A year after some of the LPGA ­Tour’s best golfers gathered in Toledo to call for change, the LPGA is getting down to business—literally.
During the 2009 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, 15 tour members met at Mancy’s Italian Grill on Monroe Street to discuss tour business.  The group then drafted a letter to the LPGA Board of Directors calling for commissioner Carolyn Bivens to step down.
“It was a perfect storm,” said current commissioner Michael Whan. “It was a tough time with charities and charitable giving. The LPGA didn’t have any exemption from it.”
Dropped sponsorships plagued the former commissioner, who had poor relationships with many sponsors. She also promoted a controversial plan to require English as the tour’s predominant language.
Bivens resigned July 13 and was replaced on an interim basis. After a three-month hunt, the LPGA Search Committee chose Whan for the job.
A former executive for various sports equipment companies, Whan spent all of November and December adapting to his new role. He officially began Jan. 4.
The change in leadership did not solve all the tour’s problems. A below-average economy and skeptical sponsors have made recovery a slow process that does not always yield financial results. “I found out pretty early in my tenure that this is not a business I’m going to run based on its bottom-line profitability,” Whan said.
The LPGA is focused on its partnership with its sponsors, making Whan the right man for the job.
“I’ve been on the other side. I’ve been a sponsor … that’s been my most valuable asset.”
Whan operates under the notion of “role reversal.” He aims to put control into the sponsor’s hands with the goal of building a tournament that best suits the host’s needs.
“If you want to be a successful business partner, you have to think and act like the other side,” he said.
To advance this initiative, the commissioner has made a couple of changes in how the LPGA runs. At every tournament, players are given a two-page customer profile sheet outlining the sponsor’s business and objectives for the weekend. The handouts sometimes even provide players with a sample positive comment for when media personnel ask about the tournament. Whan is also working with the LPGA Tournament Owners Association to address “five or six key things” that would improve the value of each event. Amateur-professional experiences and media relations with the sponsor are also focal points in the commissioner’s plan.
“We’re willing to build the tournament you need, not the tournament we need,” he said. “If we’re going to have 30 tournaments, those tournaments are going to be about the sponsor.”
But as of now, the tour has 25 events on the calendar for 2010.
“At the end of the day, my goal is to play more official tournaments than we did in 2010,” Whan said. “We haven’t started talking much about the 2011 schedule because it takes on more focus than the 2010 schedule.”
Nor is there much mention about the PGA around women’s golf. Although the men’s schedule is more robust and the tournaments have larger purses, Whan wants to keep the focus on the LPGA.
“I don’t use the PGA tour as a benchmark,” he said. “I don’t know their business that well. I’m sure their business partners have different goals.”
“Sometimes we can put too much focus on what everyone else is doing, but the LPGA will have success following its own business model.”
One area of focus the commissioner is paying attention to is the game’s international appeal.
The LPGA’s 126 international players hail from 28 countries.

Toledo Free Press has a mixed record when it comes to backing the ideas and proposals of Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop. Some of his arts and social ideas have attracted criticism, but were in line with his campaign platform, and we have generally supported them. Some of his economic and development proposals have been less deserving of blanket approval.
Konop’s latest and most far-reaching plan is to adopt a charter similar to that of Cuyahoga County. The changes would eliminate the three-commissioner system in favor of a county executive, 11 geographical representatives and several elected positions being converted to appointed ones.
Because Konop and The Blade are so feverishly supportive of the change, it is understandable that many local citizens, blog commenters and WSPD pundits are instinctively apprehensive about the plan. But if one can separate the messengers from the message, there is a serious discussion warranted beyond the hype.
Lucas County is wounded and no one seems to be able to staunch the bleeding. A hard look at how county government is organized could result in money-saving and opportunity-developing ideas.
But there are also reasons to be wary. For one, what’s the rush? Why does this have to be rammed before voters while Konop is still in office? If the idea has merit, it should find support and life beyond one politician. The examination should proceed, but with caution and prudence.
As it continues, there are a few things that should be front and center in the discussion. First — and I am sure this will need to be repeated until the Maumee River runs dry — government does not create jobs. Konop seems to think that is one of this plan’s benefits, but it is private enterprise that creates jobs. Government can facilitate an atmosphere that is conducive to development, but mainly by staying out of the way.
I am also leery of any system that takes decision-making out of voters’ hands and gives it to a few people for appointments. Voters may not always get it right, but it is much more difficult to corrupt the voting process than it is to unduly influence a few individuals.
In a city where far too many individuals allow themselves to be directed by fear or appeasement, it is dangerous to take decisions away from the voting public, no matter how small or apathetic that public may sometimes appear.
So, yes, we support Konop in opening the conversation. But we urge a slower approach that plays out with thought and an eye on the long run, not one dictated by the heat of emotion and the urgency of isolated media concerns. As former Lucas County Administrator Mike Beazley points out in this week’s cover story, we have lived with the current form of government for 100 years. So why the full-speed ahead rush to abandon it now?

