“I’m Jerry Anderson.”

“And I’m Lee Conklin. Welcome to WTOLWTVGWUPWNWO’s coverage of the 2015 Glass City Hunger Games!”

Anderson: “Indeed, Lee, and this is the third annual contest, which was initiated in 2012 by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael Miller, just before his tragic death in that incident at the Tim Hortons drive-thru.”

Conklin: “That was a glaze-covered tragedy, but his legacy lives on in this adaptation of the Hunger Games, in which Toledo’s leaders face off in a battle to the death, all for our entertainment.”

Anderson: “Now, we should stress that the competitors are actually using avatars, so there will be no true harm or injury to the actual people involved.”

Conklin: “That’s right, Jerry. To remind viewers of our premise, we have 24 participants from districts in Northwest Ohio. They will compete in an atmosphere-controlled dome with weapons supplied by sponsors,

in a battle to the death. The sole winner in this live, televised tournament will receive a Tony Packo’s gift basket, stock in First Solar, an autographed Crystal Bowersox CD and absolute ruling power over the enslaved citizens of our region until the 2016 Glass City Hunger Games.”

Anderson: “Minor problems in the dome today as the solar panels that power the lighting are flickering, but everything seems to be working now. We’ve already seen the parade and interviewed our combatants, so we’re just seconds away from the battle. Let’s go down to the field and hear from Chrys Peterson and Diane Larson, who were genetically fused into one anchor after our recent media merger.”

Conklin: “Great story of corporate synergy there, Jerry, especially when you remember that they used elements of Shaun Hegarty to give Chrys and Diane that ginger glow.”

Chrys/Diane: “We’re here before the big battle begins, with Councilman Tom Waniewski and 2014 Hunger Games champion, State Rep. Michael Ashford. Michael, how do you rate the competition this year?”

Ashford: “I respect the competition, especially Vice President Joe the Plumber, who knows how to use so many of these tools of destruction. I am hoping he exits early but he’s been underestimated before.”

Chrys/Diane: “Tom, there was a great deal of criticism of the violence in last year’s games, and you were at the heart of that when you decapitated former mayor Carty Finkbeiner with that Imagination Station bookmark.”

Waniewski: “As you know, Chrys/Diane, I am opposed to this travesty of an event, but I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty to win it for the people of this city.”

(Cannon booms)

Anderson: “And this just in, before the games even begin we have an early exit, as Councilman Phil Copeland has been disqualified for not showing up to compete.”

Conklin: “Not really a surprise, Jerry, but there may be more news as Councilman George Sarantou just stole Copeland’s supply of nightlock berries to make baklava. If he eats those berries, he’ll be out before the games begin!”

Anderson: “Ah, but look, Lee, George is offering those nightlock baklava desserts to Lucas County Commissioners Carol Contrada and Pete Gerken. They may see it as a sign of alliance, but, oh, oh, there it is, both commissioners took a bite and are now writhing in agony on the ground, foaming at the mouth.”

Conklin: “Let’s get a close-up shot of that for the viewers at home.”

Anderson: “Three contestants gone and we haven’t heard the opening bell yet!”

Conklin: “Speaking of Bell, the mayor looks ready for combat in his Chinese brigandine, practicing his wushu moves. (Trumpets blare) And the 2015 Glass City Hunger games have officially begun!”

Anderson: “The 21 remaining combatants are racing toward the cornucopia, which contains weapons, water and food items … Oh! Councilman D. Michael Collins just impaled Lindsay Webb with the sharp edge of a metal ‘tornado shelter’ sign!”

Conklin: “Yes, Jerry, it looks like Webb’s avatar is going to bleed to death on the field, which is ironic when you think about the depleted blood supply in Northwest Ohio as the Red Cross union strike enters its fourth year.”

Anderson: “On the other side of the field, Councilman Joe McNamara and Sen. Edna Brown are going at it, punching and kicking and throwing down in a ballot box rematch!”

Conklin: “It’s the kind of bloody battle that makes these games draw the big ratings, Jerry, and look at that! Brown just knocked McNamara to the ground, but he is still taking swings and trying to get the best of her.”

