FREE - TAKE ONE
It is hard to believe the excuses given to the library neighbors for
not notifying them before wrecking their neighborhood. It is more than a
cautionary tale during the Halloween season. It is downright scary!
In fact, the scariest thing about Bowling Green has become its
government.
The government has become so unresponsive and so arrogant that I am sad
to write that the initials BG now
stand for Beware Government rather
than the name of our city.
As Jennifer Feehan of the Toledo Blade
reported, the Library Board in 2003 discussed and put in its minutes its desire
to expand parking, presumably across Church Street and into the adjacent
residential neighborhood. But the board and its director apparently did not
notify the neighbors on Church, Court and Grove streets of its plans.
It is hard to imagine that word
of the library board's plans did not circulate to City Hall and to other
influential citizens at that time.
Then two properties across the street from the library changed hands.
It is hard to imagine that City Hall and other influential citizens did not
notice the transfers of property when they were recorded and published and
wonder if something involving the library was up.
City Hall has a deal with the library to reserve 9 "precious"
parking spaces for city employees during business hours on weekdays. It is hard to imagine that city officials
and library officials do no regularly communicate about parking issues.
Then the demolition permit had to be obtained from City Hall. Whoever
processed and signed the permit certainly should have communicated immediately
that information to the mayor and city officials if for no other reasons than
because the land affected is right across from City Hall and because the
library is next door.
So the library board and its director probably were not the only
persons in the know about the demolition plans. City Hall must have known and also had the opportunity and
responsibility - along with the library board and director -- to contact the
neighbors ahead of time, not to mention the opportunity and responsibility
to advise the library board and director that contacting the neighbors and
discussing the situation with the neighbors well in advance of demolition was
the right thing and civically responsible thing to do.
It is hard to believe that the mayor of Bowling Green used to teach
civics.
That the library and the city
officials blew it has been clearly evidenced by the reaction. Big numbers of citizens protested to the
library and city officials, wrote letters and jammed the Planning Commission
hearing to demand the rejection of rezoning for a parking lot.
To its credit, the Planning Commission asked for public input and
listened to the public input and then responded by voting unanimously to reject
the zoning request. This was a courageous act because the city threatened legal
action against commission chair Les Barber for voicing his opinion about the
mess. Another example of Beware
Government.
Now the matter goes to the largely lame duck City Council. Be-ee-ee-ee-ware!
-- John K. Hartman, editor and publisher, 4 Corners News & Views, John.Hartman@dacor.net
(Turn to page 2 for the latest on the Sentinel Saga.)
Page 2 4 Corners News & Views Oct. 10, 2005
The Sentinel-Tribune opened
an office in Perrysburg and installed its best young reporter to cover Wood
County's fastest-growing city. In a PR release masquerading as a front page
news story on Sept. 19, the newspaper announced that it would try to sell more
advertising and get more subscribers in Perrysburg, Perrysburg Township and
northern Wood County.
It is my belief that there once
was an unwritten understanding
between the Haswell family, that owns the Sentinel,
and the Block family, that owns the Blade,
that there was an imaginary line between Bowling Green and Perrysburg (along
U.S. 25, no doubt) that divided up the county between the two newspapers.
Possible evidence: The Blade has one
reporter covering Bowling Green when it could easily have half a dozen,
particularly since affluent and middle-class people - the ones that newspaper
advertisers want to reach - are moving out of Toledo and Lucas County and into
Bowling Green, as well as Perrysburg.
At first glance, the rapid growth of affluent residents in Perrysburg and
its township and the development of retail businesses at Levis Commons make it
an attractive market for the Sentinel
to invade. Not to mention the Sentinel's
Republican news bias and editorial policies that should go down well in the
Perrysburg area that regularly goes Republican by 4,000 votes.
But beware of waking sleeping
giants. The Blade not only wants to hold onto its
beachhead in Perrysburg, but it also would like to dig deeper into affluent
Bowling Green.
The invasion could start a newspaper war that the Sentinel probably would lose because of the Blade's much deeper financial pockets. That could cause the Sentinel to be either bought by the Blade or some other chain. In other
words, goodbye to a home-owned BG newspaper.
The Sentinel would have been wiser to create a weekly product to
attract some of the $1 million a year spent in Bowling Green advertising to the
college student market.
But then newspaper management that allows its editor to accept
political appointments to a state commission and to the local library board may
not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Control Of BG City Council
Goes Down To The Wire
Democrats are guaranteed two seats and Republicans
one on the 2006 BG City Council. Democrats need to win two of the four
contested seats to maintain a 4-3 majority while the GOP needs to win three of
four to gain control. Democrat Gordy Heminger is a shoo-in in the First Ward.
So the Democrats need only to win the Second Ward, where recently appointed
Democrat John Zanfardino is running against student Ashley Gilbert, or one
at-large seat where Democrat Larry Sorrells in running against Republicans Bob
McOmber and Stan Bortel, with two to be elected. Sorrells is an underdog
against former school board member McOmber and former city councilman Bortel so the Second Ward likely will be where
control of Council is decided. Personally, I think the city should go back
to non-partisan elections and reserve party stuff for county races and larger.
City politics causes too many hard feelings among same party members.
Coming Next Month In 4 Corners News & Views:
Underused Community Center
Drains BG Funds
4 Corners News & Views You Read It Here First Tip Of The Month: Toledo Mayor Jack Ford will stop spending two weeks before the election he will lose overwhelmingly to Carty Finkbeiner. Ford will hold onto $100,000 to $150,000 in his campaign fund that he will use to run successfully for statewide office in 2006.
4 Corners News & Views of Bowling Green was founded
June 1, 2005 by John K. Hartman, its editor and publisher. Its purpose is to provide additional news and
points-of-view to citizens of Bowling Green in the belief that thorough
awareness of and discussion of issues makes for a better community. It will be
available free at various drop-off points in Bowling Green or by email by
sending your email address and request to John.Hartman@dacor.net. Patrons may
support 4 Corners BG for $10 per issue. Ads may be purchased for $20 per issue.
Comments and submissions are welcome.
Contact information: John.Hartman@dacor.net
; 419-352-8180; 1400 Wren Road, BG, OH 43402
Read
back issues at www.LiberalBG.org Copyright 2005,
John K. Hartman, All Rights Reserved.