this site because you're looking for more information on the Nuesse case, click here.

Sandusky City Commission Meeting Tonight

2009-03-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

City Commission meeting tonight. Just a reminder.

VIDEO: Unraveling The Lies

2009-03-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons Matt Kline fired Police Chief Kim Nuesse was because she allegedly claimed that the police dispatch system was "on the verge of collapse" during a city commission meeting:

Lucky for us, the city commission meetings are videotaped. (Kline must've forgotten this when he wrote his letter dismissing Nuesse? Or maybe he just didn't think that the community would care enough to check if he was telling the truth?)

Also, it will help to know the official definition of the word "duplicity" before you watch this video. (Trust me on this. It's funny.)

Watch this video from the February 25, 2008 city commission meeting and note who actually refers to the system as being "on the verge of collapse" and who corrects that false assertion:

Daylight Savings Time

2009-03-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to set your clocks forward tonight.

The Joint Dispatch Controversy

2009-03-06T16:41:00.001-08:00

I just got ahold of some video from a city commission meeting from a few years ago - when Chief Kim Nuesse sat on the right side of the commission - and some of the content may surprise you.

Researching...editing...stay tuned...

Links, Links, Links

2009-03-06T09:09:00.001-08:00

The Red Envelope project is an web project aimed to flood the President's office with opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act.

Is Obama harming the economy on purpose? (Not buyin' it only because I don't want to believe it.)

The US Postal Office buys a 1.2 million dollar home for an employee relocation. Didn't know USPS employees could afford homes like that.

Recall Poll Fairness

2009-03-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

Good point. Can't argue with it. The reason I didn't include that option to begin with was because I wanted to gauge each commissioner's 'approval rating' in relation to each other. But I admit that fairness requires a 'none of the above' option.

I'm reconfiguring the poll now, but here are the original results:

Updated: Prosecutorial Twist

2009-03-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

This three sentence statement is astounding:

Mr. Baxter states that the AG issued a statement "as a result of this false publication?" Not. true. at. all. The AG was responding to a public records request. The AG did not state that the Register's story was false - but Mr. Baxter is attempting to mislead people into believing that the AG made their statement because of the Register's story. It's scary to see Baxter twist cause and effect here.

I wonder if this is the way he practices law.

The AG's statement because somebody asked to see it:

The Register has published statements from other persons involved in the investigation who explain why the AG's investigation didn't establish probable cause. The statement was made that the alleged drug use happened too long ago to prosecute.

Chung Lee On Healthcare

2009-03-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

I no understand how SR story about Rite-Aid robbery turn into debate on healthcare, but Chung Lee had throw two cent in:

Must respond to Chung Lee in native tongue:

Socialized healthcare no work. Ask veteran of military service. He tell you details on long lines. And explain low standards. 411 no understand how socialized medicine work if government fund care for everyone. Who pay for medicine? Top earners in country pay. Soon top earners stop producing. Socialized medicine go bye bye.

Remove Barb Johnson?

2009-03-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

And I actually like Barb Johnson. She's such a sweet lady with nothing bad to say about anybody. But she still doesn't have Erie County records online. We're not "behind the curve" - we're still living in the 80's as far as the Clerk of Courts goes...

The Remove Barb Johnson website.

The dude (or lady) who started the page has a point: These sites should be kept by fair minded individuals who will keep track of an elected official's on-the-job performance. They would be an awesome resource for use during local campaigns. Not something you look at every day, but definitely a reference that could keep elected officials on their toes.

Bumped Up: The IMA Nuesse Report

2009-03-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

Since this blog wasn't around when the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance came out with their report on the Nuesse case, I'm wondering if there are any readers interested in giving some analysis of the document.

I'm reading it again and will post some items that jump out at me. Just off the top of my head, I can't get over the fact that Mr. Kline didn't have a single piece of paper (written complaints, FOP grievances) to back up his decision to place Nuesse on administrative leave. The other point is that the report is just as poorly written as the Murman Report! (Were they rushed to get it done? Upon further reading, yes, it appears so.)

UPDATE: I summarized the IMA's report with their major points. Follow link below.

Read more

Blogging Class

2009-03-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

If it were available for free, would you be interested in attending a class on how to start and maintain a blog?