Anderson: “He’s a scrapper, no question. Brown is moving in for the kill, but she better watch out, because sneaking up behind her is Rep. Marcy Kaptur.”

Conklin: “Oh! Kaptur was just about to plant a knitting needle in Edna Brown’s back when Edna ducked, and McNamara ninja-tossed 200 American flag pins right toward Kaptur’s avatar’s jugular!”

Anderson: “Amazing, Lee, but as Kaptur hit the ground, a wig and mask fell off to reveal former County Commissioner Ben Konop! Sneaky way to get into these games!”

Conklin: “And look, more than 50 of McNamara’s ninja pins have flown across the field, mowing down politicians like a tornado cutting through a trailer park! Down goes Teresa Fedor! Tyrone Riley falls! Down goes Steve Steel! Sherrod Brown is out!”

Anderson: “A stunning development! Mike Craig is down! Bob Latta falls! Paula Hicks-Hudson is down! Waniewski staggers near Sarantou, but as they head for shelter for weapons — it looks like Sarantou was reaching for a rhino horn — Rob Ludeman takes them both out with a Danberry Realty sign! It’s a GOP meltdown! What a mess — it’s too bad avatars don’t qualify for domestic partner benefits and health care.”

Conklin: “And the Gamekeeper has released a wild card! There’s a lanky towheaded Tracker Jacker wildly dancing and brandishing a blade, but no one seems to be paying attention to him. His blade just doesn’t seem to be intimidating anyone. Oh — the Tracker Jacker just fell and impaled himself.”

Anderson: “Lee, I see an alliance of Adam Martinez, Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Rob Portman and Anita Lopez trying to make a break for the woods, but Ashford was waiting in a tree with a crossbow and he’s picking them off one by one!”

Conklin: “Let’s go to Chrys/Diane, reporting from the field.”

Chrys/Diane: “It’s a bloodbath down here, as a camouflaged Clerk of Courts Bernie Quilter just rose out of the woods and started racing through the field, cracking heads with his bare hands! He took Ashford’s crossbow and pushed him out of the tree! Now he’s shooting arrows like a demented Cupid! McNamara is out! Edna Brown is out! He’s taken out all the survivors! Bernie Quilter may be our winner!”

Conklin: “But wait, we only count 22 avatar bodies on the field. Someone is missing … Look! As Quilter steps around the bodies, Mike Bell rides into the arena on a motorcycle and runs Quilter through with chopsticks! It looks like Bell will win the 2015 Glass City Hunger Games!”

(Solar panel lights flicker and go out, plunging the arena into darkness)

Conklin: “We’ll have to wait for the lights to come back on to interview the 2015 champion.”

(Lights flicker and turn on)

Anderson: “That’s better! Now we can talk to Bell about his stunning victory! But wait! D. Michael Collins has pulled himself from the carnage and is challenging Bell!”

Conklin: “It’s a life-and-death battle for a Tony Packo’s gift basket, stock in First Solar, an autographed Crystal Bowersox CD and absolute control over us all! Collins is swinging and lunging with his tornado shelter sign, but Bell’s Changquan practice is paying off.”

Anderson: “Collins just won’t go away, he’s making his Marine legacy proud, but Bell is brandishing a qiang. He must have ice water in his veins, because he is approaching Collins like Clint Eastwood in an old Western movie!”

Conklin: “Bell is just brushing aside Collins’ strikes! He’s taken the qiang and … oh!”

Bell (facing Collins): “Ask not for whom the Bell tolls, *****! I toll for thee.”

Anderson: “Oh my! Collins is down! Bell is the 2015 Hunger Games champion! Let’s cut to Chrys/Diane.”

Chrys/Diane: “Mike, congratulations! That was a great strategy, staying above the fray until the last minute!”

Bell: “Thanks, Chrys/Diane! I credit my Harley and the teachings of Wushu Master Liu Xiao Ling. As my first act, I’m going to free all the citizens of Northwest Ohio and restore respect and cooperation into our political process. Hey, you two don’t look comfortable sewn together like that. Want me to put you out of your misery?”

Chrys/Diane: “Would you, please?”

(Bell raises the qiang)

Chrys/Diane: “This is Chrys Petersen … and Diane Larson … signing off.”