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

Chicks for Charity, A Toledo-based philanthropic group, will host Chicks Mix ’10 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. July 21 at Toledo Botanical Gardens.
The event will raise money for The Victory Center, a Toledo-based organization that provides free services for cancer patients and their families.
Laura Waltz, spokeswoman for the group, said she expects about 600 women and girls to attend Chicks Mix ’10. The night will include appetizers, a raffle and, for those 21 and older, drinks.
“It’s really kind of an open mingling. There’s no formal sit-down dinner or anything like that. It’s really casual, kind of chit-chatty, have a good time,” Waltz said.
Chicks for Charity selects a charitable organization every one or two years, and its more than 1,600 members host fundraisers for the selected charity. The main event every year is the Chicks Mix.
The Victory Center has an annual budget of about $400,000, raised through fundraisers, donations and grants, said Lora Johnson, office manager at The Victory Center. To date, Chicks for Charity has raised more than $90,000 for The Victory Center.
The Victory Center employs oncology-trained therapists and provides support groups, yoga classes, massage therapy, facials and special programs for cancer patients and their families, Johnson said.
Johnson said these services are provided free of charge to anyone who can make it to The Victory Center. Clients do not need referrals and do not need to be Toledo-area residents, she said.
Chicks Mix ’10 costs $37 for those 21 and older — this includes one drink — and $20 for those 20 and younger. For more information, visit the websites www.chicksforcharity.net or www.thevictorycenter.org.

Golfers competing in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic often rely on Toledo area residents for their housing during tournament week.
Host families must provide a place for the golfers to sleep and give them privacy, according to a letter Nora Longthrone, private housing chairwoman, sends to host families. Other than that, there are hardly any rules.
Often, golfers and their host families develop a close relationship, eating dinner together and keeping in contact after the tournament is done.
The Stevens family
Anna Rawson is an Australian model and professional golfer — and for the past three years, she’s spent a week living with the Stevens family in Ottawa Hills.

Anna Rawson

“It’s like having a celebrity,” Cari Stevens said.
Kevin Stevens is on the board of directors for the golf classic, and at the last minute Longthrone called him. More golfers needed housing and she began calling board members, including Kevin.
Kevin, Cari and their three children have enjoyed hosting Rawson —and Rawson has enjoyed staying with them. Last year, Rawson wrote on her blog that the Jamie Farr tournament “is one of my favorite events. Probably because I have the best host family —the Stevens.”
Rawson has been to Tony Packo’s and a July 4th fireworks show with the Stevens family and even took the kids out to dinner when their parents were out for the night.
Lindsey Stevens, 16, said Rawson let her listen to a voicemail when Justin Timberlake had left on the golfer’s phone.
Cari said she tries to make things easy on the golfer and will make sure she has her kitchen stocked appropriately when Rawson comes.
“She’s very particular about her diet,” Cari said. “She’s really into clean, whole food.”
One time, Cari said, Rawson gave Cari her cell phone and asked her to screen her calls. Some male was going to ask Rawson out, and she didn’t want to go.
“I felt a little bit like mother hen keeping eyes on her,” Cari said.
Kevin said he was surprised at how little time Rawson spends at home.
“She travels an incredible amount,” he said. “She goes home every couple months.”
A professional athlete’s life is glamorous sometimes, Cari said, but not all the time.
For every hour of [glamour], there’s 20 hours of work,” she said. “Anna’s life, is a lot more work than people think.”
The Stevens said hosting a golfer gives them a personal connection to the tournament, and they enjoy having Rawson stay with them.
“She’s really a delight to have,” Cari said.
The Enderlens
Jim and Jackie Enderlen had hosted golfers from 1996 to 2001, but took a two-year break. In 2004, they were sitting on their patio discussing whether to ask for another golfer when the phone rang.
It was the Jamie Farr committee and they were looking for a host family for a golfer with “unusual circumstances.”
The golfer would be bringing along her brother, who caddied for her, and her mother.
“I said ‘Well, let us think about it,’” Jim said. He called back the same evening and told the committee worker that the Enderlens would take all three.
“And that was Brittany,” Jim said.
Brittany Lang, her brother Luke and her mother Pam have been staying with the Enderlens every year except one since then.
“It’s truly like having your child come home — ‘Hey Brittany, how’d you do today?’” Jackie said.
Jackie said the family doesn’t go out for July 4th celebrations in order to make it easier for Lang to manage her time. Golf is her job, Jackie said, and the Enderlens don’t want to interrupt.
“We more or less allow her to dictate her own schedule,” Jackie said.
Lang sometimes goes for bike rides with Jackie or goes with the Enderlens to a pool for swimming, the Enderlens said.
“Luke and Brittany are both very competitive,” Jackie said.
One time, they set up a putt-putt course in their house and sent the ball ricocheting off walls and around kitchen counters.
The course consisted of one par 8 hole, they said, and the game gave way to a rematch, then a best-two-out-of-three tournament — then best-three-out-of-five.
The Enderlens don’t remember who won, and neither does Lang. Everyone said it was fun.
“That was hysterical,” Lang said in a June 16 phone interview. “We were screaming, it was so much fun.”
The Enderlens said they have enjoyed hosting Lang.
“Having a golfer … makes the tournament so much more fun,” Jackie said. “You have a personal interest in someone to go follow and cheer on.”
Lang has enjoyed it, too.
“It’s really the upside of the week,” she said. “Staying with the Enderlens is fun: you’re in a house, you get homecooked meals. That’s really the most fun part of the week, no question.”