Dog Attack In Norwalk

2009-03-03T03:39:00.000-08:00

The SR's print edition:

"The pictures are ...” Clifford said, trailing off, unable to find words
suitable to describe the gore. The muscle and tissue from the shoulder to his elbow was torn out — hanging limply on his forearm. “It looked like something from a science show,” Light said. The bitten man required more than 100 stitches.

If you're wondering what kind of dog it was: The dog's name is Dwight Druckmiller, and the attack happened in Norwalk after Druckmiller overheard people talking about his status as a sexual offender. He's got quite a record and is about to be sentenced on drug trafficking charges later this month. I wonder what the appropriate charge would be for this latest crime? Felonious assault with a mandible spec.?

Can't wait for this to be over...

2009-03-03T02:50:00.000-08:00

Part of an article from the SR:

What do you all think of this?

As always, keep the comments constructive. My two cents is that a Dateline producer needs to look at this story. It seems like anyone who speaks out publicly against this guy either ends up in prison or run out of town. My opinion is that he doesn't stay in office because of any great skill as a prosecutor, but more because he has great skill at using his office to intimidate opposers and silence critics. (No challengers in what, forever?)

Good luck at getting a credible investigation into an Ohio county prosecutor because you have to go through the office of the Ohio attorney general. (I lost track of those guys. Not even sure who our AG is at this moment. I remember Marc Dann easily defeated Betty Montgomery after she ignored Coingate, but then he resigned in disgrace after his party voted to impeach him. So they have a great track record for public integrity, as you can see.)

Public corruption is a serious problem here and there are no legal avenues to address it, and none of our elected officials have the political courage to address it either. They'll voice their outrage behind closed doors, but that's it.

PPD Chief Down To Three

2009-02-28T05:22:00.000-08:00

If you could ask the police chief candidates a few questions during their interviews with the trustees on March 7th, what would it be?

I'd ask them their views on fiscal responsibility. i.e. Do you think it's wise to spend $45,000 on police training ammunition? I'd grill them on this topic because the Police Department is one of the biggest - if not the biggest expenditure in Perkins.

Commissioners Host Saturday Coffee Hour

2009-02-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

I hope to be there taking notes:

The city commissioners invite you to come in from the cold. Dave Waddington, Dan Kaman and Bob Warner will host their 8 a.m. Saturday coffee hour amongst the palm trees and balmy weather inside the Sandusky City Greenhouse. Mike Pisarsky, horticulture services superintendent, will speak for 30 minutes about the city’s ongoing battle with the emerald ash borer, an invasive Asian beetle. The next 30 minutes will be open for discussion about any topics ongoing in the city. The greenhouse is located at 620 Elm St., and the public is encouraged to attend.

Parking Tax On Ballot?

2009-02-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

I have no idea. How about some background? Where did you hear it? If it's on your mind, it's probably on the minds of other city residents too. Give us some background and debate it.

Op-Ed: Downtown Revitalization

2009-02-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

Does anybody remember the op-ed written by a former Sandusky resident which described numerous ways to create downtown development? The author gave about 15 examples/ways to develop the waterfront. I can't remember the author's name and no searches I've tried are turning up results in the Sandusky Register archives. Anybody remember his name or have the link to the article?

Update: Not a single person who reads this site can remember that op-ed? It was a detailed list of things that the city could do to bring business to downtown and revitalize the local economy. Nobody remembers it?

2009-02-26T16:45:00.000-08:00

A couple of viral videos for you:

Information technology in today's world.

Glenn Beck on the devaluation of the US Dollar. Scary stuff. Beck put this out on the internet for circulation. This is what happens when we monetize debt or create money to "stimulate" the economy. Where is this country headed?

Bumped For Discussion: Unscientific Poll

2009-02-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

Not a scientific poll, obviously, but why is there such disparity here? Is this an accurate portrayal of public perception? If so, what is Mr. Stahl and Co. doing wrong and where can they improve? Do not turn this into a hate fest. We haven't had a problem on this site so far. Thanks for keeping the comments constructive.

2009-02-25T19:44:00.000-08:00

New comic on the 'Gurg.

The Infamous Parking Ticket

2009-02-25T18:50:00.000-08:00

Transcription of Nuesse civil service hearing pertaining to the parking ticket:

Bailey: Who owned the car you were driving?

Nuesse: The city of Sandusky Police Department.