Conklin: “Well, Jerry, it looks like the 2015 Glass City Hunger Games are going to bring long-awaited freedom to Northwest Ohio.”

Anderson: “At least for one year, Lee. At least for one year.”

(Solar panel lights flicker)

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Email him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

Cover illustration by Don Lee.

Tags: Ben Konop, Bernie Quilter, Bob Latta, Carol Contrada, Chrys Peterson, Crystal Bowersox, D. Michael Collins, Diane Larson, Edna Brown, First Solar, George Sarantou, Hunger Games, Jerry Anderson, Joe McNamara, Joe the Plumber, Lee Conklin, Lighting The Fuse, Lindsay Webb, Marcy Kaptur, Michael Ashford, Michael S. Miller, Mike Bell, Paula Hicks-Hudson, Pete Gerken, Phil Copeland, Rob Ludeman, Shaun Hegarty, Sherrod Brown, Tim Hortons, Tom Waniewski, Tony Packo's

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 4:11 pm and is filed under Featured, Lighting The Fuse, Opinion, Uncategorized.
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Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) has a reputation as “bad guys” and “baby snatchers,” but nothing could be farther from the truth, said the agency’s executive director Dean Sparks.

“Many in the community look at us almost as quasi-law enforcement. They expect us to go out in our vans, take kids away and then tell parents what they need to do to get them back, and if they don’t do it quickly enough they will never get them back,” Sparks said. “I’ve heard people say we get money from the federal government for every child we bring into our care. Not true. We don’t get any rewards for removing kids. Our No. 1 priority is keeping kids safe and helping parents take better care of their children.”

LCCS does not actually have the authority to remove a child from a home; only a law enforcement officer, magistrate or judge can do that, Sparks said.

Removing a child is also LCCS’s last resort. Whenever possible, children remain with their families or a relative while steps are taken to improve conditions.

“Less than 10 percent of kids we come in contact with are going to get removed,” Sparks said.

In 2011, LCCS received 4,148 referrals of suspected child abuse involving 6,046 children and discovered 587 area children were abused or neglected. Forty-nine percent of the investigations were for physical abuse, 36 percent for neglect, 14 percent for sexual abuse and 1 percent for emotional abuse.

Thirty-two percent of children served stayed in their own homes, 31 percent lived with a relative, 32 percent were placed in foster care and 5 percent went to a group home or private institution.

When responding to an allegation of abuse or neglect, caseworkers immediately do a safety assessment to make sure the child or children are safe. The assessment includes checking the home environment, evaluating caretakers, making sure basic needs are being met, checking if utilities are turned on and medical and educational needs are being met. Caseworkers also look for signs of physical hazards, substance abuse, violence and sexual abuse.

If any concerns are found, a meeting between the agency and the family is called to discuss the issues and give the family an opportunity to offer solutions before recommendations are made.

Over the past several years, LCCS has been transitioning to a response method called “differential response,” meaning that except in cases of sexual or serious physical abuse, the agency no longer identifies a perpetrator and a victim. Instead, LCCS engages the family in a discussion of concerns and works with them to find a suitable solution.

“For more than 76 percent of cases, we’re going through a kinder and gentler way of engaging families,” Sparks said. “Rather than substantiate whether or not an incident occurred, we want to look at the whole family and how it’s functioning, identify where the problems and difficulties are and come up with a plan to solve them, empowering the family to make changes. We don’t want to just go in and say, ‘This is what you have to do,’ which is what we did for many years.”

The meetings, which are typically held at the LCCS offices in Downtown Toledo where security is present if needed, range from civil to heated, said caseworker Shannon Keefer.

Click to enlarge

“You’re talking about the possibility of children being removed from parents, so you can’t deny it’s tense for every person sitting at the table,” Keefer said. “It’s very intense. Feelings and emotions are sky high, but you have to keep that under wraps. The bottom line is this is a very traumatic situation for all involved, especially the children. We have to do our best to keep that meeting decent and civilized in trying to keep those lines of communication open and being honest with each other about what’s going on.”

Some parents know they are overwhelmed and are actually grateful for the help, Sparks said.