A moment with Anna Rawson

Anna Rawson doesn’t usually stay with a host family when she’s on tour, but in Toledo she does.

In 2008,  her first year with the LPGA and her first year coming to Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

“I didn’t know anyone, so I felt a little bit lonely,” she said, “so I decided to stay in housing and try and meet people.”

She met the Stevens family and she’s stayed with them every year since.

“I love staying with the Stevens,” she said. “I feel like part of the family when I’m with them.”

Last year, she said, she watched Twilight with Lindsay Stevens, 16.

“She made me obsessed about that whole series,” Rawson said. She read the first book and finished the next three in a month, she said.

Rawson, who was born in Australia and lives in Los Angeles, has been golfing for 15 years. This is her sixth year golfing professionally and her third year golfing in the LPGA tour.

“When I got out of college, I made it a goal of mine,” Rawson said. “I said I wanted to play professionally and I wanted to find the best tour in the world. It took me three years to get there and I made the tour … now it’s been three years. Time flies.”

The Jamie Farr classic is one of her favorite tournaments, she said.

“I love playing in Toledo. I love the area. I think it’s beautiful,” she said.

Last year, she played with Farr in the Pro-Am. She called him a “very sweet Toledoan.”

Rawson said she loves coming to Toledo.

“It’s always a really fun Pro-Am and really good fans, and it’s just a great community. I think they really appreciate having us, and we love coming there. It’s great,” she said.

Rawson has competed in 5 events this year.

In addition to golf, Rawson is a model and syndicated golf columnist.

The Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic has become a unique event that those in the Glass City look forward each and every year. The tournament always provides an exciting four rounds of golf with some of the best LPGA golfers taking part.

But the tournament staff has been working hard to make sure that there is plenty of action on the course prior to the tournament’s official start July 1. Beginning June 28 there will be several events taking place out at Highland Meadows, concluding with the O-I Celebrity Pro-Am, which will take place June 30.

“We will have events taking place all week and that is really important to our event,” said Judd Silverman, tournament director. “We want folks to come out and experience playing with some of the best women golfers in the world, and they Pro-Ams provide a unique experience for the businesses to come out and entertain clients here too.”

The events kick off June 28 with the Mercy / Lucas County Healthy Communities Foundation Pro-Am followed by the KeyBank Putting Pro-Am. Monday’s activities will conclude with the Aquafina Junior Pro-Am, which tees off at 1:30 p.m.

The junior pro-am is a unique event that pairs a LPGA golfer with a talented player from a local high school.

“All high schools are allowed to participate. We send out forms to all the high school coaches in the area and then they can nominate up to four players to participate in the event,” Silverman said.

The event will have 19 players taking part in the tournament and Silverman said there will be 76 local female high school golfers.

“The tournament will be in a scramble format and it is really just a fun time for these girls to come out and spend an afternoon with a LPGA pro out on the links,” he said.

June 29 is a packed day as well. The day starts with O-I Pro-Am at the Inverness Club. Local businesses will take part in the event pairing a local vendor with a LPGA golfer.

The action moves back down to Highland Meadows for the the Image Group Celebrity/Pro Challenge which will start at 3 p.m.

Silverman said the challenge is a six hole contest and local celebrities like former UT quarterback Chuck Ealey and tournament name sake Jamie Farr will be taking part in the challenge.