Bailey: Was it a marked car or unmarked car?

Nuesse: It was an unmarked police car.

Bailey: Did you offer to pay the ticket?

Nuesse: Yes I did.

Bailey: Who did you tell that you would pay the ticket?

Nuesse: I asked Captain Frankowski where the ticket - where I should pay the ticket.

Bailey: And what was his response?

Nuesse: His response was, "Chief you shouldn't pay the ticket. You're not in violation."

Read more

Facing The Budget Deficit

2009-02-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

I'm not saying this is a good idea or not, because it would take research and I'm not equipped with the time. I'm only re-posting it because it might be worth looking into. (I'm sure the law director won't like the idea - but nobody likes the idea of making budget cuts.)

While we're at it, take this suggestion for other staff positions: Look at what other city's are doing to trim their budgets and see if Sandusky can do the same.

Updated With More Pics: Kline's Parking Warning

2009-02-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

This pic was just sent to me.

You be the judge: Click on the image for full size.

Eh. I don't know. I suppose it's not clearly marked, but given the fact that he's the city manager, and nobody else parked there because it actually is marked, you start to wonder why he seems to be the only person unaware that it was a handicapped spot. But then again the only way you'd notice the handicapped marking was if you're looking for it. It's a fine line I guess. Defendable I suppose, but it's indicative of the kind of guy who pulls up and parks next to the door - because well - he's the city manager. On the other hand because he's city manager you'd think that he'd know it was a handicapped spot.

Splitting hairs? Perhaps. But this guy fired the city's Police Chief over the same type of pettiness.

UPDATE: I was just sent a few more shots. Different angles:

City Commission Meeting 2-23-09

2009-02-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a brief recounting:

They talked about a whole bunch of budget issues. They bickered a little. They joked a little. They made a big deal out of $50,000 that would be spent on cleaning up the G&C Foundry property because that amount of money was comparable to an "FTE" (Stahl's acronym for what it costs to pay a full time employee.) The commission is coming to grips with the fact that the city is facing nearly a million dollar budget deficit and cuts will have to be made in some way or another.

The idea of teaming up with Erie Metroparks to clean up Lions Park came up. Great idea, but I don't see how they're going to help Sandusky clean up the park without benefiting in some way. Are they going to ask to slap EMP signs up or something? Why would they want to help? Where's the catch?

Like I said, this is going to be brief because posting the minutes would be an easier way to carry out discussions about city budget issues. I think I'll check on how to do just that...

Then the audience participation started. Nuesse's federal suit was on everyone's minds...

Bulletin: Regularly Scheduled City Commission Meeting

2009-02-21T18:18:00.001-08:00

The city website has an online calendar to inform citizens of all commission meetings and any other meetings of public interest.

The next city commissioner meeting is Monday night at 5:00 pm.

2009-02-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

A new era for the Sandusky Register?

Nuesse Testimony: City Derailed Joint Dispatch

2009-02-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

The city better have a good defense on these points. The egg is all over Kline's face. But like Kline said at the state of the city address: These issues aren't important because he says so.*

[You have to click on the "City Derailed Joint Dispatch" video in the sidebar. The SR still doesn't permalink each video.]

*Reference the state of the city address right after Kline makes a token denial about the sexual harassment charges, defends his statement by saying the city has conducted it's own investigation, and then indirectly stated that budget issues are more important than personal integrity and professionalism.

SR Top Comment Of Day

2009-02-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

Under SMCC Teacher Thread:

Internal Investigation Flip Flops

2009-02-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

This will be an ongoing feature meant to catalogue the flip flopping by city officials on the idea of internal investigations. It's meant to illustrate the fact that when local officials want to be exonerated of certain charges - it's okay to order an internal investigation (investigate themselves) and then use their own investigation to defend themselves.

The most glaring examples of the double standard was when full time police officer Jim Fitzpatrick was investigated. The SPD would not bring in outside investigators. But when that reserve officer (what's his name?) was charged for importuning, acting Chief Sams brought in an outside investigator to "avoid the appearance of impropriety."

It'd be nice to have the SR articles for this feature - but I can't remember the name of that reserve officer or how to find the article. Does anybody remember his name?

Updated: "Innocent" or "Not Guilty?"