“We do occasionally get people turning tables over, threatening, storming out, kicking doors and breaking them. They are not happy with us,” Sparks said. “But you’d be surprised how many parents say, ‘Yeah, I can’t handle this right now. I need help.’”

Keefer said one mother hugged her in court after a judge ordered her children removed from her care.

“The mom hugged me afterward and said, ‘Thanks,’” Keefer said. “I didn’t know what to do at that point. It shocked me.”

Giving back

Another agency imitative, which Keefer has been working on since July, is developing community programs such as the Parent Partnership Program.

“We partner with parents who have previously been through our system and are today doing well and are successful in their lives. Some have gotten their children back into their care, some have not, but they want to come back and volunteer and give back to parents currently going through system,” Keefer said. “It’s very powerful. I’ve learned so much from the parent partners, opening my eyes to what they’ve been through and what that’s really like on their end. I know I’m going to continue to look to them for advice and guidance about what we’re doing with the program and where it can and should go.”

One of the parent volunteers is Tim. About five years ago, when his two young sons were removed from his ex-wife’s care because of unsafe conditions at her home, he assumed he would be given custody.

Instead, the Toledo man, whose last name is omitted to protect the identity of his children, was told his history of domestic violence against his ex-wife was a safety concern and the boys were sent to live with relatives.

“I was upset and angry because I had always thought of myself as a good dad,” Tim said. “I had already raised three older children [from a previous marriage] and I thought my children should be home with me.

“I never believed I was guilty of domestic violence because I never put my hands on my ex-wife and I never hurt my children. I thought, ‘They eat every day, they’re clothed, they have a roof over their heads, they’re OK.’ But until I started going through some of the agency programs they requested I go to, I never saw the mental abuse my children went through on a daily basis.

“I used to raise my voice and holler and scream a lot, or block the door when someone wanted to leave because I still had something to say, which not only caused my wife to be afraid, it caused my children to be afraid. I always thought I was doing the right thing because after everybody calmed down, I would ask my kids, ‘Hey, you love me?’ Well, what else were they going to say? Of course they’re going to tell me they loved me.

“Going through the batterers intervention program, I realized there was a whole lot more to domestic violence, that I didn’t have to physically attack someone to be guilty and that I did in fact need the program. No one wants to admit as a parent they need to make some changes in their child’s life, in their own life, but to me that was the first step of healing.”

Tim, who also went to counseling and enrolled in parenting classes, was eventually awarded full custody of his sons. Today, he is a parent volunteer, helping to facilitate the agency’s six-week Building a Better Future workshop for parents who have had children removed from their home.

“Knowing they are still going through services, it’s a reward to be able to pull the parents aside and say, ‘I’ve been there, done that and this will help you out,’” Tim said. “If I can stop one other family from going through the turmoil I’ve been through and help them navigate through the system, I’m happy. I tell them the quicker you successfully complete these services being asked of you, the quicker you’re going to have your prize back, which is your children back in your home with you.”

Even though it’s easier to blame others, part of the healing process is learning to take responsibility for your actions, Tim said.

“I was probably one of the biggest, hardest knuckleheads out there. I didn’t think I needed these programs. I think the biggest thing for me to conquer was admitting it was a problem and claiming ownership of it,” Tim said. “I’d like all parents to claim responsibility that something happened in their life to cause [LCCS] to come out and remove their children. They don’t just go through a directory and say, ‘OK, let’s go take their kids.’ Whether it’s their fault or someone else’s fault, something happened to cause the agency to go out there in the first place.”

The agency’s hotline for reporting child abuse receives about 750 calls per month and 300 to 400 are investigated. Fifty-six percent of referrals come from “mandated reporters” within the community with the remainder coming from private or anonymous sources.

Tim said his past is always there as a reminder, but he prefers to focus on the future.

“My drive and the reason I do these programs is to remind myself of where I was at and where I want to be at,” Tim said. “I try not to dwell on the past things. They are always there as a reminder, but I just try to look toward the future and where my life’s going with my children now. They’re both doing great now and I’m doing great now. I can tell you today the agency will never have a reason to come out to my house or to tell me as a father I can’t have my children at home.”

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Upcoming events include:.