The day’s events will conclude with the The Hylant Group Gala Dinner & Show at SeaGate Centre in Downtown Toledo, which will feature Jim Belushi and Jim Belushi and The Sacred Hearts at 6 p.m.

All the pre-tournament action culminates with the O-I Celebrity Pro-Am which will take place June 30, with groups teeing off at 7:30 a.m. at Highland Meadows.

Along with Farr and Ealey, celebrities like Toledo native Christine Brennan from USA Today, UT’s new men’s basketball coach Tod Kowalczyk and women’s basketball coach Tricia Cullop will take part in the event.

Cullop, who’s Lady Rockets finished second in the MAC tournament this past season, is excited to play in the Celebrity Pro-Am for the second straight year. She has been practicing with UT golf coach Nicole Hollingsworth to get her golf game in order.

“Last year was my first year playing in the event and I had such a great time that I am excited to be able to take part in the event again,” she said. “I have been making sure my golf game is ready to go and I am looking forward to having a lot of fun like I did last year at the tournament.”

Silverman said that the celebrity pro-am allows 58 golfers of the 150 in the field to be able to get one last go around on the course before play officially begins the following day.

“Those golfers will get a chance to one last look at the course, see the greens and they kind of get an opportunity to see everything one last time,” he said.

Silverman is proud of the tournament and said that they are pleased and excited with the field they have put together.

“This pro-am allows Jamie to bring some of his friends out to play and it just creates a fun atmosphere for everyone. It’s a real nice way to kick things off before the tournament starts the next day,” he said.

K&K Auto Body distinguishes itself from other car repair shops in an unusual way: A huge cockatoo watches over the store.
The bird, Boobaloo, sits on a large circular perch in the front of the shop. His wings are unclipped, and sometimes he flies home if he gets scared.Mark Diebert, who owns the shop and the bird, lives a few doors down.
“Everybody else has a shop dog,” said Chris Guhl, the manager. “We have a shop bird.”
Diebert said the bird, Boobaloo (Booby for short), originally belonged to a friend. When she got married, Boobaloo grew jealous of her husband and became aggressive.

Chris Guhl stands next to the K&K Auto Body bird ‘Boobaloo.’

At first Diebert did not want to take the bird in. But as he got to know Booby, he grew attached to him. When his owner decided to give him away, Diebert took him in. That was two and a half years ago.
Now, the pale pink cockatoo is a fixture at the shop.
“He just hangs out,” Diebert said. “He loves people and being around people and excitement. He loves the shop.”
Booby does not talk very much, but bobs his head and whistles. The first time Guhl heard the bird speak was when it yelled an obscenity after being told to shut up.
“He likes women,” Guhl said. “He doesn’t bite too many women. He’s a good guy.”
The shop specializes in custom painting and airbrushing, Guhl said. Rob Barrera, who works at the shop, is one of the best airbrush artists in the five-state area, according to Guhl, who said Barrera has decorated tour buses for Pixar and Disney.
He has travelled as far as Florida to do custom airbrush work.
“He could be a millionaire with the work he does,” Guhl said. “It’s outrageous.”
Many Harley-Davidson owners come in to have their bikes painted.
“Sometimes in July, you get flooded with them,” Guhl said.
Flames are the most popular designs to have airbrushed.
The store also installs scratch-resistant LED screens on the tailgates of pickup trucks. Owners can put whatever text they want on the screens, or rent them out to advertisers. The screens run on their own battery and can still display words when the trucks to which they are attached are turned off. Guhl said he thinks K&K is the first in the tri-state area to install these screens.
The shop also repairs damaged cars, designs and applies vinyl graphics, and does a lot of welding.
K&K shop was not seriously hurt by the recession.
“We were slammed when other body shops were dead,” Guhl said.
The shop is located at 1450 South Ave. Its phone number is (419) 382-0361.

It is a shame our political leaders recently decided to remove the fee disclosure provision in the Senate Jobs bill. The goal of this disclosure would have been to provide the 50 million plus participants with 401(k)’s more disclosure on what the total cost of their investments are. We, as The Retirement Guys, find this is a major area that is often misunderstood from most people’s standpoint; investors should have more full disclosure on the cost of investments.

If we compared the retirement account with a house, both usually the biggest and second biggest assets people own, you will see differences in disclosure. Nolan recently refinanced his home with Liz Terwilliger of Home Mortgage Lending in Perrysburg. Before going forward, Liz provided me with a “Good Faith Estimate” of the total cost of the refinance. The form broke down line by line the cost of my investment in a refinance and where the costs were going along with a summary of the total cost. Even though I knew locking in a 15 year mortgage at a little over 4% interest was a dream come true, I still had the chance to review my cost so I could make a more informed decision. Yet, when it comes to the investment costs in many retirement accounts, most people don’t understand the total disclosed and undisclosed fees and expenses.