2009-02-20T19:57:00.000-08:00

The Register's legal reporting faux pas:

SR reader Bill T. corrected them:

The Massachussetts Bar Association explains why "innocent" and "not guilty" are not interchangeable terms:

All too often when I listen to the radio or read the newspapers, I hear or see "at arraignment, the defendant pled innocent" or "the defendant was found innocent by the jury." The word "innocent" is being misused. "Innocent" cannot and should not be substituted for "not guilty."

Technically, only three pleas can be entered by a defendant who is brought before the court to answer the charges against him. Under the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure, the defendant may plead not guilty, guilty or nolo contendere to any crime with which he is charged and over which the court has jurisdiction. The rules that are applicable to the criminal sessions of the trial court do not provide the defendant with the option of pleading innocent. There is no such plea available.

Similarly, the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure provide for only two possible verdicts that can be returned by a jury: guilty or not guilty. There is no verdict of innocent. And, not guilty does not mean innocent.

When a jury returns a verdict of not guilty, that means that the state has not convinced the jury beyond a reasonable doubt as to all the elements of the crime with which the defendant has been charged. For example, in a first degree murder case, the state must prove that the defendant deliberately and with malice unlawfully caused the death of another human being. If the defendant presents a valid defense that he killed the victim in self-defense, then the defendant is not innocent of homicide -- he did in fact kill another human being -- but he is "not guilty" of homicide because the state did not convince the jury that the defendant acted with premeditated malice aforethought.

Update: The Register corrected the mistake! Must respect:

Meigs Street Messenger February Edition

2009-02-20T19:17:00.001-08:00

The Meigs Street Messenger (Feb edition) is online. The state of the city address was advertised in there. Lots of other good information too.

Do you think this service will get used?

2009-02-20T15:31:00.000-08:00

Kline's State Of The City

2009-02-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

SR:

Kline touched on a wide range of issues, from Kim Nuesse to the Marina District, the Paper District and future development.

I wonder if Kline mentioned that his own job is currently in jeopardy?

The event was publicized on the City's website (on their events calendar.) That's where the SR gets their information about city events too, I'd imagine.

From the city's website: (Notice the air times on Channel 81)

Regarding The SMCC Teacher Incident

2009-02-19T16:33:00.000-08:00

Why are so many people quick to condemn Smith before the case even goes to court? He'll undoubtedly lose his license to teach, and he'll probably never coach again. The relationship was admittedly consensual, and he's already been fired from his job. Isn't that enough?

If you wade past the steady torrent of bickering and claims that Smith's bad decisions somehow reflect poorly on our local school systems, there are few comments on the SR that interest:

Don't know about that particularly, but Smith did have a girlfriend who died in a car accident with several of her friends a few years back. If I remember correctly it was a high speed crash on the interstate and four young ladies lost their lives. Anybody who remembers the details, feel free to add them in the comments.

I also have it from several sources that Smith's mother passed away recently (last year?) from cancer. She was in her 50's. My point being that Smith is no stranger to tragedy. One can't help but wonder how the different events wore on him which may have brought him to making a bad decision or two.

I'm not defending his actions, but these facts should be considered before casting stones from the safety of our anonymous glass houses...

Your words weigh heavy and they affect lives whether you're around to witness it or not. (Listen to the audio.)

2009-02-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Morning Journal has another article on the SMCC coach who had a relationship with a student.

Elsebeth Baumgartner Conviction Upheld

2009-02-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

By the 8th District Court of Appeals. If you're interested in the case, you're probably familiar with the background already. This is the Cuyahoga County case. This means she will have to serve the full 8 year sentence.

Full text of decision here.

The "opinionated" seem to come out of the woodwork for this case, so have at it. There's no better place to get your information than the source, so read the document.

SMCC Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student

2009-02-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

There appears to be more to this story than reported in the Sandusky Register:

SANDUSKY, OHIO -- Police in Sandusky say a man attacked a high school gym teacher after accusing him of having sex with his stepdaughter.

The attack happened Sunday. Police say Charles Griggs was told by his 18-year-old stepdaughter that she had sex with 29-year-old Drew Smith at least twice in Smith's Huron home.

Smith is a gym teacher and football coach at St. Mary Central Catholic in Sandusky.