• “Wear Blue to Work Day” on April 11. “Each individual person makes the decision that morning to put on a blue shirt, but think about all the blue shirts together,” said LCCS Public Information Officer Julie Malkin. “If he wears a blue shirt, and she wears a blue shirt and I wear a blue shirt, we’re unified as a community against child abuse.” Area residents are also encouraged photograph a group of co-workers wearing the color and post it via social media.
• LCCS and other agencies will present information at the “We Care About Our Kids: Community Forum on Child Sexual Abuse” at 6:30 p.m. April 18 at the University of Toledo Scott Park Campus. Admission is free.
• A ceremony honoring local children who died as a result of street violence, abuse or neglect is 11:30 a.m. April 25 at the LCCS offices, 705 Adams St., Toledo. Since April 2011, no children have died in Lucas County from abuse or neglect, but Timothy Blair, 14, Deadrick Rocker, 17, and Montelle Taylor, 17, died as a result of violence. Lucas County has not had an abuse- or neglect-related death for about two years, Sparks said. Nationally, about five children a day and 1,700 per year die from abuse and neglect.

“Child abuse is preventable,” Sparks said. “If we work together we can stop it.”

To report a case of suspected abuse, call (419) 213-CARE. For more information, visit www.co.lucas.oh.us/LCCS.

Tags: 101.5 The River, 107.3 The Juice, 107.7 The Wolf, AFSCME Council 8, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Baldemar Velasquez, Barb Dianda-Martin, Barbara Sears, Ben Green, Bill Lichtenwald, Brad Rieger, Brandi Browne, Carol Contrada, Casey Fischer, Chrys Peterson, Cindy Pisano, Clara Petty, Clare Armbruster, Congregation B'Nai Israel, Craig Snyder, Dan Anderson, Dave Dauer, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Denise Cubbon, Doni Miller, Edna Brown, Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center, Farm Labor Organizing Committee, FOX Toledo, Friends of Lucas County Children Services, Gary Shores, George Tucker, Greater Northwest Ohio AFL-CIO, Greg Smith, Harvey Steele, Jack and Jill of America, Jacky Brown, James Telb, Jamie Pierman, Jane Moore, Jerry Anderson, John Dinon, K100, Kathryn Hott, Katrina Barry, Lauren Merrell, LeRoy WIlliams, Lucas County Children Services, Lucas County CHildrens Services, Lucas County Commissioners, Lucas County Juvenile Court, Lucas County Sheriff, Margaret Danziger, Mary Beth Zolik, Mary Caldwell-Simmons, Matt Szollosi, Maumee City Schools, Mayor Mike Bell, Mercy Children's Hospital, Michael Henrich, Mike Ashford, Mix 95.7, Monroe Street Neighborhood Center, Moshe Saks, Muddy, Natalie Jackson, Neighborhood Health Association, New Covenant Baptist Church, OACWC, Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, Owens Community College, Patrick Hickey, Rick Woodell, Robin Reese, Robin Stone, Sandi Nugent, Search-Lite Community Church, Shaun Hegarty, Springfield Local Schools, Student Social Work Organization, Super Why!, Sylvania Schools, Teamsters Local 20, The Andersons, Tisha Lee, Toledo Area Humane Society, Toledo Chapter of Charms, Toledo Fire and Rescue, Toledo Free Press, Toledo Mud Hens, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, United Way of Greater Toledo, University of Toledo, Washington Local Schools, WGTE, Whyatt Beanstalk, WNWO, WTOL News, Yvonne Gayle

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 5th, 2012 at 4:04 pm and is filed under Community, Featured.
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On Sept. 11, 2001, State Sen. Edna Brown, then a Toledo city councilwoman, was going to celebrate her grandson’s 10th birthday.

Brown, Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken (then councilman) and Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak (then councilwoman) were all up for re-election in a primary that day.

Former Gov. Bob Taft was driving to work with a state trooper while Gov. John Kasich had been on a corporate conference call since 4 a.m.

“I remember how blue the sky was, how bright the sun was,” said Mayor Mike Bell, then the city’s fire chief.

And then terrorists flew a plane into the World Trade Center. It was no longer just a primary, just a beautiful day, just a birthday, just a Tuesday. It was 9/11.

Gerken

Like so many others, Gerken turned on the TV.