According to Robert Powell from CBS MarketWatch, lawmakers site additional cost of tracking and disclosing fees and the confusion it could cause as the reason for removing the disclosure. We feel with technology, disclosing cost could easily be done. Second, most investors are intelligent enough to look at investments and understand there are cost to investing; disclosing fees would not confuse the majority of investors.

Here is what we feel investors should get. Investors probably do not want a 200 page report on fees and expenses, a report that in depth would probably add additional expenses. Instead a simple one page summary would be a great start; just like what the mortgage industry and many other industries do. We try to provide as much disclosure as possible as to the fees and expenses of any investments we recommend to our clients. In general, many of our investment approaches are not the cheapest or the most expense approaches. Yet, by disclosing the cost, our potential clients can better evaluate the “got versus cost” benefits of working with our Firm. We do not see where full disclosure of fees and expenses would be difficult for most investment approaches.

Next, lawmakers say full disclosure would confuse investors. Again, they could have a valid point for a minority, but still miss the big picture for the majority. Most investors understand there is a cost to every investment, be it stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, etc. They all have costs, no one in the financial business works for free. America is built on capitalism and most of us want to work with a business that is profitable. The majority of investors would not necessarily be confused by fee disclosure.

Some people get too caught up into fees. The cheapest investment option isn’t always the best. Yet, if all things are equal, cost does count. Evaluate investments using a benchmark, meaning net of fees and expenses, are the investments performing to your expectation? Second, look at the total cost and make sure you feel you are getting what you are paying for. Only the informed investor can make this decision. Most Americans are smart enough to evaluate “got versus cost.” It is simply an insult that lawmakers say fully disclosed fees would confuse people. It may only confuse people if it was in a 200 page report. We recommend starting with the bottom line. How much does this investment cost me and how is the investment doing in comparison to other choices? We don’t think that is asking too much.

Bottom line; investors should know and understand the total investment costs of their accounts. Do you know what all of your investment costs are? If not, take this week and find out. Call your financial professional or the investment company and ask them to provide a summary of the total costs. Do some research on the Internet. One website that does a pretty good job summarizing most 401(k) plans is www.brightscope.com. Or, get a second opinion by another financial professional. An independent analysis may be beneficial. You deserve to know, because what you don’t know, could be costing you.

Securities are offered through NEXT Financial Group Inc., Member FINRA / SIPC. The Retirement Guys are not an affiliate of NEXT Financial Group. Their office is located at 1700 Woodlands Drive, Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537. Email The Retirement Guys at letters@ToledoFreePress.com or by phone at 419-842-0550. Neither the information presented nor any opinions expressed in this article constitute a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Websites quoted are believed to be reliable, but we cannot guarantee their accuracy.

In “Grown Ups,” five high school basketball players reunite to mourn their coach’s death. Thirty years have passed and they are now adults. After the funeral, the men and their families spend a few days at a summer cottage and a water park. “Grown Ups” is uproarious from start to finish. The cast is a comedy dream team.

"Grown Ups"

Adam Sandler delivers Lenny Feder’s one-liners with the same effectiveness he displayed in previous roles. Kevin James brings his trademark sincerity to Eric Lamonsoff. David Spade’s sarcasm parallels the irreverent Marcus Higgins. Chris Rock’s blunt style gives Kurt McKenzie’s lines a humorous zing. Rob Schneider’s over-the-top performance makes Rob Hilliard memorable and zany. The supporting cast’s performances are spot-on.

Salma Hayek gives a heartfelt performance as Roxanne Chase-Feder. Maya Rudolph gives Deanne Mckenzie a spunky personality. Joyce Van Patten is lovable as Gloria, Rob’s older wife. Her authenticity completes Rob and Gloria’s “Harold and Maude”-esque relationship. Tim Meadows makes a comical cameo as Malcolm, a member of a rival basketball team.

The guffaws include a boy too old to be breastfed, boys ogling women, and plenty of potty humor. Marcus’s playboy lifestyle and Rob’s relationship with Gloria are frequent targets. The basketball team’s attempt at “arrow roulette” is risible. The women add fart-jokes, quips about Deanne’s pregnancy, and chortle at a muscular male swimmer.

The film falls short when it tries to be a dramedy. Its attempt at addressing excessive consumerism detracts from priceless escapism and a lighthearted tone. “Grown Ups” is a trip with old friends who make raunchy wisecracks and foolish decisions. It is nothing more than that.