Reports indicate that Griggs kicked in the door to Smith's home on Sunday, Feb. 15. He allegedly verbally threatened Smith and jumped on top of him.
Smith's roommates pulled Griggs off and called police.

Griggs has been charged with burglary and aggravated menacing. Smith has been charged with two counts of sexual battery.

Both men have been released on bond

There are a few readable comments under the SR. Most notably the fact that males are treated differently when accused of these types of crimes. Somebody mentioned a recent local case that I don't recognize. Has there been any recently about female teachers having sex with male students? I wasn't aware of any...

Everybody remembers the Lafave case - and that was met more with fascination than disgust. At least by most guys anyway. Which is probably why there will always be a double standard: Male teachers get called "sick" while male students get called "lucky."

How Obama Got Elected

2009-02-17T19:45:00.000-08:00

I hate to turn this into a collection of video and links, but I found this to be pretty eye opening.

Whether you voted for him or not, it's pretty hard to deny that the media was in the tank.

Kinda related:

CM in the SR comments:

Most Americans simply aren’t paying attention. Most are [not?] up to speed on recent events to engage in an intelligent conversation about what is happening to our nation. When I mention the word socialism to most people I get one of the following responses:

1. “You’re crazy. Why can’t you just give Obama a chance?”
2. “What’s so bad about socialism?”
3. “What is socialism?”
4. “You just don’t like him because he’s black.”
5. “You must be a Republican.”
6. “Well George Bush was an idiot. At least Obama is articulate.”
7. “I don’t keep up with politics. Nothing I say will make a difference anyway.”

These are actually the most common responses I get. A few of the people I talk to are aware of the direction our country is heading in and I encourage those people to talk to everyone they know about it. They are just as frustrated as I am at the levels of ignorance and apathy out there. "

Even if Americans were paying attention, do you think they'd actually get it?

Local Ghostbusters

2009-02-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

I don't even know what to say about this. It's funny though.

The Curse Of Publicity

2009-02-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

Karleen writes:

Thank You 411 for letting people know how the girls were not trying to beat the train, and that they were the unlucky ones. We have tried to live with everything that people say about my daughter and her best friend and they don't care how they hurt someone. Their sisters have to live with not having her around, and all the good things that would have happen if they were alive, so now all we have are the memories of the 16 years that we had with them. We also have the Kids Fest in the summer for kids to enjoy a good day of fun. Our Love will always be there and no one can change that. Thanks again! They were only 16 and were put in an adult situation. Everyone makes mistakes.

Being written about in the pages of our local paper is almost a curse. The internet has a way of bringing out the worst in people, and so having your name in the paper probably gives some people that queasy feeling because you just know somebody is going to make tasteless comments about you or a family member. I note on many threads the efforts that family members make to defend loves ones, but a good defense doesn't take away the fact that someone out there had the gall to make an unsympathetic comment about a situation they probably know little about. (i.e. "Bobaluey" who seems to think because his dad works for the railroad that he is somehow justified to make comments about the victims of an accident.)

The families turned a tragedy into something positive.

2009-02-15T14:38:00.000-08:00

This is one of those commenting threads where you learn more about the accident from the comments than the article.

I remember the morning after the accident. It seemed like the entire city knew about it. But to this day, I didn't know the circumstances. I always assumed they drove around downed gates because they were in a hurry. (Which would tend to lower the sympathy one would have for these girls.) But according to the comments under the story, there was a train stopped at the Remington crossing, and dozens of other cars were driving around the gates. Michelle and Karie Ann were the unlucky motorists who crossed when another train was approaching on the other mainline. According to the commenters, the victims' view of the other main was obstructed by the stopped train. Seems to me that this point should be explained because it's a more important facet of the story than digging up the grief these families have suffered.

But still, it was a good video. (But what's up with the 'credits' at the end?)

There's only one thing more important than the viewer understanding the grief of these families: the audience must know who created this awesome video!!

There's a public service message hidden in this story: Just because you see a stopped train doesn't mean that that's the reason the crossing gates are activated. If there are two mains, another train could be approaching and even blowing their whistle - but pedestrians and motorists might not hear it because of the stopped locomotive's engine idle. Don't drive around activated gates - no matter what - unless a railroad official or law enforcement officer waves you around the gates. That's Ohio law, by the way.

Nuesse Sexual Harassment Federal Lawsuit

2009-02-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

A commenter:

Where is the rest of the lawsuit? Can you put it up on line in its entirety?