“I thought I had the movie channel on and not the news,” he said.

“It was one of those things, you want to make sure where everyone was but you’re also fixated on watching,” said Congressman Bob Latta, then a representative.

Gerken immediately called his son, who was in Washington, D.C., during the attacks, while current Lucas County Commissioner Carol Contrada’s daughter called from Vermont to inform her of the events.

“We watched the event unfold together on the phone, consoling each other,” said Contrada, an attorney.

Wozniak, along with a campaign worker for her opponent and a woman neither  had met before, bonded while huddling around a TV. Wozniak and the worker were campaigning at a Washington Local school when “a woman across the street called, ‘Would you like to see what’s happening?’” The pair went into the woman’s home to watch the news coverage on her TV.

“There were no barriers, no differences. We basically bonded,” Wozniak said.

Safety officials

Meanwhile, then-Mayor Carty Finkbeiner called safety officials Bell, Lucas County Sheriff James Telb and Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre to his office to develop a plan. Telb remembered being told not to worry about overtime and extra personnel.

Finkbeiner said his two main concerns were keeping Muslims and foreign residents safe from retaliation as well as keeping city locations like the water treatment center, The University of Toledo and The Toledo Museum of Art secure.

“That led to decade-long intensive planning. And that’s what we’ve been doing ever since,” Telb said.

In addition to getting grants for new equipment, Lucas County and surrounding counties have gained access to a radio system that allows all responders to be on one channel in case of an attack, Telb said, adding, “It’s still state of the art. People still want to match it.”

Police and hospital officials also began talking to each other to develop plans in case of future attacks. Before 9/11, “Nobody ever talked to the hospital. No one in law enforcement did that,” Telb said.

Bell was subsequently appointed chairman of the Joint Regional Terrorism Task Force, which included about 30 officials from surrounding counties and parts of Michigan. Following the attacks, people frequently reported low-flying planes that were just checking on power lines, in addition to anthrax scares.

Bell sent 12 firefighters to New York City to help, while the Toledo City Police sent six officers and the Sheriff’s Office sent five officers.

Mayor Mike Bell

“It actually shocked them and these were some pretty tough people,” Bell said of the firefighters he sent to Ground Zero.

Kasich told Toledo Free Press he went to Ground Zero on Sept. 20, 2001, as part of his show “Heroes” on FOX News Channel. He recalled the eerie quietness and observing searchers: “They had big, long sound detectors. They’d make their way across the site, listening for people who had been trapped.”

One man, a retired fire chief, had been at the site every day since the attack because he believed his two sons were caught in the rubble.

“He looked at me and said, ‘My boys are going to come out of there.’ And, of course, in terms of probability, they wouldn’t,” Kasich said. Kasich’s New York office with Lehman Brothers was destroyed in the attacks, although Kasich said he didn’t spend a lot of time there.

Kasich said the death of his parents, killed by a drunken driver in 1987, helped him relate to victims’ families.

“I myself have been in a situation where I’ve experienced that black hole of sudden death,” he said. “While I understand it may not be exactly the same, I can relate to them.”

In Columbus

Taft said he continued to work at the Riffe State Office Tower in Columbus that day.

“I wanted to get into the office, follow the events and do what needed to be done,” Taft said to Toledo Free Press.

He didn’t recall any communication from Washington, D.C. on Sept. 11, 2001, but figured an attack on Ohio was unlikely.

“Most of the news was coming from the media,” Taft said. “I think they were still trying to figure it out in Washington.”

The next day, Taft did hear from the White House about 9/11.

He said he continued to hear about the events of that day for the rest of his term.

“No single event while I was governor was more powerful,” Taft said.

After learning of the attacks during an early meeting, then-Lucas County Commissioner Sandy Isenberg sent nonessential county workers home. Isenberg and Finkbeiner held a press conference with officials on the steps of One Government Center.

“If you’ve got a picture of the newsreel, I was up there crying, trying to keep a calm demeanor,” Isenberg  said.

Finkbeiner did not send city officials home and continued to hold meetings and conferences throughout the week, he said.

The primary elections also stayed open that day, in what Gerken called “the best way to keep democratic values alive.”

