A gold medal hope
Written by Karen Shanahan | | letters@toledofreepress.comWe were spellbound as we watched Michael Phelps swim to eight gold medals during the Summer Olympics. This is an amazing feat which will take decades, if ever, to equal or surpass. This was the accomplishment of a determined, driven, directed athlete. As Toledoans watch our politicians stumble from one project to another, we could only hope for a portion of the resolve of this winning athlete.
Our politicians leap-frog from one pond to another with few issues resolved or completed, and their partisanship is exclusionary and divisive, creating waves which flood over the foundations of Toledo and wash away the little ripples of success we hope for.
The Erie Street Market has been a contentious issue for more than 15 years with a round-robin tag-team of managers. The latest uproar was over the $100,000 renovation of the building to convert it to a concert venue. The cost was spread over numerous contracts, each under $10,000 to avoid City Council oversight. Council cried foul, made numerous threats, and received extensive media coverage but nothing happened. Council was out-maneuvered by Mayor Carty FInkbeiner, and they were angry, but could do nothing as his actions were within the guidelines of the City Charter. Now, in retribution, they are attempting to remove the Verso Group’s Rob Croak from promoting events, but offer not alternatives. Where is the determination, drive and direction for the success of the Market?
Southwyck Mall has been high profile in Toledo for at least 10 years as the owners continued to let it decline year after year. Each year we hear the politicians profess they will revitalize Southwyck; what a waste of time, effort and money. They cannot revitalize Southwyck, as it’s privately owned, not city property. Perhaps the pressure applied over the past couple years has pushed the owners to do something with their property, but even after multiple press conferences and much posturing, Toledo cannot revitalize property they do not own! So instead, the mayor decided to renovate the “Reynolds Road corridor between Heatherdowns and Glendale.” It looks ridiculous with the old-fashioned light posts on only two blocks of highway. There is no synergy with the surrounding businesses. The expenditure of our taxes on this project to nowhere is a waste of money, time and effort. There is determination and drive to do something, but no clearly defined direction.
Now we have a great opportunity in intermodal to expand our workforce in this area. From the media reports we watch with concern and hope that our leaders will work together to form an alliance with the railroads to expand intermodal in Toledo. But the first order of business was to fire Jim Hartung, President of the Port Authority; the second order of business is the replacement of Port Board members and the third order of business is the search for a new Port Board President. That puts the intermodal issue in fourth place, no ribbon, no prize; and there’s also a levy to be promoted. We need the determination, drive and direction of our leaders to move intermodal forward.
These are three examples of no clear direction from our political leaders. Without a united effort, we continue to flagellate in an abyss of misdirection. Each political faction has determination and drive but the fractured divisions of our political leaders paralyze our city, we are drowning. It’s time to end “politics as usual” and look at the parts of Toledo area as a whole. Difference of opinion is healthy and should create vibrant, progressive dialogue, not name-calling, division and dissention. Determined, driven, directed leaders, working for the whole of Toledo will earn gold medals.
Karen Shanahan is a Logistics expert having worked in the private sector in transportation and logistics for 20 years. In 2005 and 2007 she was a candidate for Toledo City Council and currently has a lawsuit pending against the City of Toledo challenging the Refuse Fee. She maintains a blog at Shanahanselect.blogspot.com.