Just a few months ago, Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop read the Cuyahoga County charter for a reformed county government. Now he is doing his best to steer Lucas County toward his vision for what he describes as a more regional, streamlined form of government. The charter is a Board of County Commissioners’ vote, 14,000 signatures and four months away from being presented to voters on Election Day.
There are many questions, including how the public will respond. An interested but wary county has yet to throw its support behind any plan for change as Konop prepares to start circulating petitions.
Function
Konop, who has served as a county commissioner since 2006, promotes his plan by highlighting the inefficiencies and lack of accountability he sees in current county governance. His charter, he said, offers an alternative that is an “improvement by leaps and bounds.”
“It just made sense,” he said. “It just looked like a much more streamlined, flexible but accountable way with a focus on economic development. It’s a better way to run government.”
The charter largely mimics plans passed in Cuyahoga (Cleveland) and Summit (Akron) counties, the only two Ohio counties that have adopted such a plan. In 1979, Summit County became the first in the state to reform government in this manner amidst rough economic times. Cuyahoga County passed its measure in 2009 as a result of financial woes and governmental misconduct. Cleveland attorney Eugene Kramer drafted both charters. Konop hailed Kramer as “the foremost authority in the state of Ohio in county government.”
“It’s a system of government that has proved effective over a couple of centuries on the federal level and the local level. The county is an anomaly,” Kramer said. “I’m not an expert on Lucas County, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work in Lucas County.”
Konop said current county government is a common denominator for the area’s struggles. In a presentation he has given to local audiences, he cited Lucas County’s meager economic outlook compared to the state and country as a whole.