The attacks, including a third plane flown into the Pentagon and a fourth that passengers took over and crashed into a Pennsylvania field, changed not only government policy, but also politicians’ personal views.

“It’s a game-changer when something like that happens. It resets your thinking,” said Representative Barbara Sears, then a Sylvania city councilwoman.

Lucas County Recorder Jeanine Perry, then a representative, recalled a state trooper checking her and about four fellow representatives’ bags following the attacks. The trooper leaned over State Sen. Shirley Smith’s (then representative) large bag and she yelled, “BOO!” causing the trooper to jump back. Instead of getting angry, “he laughed, and we laughed and that was the first time in weeks that we laughed. It just changed the atmosphere and environment,” Perry said.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the attacks “probably will be with us until the end of light on this earth,” Finkbeiner said.

To commemorate the attacks, he said he will likely visit those steps he spent so much time on at One Government Center “to remember how we all came together.”

Church leaders and police, fire and safety personnel have been invited to sound their bells and sirens at 1 p.m., Bell said.

After the polls were closed that day and the campaign was over, Brown went to see her grandson.

“I did go by to see my grandson and he was puzzled and wanted to know why it happened on his birthday,” she said.

While many things changed that day, some things remain the same as life continues on.

Brown said of her Sept. 11 plans this year, “My grandson, of course, is older but I will celebrate his birthday with him.”

Tags: 9/11, Bob Latta, Carol Contrada, Carty Finkbeiner, Edna Brown, James Telb, Jeanine Perry, John Kasich, Mike Bell, Mike Navarre, One Government Center, Pentagon, Pete Gerken, Sandy Isenberg, Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Toledo Museum of Art, University of Toledo, World Trade Center

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 8th, 2011 at 12:45 pm and is filed under 9/11: The 10th Anniversary, Community.
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Two of the more lengthy discussions before Toledo City Council at its March 15 agenda review concerned the construction of a bulletproof enclosure at the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) office and the hiring of a lobbyist for the City of Toledo.

The extra security measure is being sought at the Ohio Building; the city of Toledo leases space there. The lease for this space ends in May of 2012. Deputy Mayor Tom Crothers said there have been several incidents that made him concerned. The $26,738 cost would be taken from the Water Replacement Fund. Bulletproof glass, a bulletproof door and the drywall would be reenforced so that it was also bulletproof. There would also be a new window system for payments with a microphone system.

“Over the course of the last year, 2010, it became abundantly clear to me that we were at serious risk for one of our people getting hurt,” Crothers said.

He added that people at times get upset over the amount of the utility bills they owe and it has led to confrontations. He felt the microphone system would allow more private communication. It was said that the police have had to be called and employees have registered written concerns about their safety because of encounters with customers.

“Sounds like you are in a BP station in the middle of Detroit or something,” Councilman Rob Ludeman said. He said he goes there to pay his bills and had never witnessed any confrontations, that the staff handles everyone in a professional manner. He asked for a referral on the cost to protect council staff at the same level of those at DPU.

Councilman D. Michael Collins has advocated in the past for Toledo to end its leasing of this space and move the services and employees to One Government Center. He’s asked for a space audit in the past, he asked for one again during agenda review and restated his opinion that it would be more price effective to move this department into One Government Center and would provide more security.

Crothers wanted this to be done even if they were going to move out of the Ohio Building.

Collins wanted this to go to committee and wanted information on how many arrests had been made there. Crothers said he would get that information to Collins.

Councilwoman Paula Hicks-Hudson did not want it in committee.  It will be listed at first reading at the March 22 Council meeting, at which time Collins can attempt to have it voted into committee.

Governor John Kasich announced as a part of his budget proposal closing the taxpayer service centers in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Akron, Toledo, Youngstown, Dayton and Zanesville.  If this proposal is adopted by the Ohio General Assembly, the space currently held by the Toledo service center in One Government Center would be vacant. This could supplement the space the City of Toledo already has under its control.

The ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with a vendor to provide the City with government affairs services in Columbus, a lobbyist, appeared to have the support of a majority of Council.

The bulk of the more than half-an-hour discussion was related to which committee it should go into, should it be a joint meeting or should a hearing be held before or after it went before Council for a vote.

