BG City Council To Library
Ted Strickland Offers
Better Days For
Sherrod Brown Ready
To Boot Bush Lackey;
Marc Dann To An-‘Noe’
Betty Back To P’Burg;
Above Right, Editor and Publisher John
K. Hartman shakes with future Governor Ted Strickland at fund-raiser hosted by
Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner on Sept. 11
Ever desperate Ohio Republicans are hauling out all
the sludge they can muster in a futile attempt to demonize the Democratic Party
candidate for Ohio Governor, Ted Strickland. At this rate, the GOP will equate Congressman
Strickland with mass murderers before Nov. 7.
All Ted Strickland
has done is devote his life to making things better for
But Ted needs help in
U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown is on the verge of taking the
U.S. Senate seat away from GOP flunky Mike DeWine, one of George Bush’s cozy
pals. The ads are wrong: DeWine let us down!
Courageous Robin Weirauch is visiting all 16 counties in
the next 2 weeks to unseat U.S. Rep. Gillmor, who counts among his buddies scandalized
ex-reps named Delay, Ney, and Foley.
In
The rest of the Democrat lineup: Jennifer Brunner
secretary of state, Barbara Sykes for auditor (the first two join the governor
on the redistricting board), Richard Cordray for treasurer, Ben Espy and William
O’Neill for state supreme court, and Tom Osowik for appeals court.
In
-- John K. Hartman, Editor and Publisher (OVER)
Page
2 4
Corners News & Views Oct.,
2006
BG City Council To Library
In a
manner reminiscent of three decades ago when then President Gerald Ford told
the leaders of New York City that he would not help them with their city’s
financial problems, the Bowling Green City Council refused Sept. 18 to
intervene on behalf of the citizens and neighbors opposing the new library
parking lot.
Back
then, the New York Daily News carried a front page headline suggesting that
Ford said to NYC: “DROP DEAD.”
In essence, Council told me and others
who dared ask for their help to “DROP DEAD.”
I returned
to Council Sept. 18 to follow up on my appearance Sept. 5 during which I
politely asked Council to do two things:
First,
I asked Council to open negotiations with the library about freeing up for library
use the 9 parking spots the city controls in the current library lot and to
consider designating 20 spots in an adjacent city lot for library use. The
library would be asked to abandon its plans for a new parking lot in return.
Second,
I asked Council to hire independent legal council to get a court ruling on
whether or not the library unilaterally could pave over the current sandbar
where a house once stood at Church and Court Streets without city zoning and
planning approval.
On
Sept. 11 City Council had a committee of the whole meeting to discuss my
requests and those of other civic-minded citizens, Dr. Bill Feeman and Kim
Layden.
The
Council meeting was a shameless dog-and-pony show where non-elected city
officials gave all the reasons why they would do nothing other than pander to
the library board. The City Council members bought it hook, line and sinker. Sit.
Roll over. Fetch. Lie down. You get the picture.
When
I reiterated my two requests Sept. 18, City Council President Megan Newlove hinted to
her colleagues in a lawyerly manner that they need not answer but some of the
ignored her advice and at least had the misguided courage to say “no.”
Two
of the council members acted like they cared – Gordy Heminger and John
Zanfardino – but neither offered to sponsor legislation.
The other four – Bob McOmber, Larry
Sorrells, Mark Frost and Newlove – acted like the captives of downtown
landowners, developers and power brokers that they are. Sit. Fetch, etc.
BG citizens
would pass petitions to recall the four of them. BG’s City Charter provides for
recall of the mayor (Silent John Quinn) and council members after six months in
office. Lacking that, voters would rise up and defeat the mayor and council
members who are up for re-election in November 2007.
But this is
apathetic, short-memoried Bowing Green where Newlove and Quinn were unopposed
the last time they ran. (Shades of a deal between powerful BG families.)
City Council has a vacancy again. Sarah Tomashefski
resigned Sept. 18. She lasted all of seven months as an appointed council
member after dropping out of her re-election race for the First Ward last year
because, in my opinion, she knew she had no chance to win re-election.
Council gets a chance to pick a new member. Perhaps
someone who would stand up for the people not the powerful. What do you bet it
is another sit and fetcher? Beware Government rules!
BG 4 Corners You Read It Here
First Tip Of Month: Tom Noe is
convicted on state charges; is pardoned by George Bush on federal felony
conviction and pardoned by Bob Taft on state charges Dec. 31.
BG 4 Corners Lamest Claim Of Month: The Sentinel-Tribune’s Republican propagandist
in residence Jan Larson wrote that it would be a good idea to sell the
BG 4 Corners News & Views
of
Back issues at www.dacor.net/john.hartman Copyright 2006, John K. Hartman, All Rights
Reserved.