Ben Konop

“We are the worst major county in Ohio, unfortunately, in some cases by a large margin,” he told the Rotary Club of West Toledo at its June 16 meeting.
“This [charter] is a step forward from those problems.”
Konop also highlights the need for county officials to be “in sync” with one another. At the Rotary meeting, he described the offices within county government as silos that do not communicate with each other, leading to duplication and a lack of focus.
“It’s an almost impossible task for voters to keep track of what’s going on in the county,” he said. “You just have this constant march of nothing happening and everyone blaming each other.”
Konop’s plan aims to increase diversity in representation at the county level. He said while about half of the county identifies as independent or Republican, no elected county officials are of those persuasions. Nor are there any African Americans in an elected county seat. Konop said district representation would solve this issue and allow citizens to take concerns to an individual more in touch with specific communities.
Features
The charter is 21 pages long in the version on the Lucas County Commissioners’ website but just 11 pages in Konop’s printed version with smaller type. The charter addresses Konop’s concerns by “refocusing” county government rather than changing its functions. The Ohio Revised Code requires counties to perform numerous duties regardless of the structure in use.
The charter would eliminate the Board of County Commissioners in favor of a single county executive and an 11-member council. The executive would have veto power and a line-item veto on nonbudgetary matters. He or she also could appoint officers subject to council approval.
The only other directly elected official would be the county prosecutor, with all other department heads, deputies and assistants being appointed. Positions, such as the clerk of courts, county auditor, coroner, engineer, recorder, treasurer and sheriff, which are currently chosen by voters, would convert to seven appointed offices. The recorder and auditor would be combined into a single fiscal officer and a law director would be added. The other five elected officers would be replaced by appointed positions with titles the same as or similar to the existing offices. The executive, subject to the approval of the council, would appoint these officeholders.
The charter also makes provision for, among others entities, a budget commission, board of revision, department of development, department of health and human services, human resource commission, department of purchasing and an audit committee.
Elected officials would not take office until January 2013. In the two years before then, current leaders would work to adapt county government so it would be ready to run come 2013.
Konop said the charter, when combined with the Ohio Revised Code, leaves no loopholes in essential governmental functions.
“The key with the charter is that it’s a living document. It doesn’t micromanage. It’s not even that long,” Konop said. “There’s still some flexibility that can be fleshed out and can be presented to the executive and to the council when they take office, and then some of the details can be worked out.”
All elected officials must reside in Lucas County and council members must live in their respective districts. But the charter currently does not require appointed officials to live in the county.
“That could be something that could be clarified, certainly, in the transition period, or required by council, because council has to approve these people,” Konop said. “Personally, I would be in favor of hiring only Lucas County folks, but that very well could not be specifically in the charter.”
Also absent is a stipulation for term limits. Konop said the voters would be the final authority on matters regarding elected offices. Elections and recalls are two avenues by which citizens could remove an elected official without requiring a cap on time in office.
“If there would seem to be a need for it, the citizens could get that on the ballot, vote on it and add it to the charter,” he said.
“And I like that idea. I like the idea of the flexibility of the document, being able to amend itself in that matter.”
Appointed officers serve “at the pleasure of the county executive,” meaning they can be fired legally without cause. Konop does not view that as a problem, however, because the proposed human resource commission would ensure proper hiring and firing practices.
“They can be terminated, but the council is there as a check on that. And when you’re talking about department heads, the council can override a decision,” he said.
But according to Section 2.03(2) of the charter, the council’s approval would only be required for appointments, not firings, as Konop stated would be possible.
Three of the new positions — the fiscal officer, law director and county treasurer — would have to be filled by a person with five years of experience in a “political subdivision.” Konop said this stipulation was included to ensure the officeholder understood how government played a role in his or her area of expertise.
“Government has a special set of laws governing it,” he said. “It doesn’t make a profit. It doesn’t have shareholders. I think there’s a special set of best practices.
“You need a certain type of knowledge as to how a government really works in order to best serve.”
Konop said he does not plan to be Lucas County’s first county executive.
“I will certainly not be running for it in 2012. In politics, it’s tricky business, so after that who knows, but I certainly would not push this plan and try and run for the executive, no.”
Feedback
For the past several weeks, Konop has made rounds, checking the pulse of local opinion, especially among business leaders. It was this segment of the population that served as a catalyst for the Cuyahoga County charter that takes effect in January.
“It’s not going to happen unless the business community is really a driver,” Konop said.
But feedback has been muddled so far. Widespread support has eluded Konop as his “drop-dead date” of petition circulation, June 28, knocks at his front door.
He estimates the cost of putting the measure on the November ballot would be between $50,000 and $100,000. He is looking for most of that from the business community.
“There really hasn’t been any negative feedback to this, but there hasn’t been a lot of folks who have been ready to commit and step up. That’s really the missing piece,” Konop said.
The commissioner said he has discussed plans with “numerous business folks,” but the plan is still just that — a plan. He said he would not release an official budget, list of donors or business partners until an official political action committee has been formed.
Other local leaders are urging a wider level of input that may require extra time.
“County governments across Ohio have generally been organized the same way for well over 100 years. It’s hard to believe the times haven’t changed to justify a fresh approach or a fresh look,” said Oregon City Administrator Mike Beazley, who has served more than 25 years in local government, including a five-year stint as Lucas County administrator.
“I think Lucas County owes to its citizens and taxpayers a comprehensive examination of how it works and how it could work better. The jury hasn’t had time to deliberate on the Cuyahoga County plan this is modeled after.”
Both candidates vying for Konop’s commissioner seat this November also support exploring a variety of options. Democratic candidate Carol Contrada said the plan must have input from taxpayers, labor and business leaders, elected officials and education leaders.
“If we can involve the most stakeholders and others in a meaningful fashion in time for a vote by November, so be it, but I’d rather be right than quick,” she said.
The Republican commission candidate and at-large Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou noted public safety and economic development as the main functions of county government.
“We certainly need to entertain a thorough vetting of this, do our homework and try to come up with a plan,” he said.
At a June 22 public hearing regarding the charter, retired president of the former Medical College of Ohio Dr. Richard Ruppert addressed concerns of overlooking important issues if the process is rushed.
“A million issues at least ought to be discussed,” Ruppert said.  “People ought to take time to look at these issues and think about them.
“I’m not ready yet to sign on to [Konop’s] proposal. I don’t know if I’m ready for a single chief executive officer and a number of council people. But I do believe it must be looked at. The timing is perfect.”
The other two county commissioners also have submitted resolutions. At the June 22 hearing, Commission President Pete Gerken discussed his plan to develop a 15-member elected commission this November to explore the proposal, which then could be put on the November 2011 ballot. The county executive, council and prosecutor would still be elected in 2012 and take office in January 2013.
Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak proposed open discussion instead of an elected commission. This plan also calls for a November 2011 vote on the charter and 2012 elections for officials if the charter passes.
Skeldon Wozniak and Sarantou suggested involving the UT Department of Urban Affairs.
Former Corporation for Effective Government President Olivia Summons also proposed dialogue. Her plan calls for a review from “expert citizens.”
“We all just agree on one thing. We all want what is best for Lucas County,” said Summons, who serves as chairwoman of the UT Board of Trustees.
But agreeing exactly what is “best” is another matter of contention raised by small business owner Joe Andrews. He used the example of Johnny Carson’s “Carnac the Magnificent” to symbolize how he views the reform process: finding answers before the real question is being posed.
“What I hear is, ‘Here is the solution. We need this form of government, and it will do miraculous things,’” Andrews said. “It seems to me we need consensus first on the issues, and out of that comes a solution.”
The most widely agreed upon problem is economic development, a problem on which Konop focuses in his presentation. He presented it once again at the end of the hearing, stating that the Board of County Commissioners did not have a long-term economic plan — at which point Gerken, now sitting among the audience, turned to Skeldon Wozniak, smiled and said, “But we do.”
AFSCME Council 8 staff representative Steve Kowalik said a new plan is not the solution. He prefers retaining the current system of county government and using it to address issues instead.
“You still have to hire someone to do the work that the elected officials used to do, and I question once again, where’s the cost savings?” he said at the hearing.
Konop has not guaranteed his proposal would reduce governmental costs but said savings are likely.
“I would assume a large part of [elected officials’] campaign would deal with efficiencies and how to achieve efficiencies in government. So I think long term, you would get savings out of this,” he said. “A back-of-the-envelope calculation that I’ve done shows there would be savings as well just in terms of the tradeoff of having all these elected officials being replaced by district council people and the salary reduction that entails.”
Dave Schulz of Citizens Organization to Bring Reform and Accountability (COBRA), said 11 elected council members would cause an increase in payroll. While he is not against having certain offices be appointed, he does not think a single executive is the best solution and cited Toledo as an example.
“The one main reason [Toledo voters] wanted to go to the strong mayor was because of the economic problem. We’ve had a strong mayor for about 20 years and the problems persist.”
Debate will continue at least until the middle of July, when the commissioners plan to vote on the next step.