The SR has it online here.

SR Comments: Nuesse Sexual Harassment

2009-02-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

I'm sure the Register comments will be flooded on this story. In an effort to track popular opinion, let's summarize each comment with one line:

1. This keeps getting better and better.
2. No wonder Crandall bailed early on.
3. The Register didn't interpret the lawsuit correctly. City should hire within.
4. Kline's behavior is demeaning, paternalistic and harassing on it's face.
5. In any place but Sandusky, Kline would be on administrative leave.
6. Only in Sandusky could something like this happen.
7. Sandusky is a three ring circus.
8. Nuesse is attractive. This is no suprise.
9. [Difficult to read. Skip.]
10. Kline should be on administrative leave.
11. Nuesse should've reported this immediately, not months or years after the fact.
12. Cirigliano is biased for not admitting the allegations.
13. [Link to this site]
14. Nuesse is breaking up the Good Ole Boy system in Sandusky. Attagirl.
15. How much has this cost the taxpayers? Anyone involved in this mess should be fired.

Nuesse Alleges Sexual Harassment

2009-02-14T06:47:00.000-08:00

This story just keeps getting clearer:

Bailey said he couldn’t bring up Kline’s sexual advances during Nuesse’s Civil Service hearing because Judge Joseph Cirigliano ruled they were “irrelevant.”

And you thought Judge Joseph Cirigliano was on the straight and narrow. I suppose the sexual advances were "irrelevent" in Cirigliano's view though.

“I obviously disagreed,” Bailey said. “If someone tries to be a little too friendly to someone of the opposite sex in a workplace, and she rejects those advances, how can that not have had an effect on (Kline’s) decision (to fire her)?”

Three city commissioners said they were “shocked” or “extremely surprised” by the sexual harassment allegations.

“I’ve heard the rumors, as everyone has,” ex-officio mayor Craig Stahl said. “But this is the first time I’ve seen them.”

You heard the rumors, as everyone has?! Did they concern you Mr. Stahl?!

16: "...slightly rubbing them while he addressed the supervisors." ?? Looks like Nuesse has plenty of witnesses to call. We'd have to see a list of the supervisors present, but as far as that conspiracy against her by the command structure - there has to be at least one supervisor who will tell the truth about what happened in that meeting.

And if this particular allegation is true, the Commissioners need to immediately place Kline on administrative leave pending the outcome of the federal suit. After all, isn't this the way Sandusky does it? Nuesse was placed on leave in order for Sandusky to make a case against her!

Kline didn’t return phone calls Friday.

Big shocker there.

This is a pretty ill-advised comment:

Most city officials declined to comment on the situation, but city commissioner Bob Warner offered a vote of confidence for city manager Kline.

“I still support Matt,” he said. “I’m in construction, and these things pop up from time to time. Sometimes they’re true; sometimes they’re not. You just have to wait and see how the investigation plays out.”

Does Bob Warner support Kline 'unconditionally?' Because that's what it sounds like he's saying. He admits that he doesn't know how the investigation is going to turn out - but he's going to publicly voice his support for Kline anyway?

Another city commissioner who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he now believes Nuesse is innocent.

“Her persistence is unwavering,” he said. “Why would she go down this path and keep going if she was lying? She could’ve just taken a settlement and walked away.”

Can you imagine coming to a town like Sandusky and having this happen to you? You're new in the area, and it's a beautiful area. You're expecting to work with a group of enlightened people - because after all, they've hired a female police chief! Sandusky must be ahead of it's time! A shining example of tolerance and progressive thought - certainly an atmosphere that wouldn't tolerate sexist bahavior or sexual harassment! These guys must really think outside the box. After all, they passed over several of their own to hire me!

[Bailey] didn’t file a suit immediately because he was hoping the city would drop the case or reach a settlement with his client.

“They really didn’t give us a choice,” he said. “I was hoping this would be over by now.”

Come on, Ron. You know better than that.

2009-02-12T20:21:00.001-08:00

She's hot and I love her plan.

If the election were today, which city commission candidates would you vote for? (Choose up to three)
	John Hamilton
	Kim Nuesse
	Craig Stahl
	Pervis Brown
	Bob Warner
	Deidre Cole
	Ed Feick

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