The City of Toledo’s Dream to Own is helping to stabilize area neighborhoods by filling vacant homes, keeping property values from decreasing.
“Its purpose is not to house people, even though it’s a housing program. Its purpose is to uphold the property values where the redevelopment is occurring,” said Michael Badik, commissioner of housing.  “The goal is to raise or stop the fall of property values. To help those who’ve done the right thing in their neighborhood and have been lucky enough to have not lost their jobs. They made their payments and maintained their property.”
Secondary benefits of the program include helping people who are looking for properties to purchase and inspiring others in the neighborhood to make repairs on their homes because they feel positive about the outlook of the area, he said.

Before

Dream to Own is a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The first round of NSP grants began with Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and the goal was to stabilize communities that have been affected by foreclosures and abandonment.
HUD has granted two rounds of NSP funding, NSP 1 and NSP 2, both of which the city and a consortium run by the city received.
The city received $12.2 million in NSP 1 funding, granted in 2008, which is already being utilized in four target neighborhoods. The target areas, or tipping points, are neighborhoods that have a high number of foreclosures.
The consortium, led by the City of Toledo includes two developers, nine nonprofits and Lucas County, hopes to receive its $10.1 million in NSP 2 funding midyear. The money will focus on one tipping point area, Library Village.
NSP funding is used to purchase foreclosed homes to rehab the property and resell it or demo properties as well as create land banks and provide down payment assistance to families.
Houses are purchased by developers, who receive money from the city to rehab the house. Once the house is renovated, the home is sold and money is put back into the NSP, said Kattie Bond, director of the Department of Neighborhoods. For every two houses rehabbed and sold, one additional house can be fixed, she said.
Through NSP funding the city was able to purchase approximately 50 homes to be rehabbed and resold, and demolished 164 homes, with 350 more demolitions to go. A total of eight homes have been resold to interested buyers.
NSP 2 funding was sought because “a lot more needs to be done.”

After

In 2008, Bond visited Library Village with Senator George Voinovich. In just one ZIP code there were 1,400 foreclosed properties. After NSP 1 $2.5 million, accounting for about 25 properties, were invested into Library Village, Bond said.
“If you compare the 25 properties to the 1,400 homes in some form of foreclosure in 2008, we’ve only done just a little to address this problem,” she said.
“It behooves us to make sure that neighborhood is stabilized so those issues don’t spread to surrounding neighborhoods.”
Individuals who want to purchase acquisition rehab housing must meet specific income requirements — the income can be no larger than 120 percent of the median income, approximately $74,000 for a family of four. Qualified buyers of acquisition housing can purchase a home with as little as $500 of their own funds and the city would provide, through the Dream to Own program, 20 percent toward their down payment and closing costs, Bond said.
In addition to helping stabilize neighborhoods, NSP is helping Toledo Public Schools (TPS). Some developers in the NSP have hired Construction Careers Academy students as interns.
“We have one of our project managers supervise them in a little work group and that gives them some hands-on experience,” said Roosevelt Gant, owner of R. Gant Properties who has used TPS students in his NSP projects. “It’s been great.”
“What NSP allows is a number of different partnering initiatives, such as the one with TPS. We’re hoping to increase that. To try and bring some more students,” he said.
Those interested in purchasing a Dream to Own home can contact a homebuyer specialist at (419) 936-3605.