Councilman George Sarantou felt since the legislation was submitted from Finance Department it should be heard before Human Resources, Information Technology and Finance. He wanted the hearing scheduled for March 21.

Councilman Steve Steel and others felt it was more appropriate to be before Intergovernmental Relations and Environment, Councilman Tom Waniewski offered to chair a hearing March 28. Concern was expressed by Collins and others that finance committee had enough pressing issues.

“You sound like kids in a sandbox — should we raise our hands and take a vote?” Council President Wilma Brown said. “I agree we should wait until the 28th and have it under Intergovernmental Relations because it is something we are going to be discussing that’s not directly finance, it’s going to include finance, but we have a budget that we have to pass by the 31st.”

Sarantou deferred, and the verbal bullets ended.

Toledo Free Press Web editor Lisa Renee Ward operates the political blog GlassCityJungle.com.

Tags: City of Toledo, D. Michael Collins, Edna Brown, George Sarantou, Glass City Jungle, John Kasich, Lisa Renee Ward, Mike Bell, Rob Ludeman, Shredding the Curtain, Tom Crothers, Tom Waniewski

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 19th, 2011 at 1:15 pm and is filed under Glass City Jungle, Opinion, Shredding the Curtain.
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“Well, what would you do with a brain if you had one?” — Dorothy

The Yellow Brick Road to preserving Libbey High School will not originate from One Government Center or 445 E. Manhattan Blvd.

We recently showed our young sons “The Wizard of Oz.” They were swept away by the swiftly moving story and infectious songs, as they followed Dorothy and her coterie through their perilous and eventful journey.

On March 4, as I watched an hourlong meeting concerning the fate of Libbey High School, I could not stop feeling I was reliving Frank L. Baum’s fever dream.

Activist Warren Woodberry and the Libbey Preservation Committee envisioned a meeting in which they could present several alternatives to the demolition of the buildings on the Libbey Campus on Western Ave. There are two key points to their plan. First, no one is fighting to restore Libbey as an active high school. It is understood by even the most fervent Libbey alumni that there will never again be Toledo Public Schools freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors ebbing and flowing through the halls like blood cells pumping through a network of arteries and veins. Second, there is no movement to save all of Libbey; the roof damage, accumulating water rot and general disrepair have doomed the magnificent main building. But the newer field house, food preparation space and vocational center offer an opportunity to create a community center that could house several services.

Among the two dozen ideas for Libbey usage Woodberry and the preservation committee were anxious to present were after school and GED programs, food and assistance programs, a voting site, a small manufacturing area, a computer training center, day care programs, a green technology site and vocational training. These are ideas, not signed contracts, but they are not concepts that can be described as unrealistic or impossible to implement.

Woodberry had noble intentions, but events beyond his control, like a tornado sweeping through the plains of Kansas, conspired to throw everything into chaos.

Over the rainbow

Before the 11 a.m. meeting, Toledo Mayor Mike Bell met with TPS officials — and only the most naïve among us would believe they were huddling to practice a choral arrangement of “Over the Rainbow.” According to the mayor’s office, “It was about two minutes and they exchanged pleasantries and [Bell] clearly articulated his position on Libbey to them so that they knew where he stood.”

From the beginning of the 11 a.m. meeting, it was clear that Bell, flanked by TPS Superintendent Jerome Pecko and TPS Board of Education President Bob Vasquez, was not there to facilitate a protracted conversation about the effort to preserve Libbey.

The meeting included two dozen elected officials (including TPS Board of Education member Brenda Hill, Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Lucas County Administrator Peter Ujvagi and Toledo City Councilman Steve Steel), Libbey supporters, a few businessmen (including Fifth Third Bank President and Libbey graduate Robert LaClair) and cameras from the local television news stations.

There was enough straw wafting from the Scarecrow contingent to cover a path from One Government Center to Topeka. And while there were no Cowardly Lions in the room, there were several people Woodberry believed would be in attendance who were notably absent, including Sen. Edna Brown, former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner and Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority member Jerry Chabler.

Bell’s first statement was that the meeting would not be allowed to exceed 60 minutes. Bell’s second statement was that the City of Toledo was not going to take any financial responsibility for Libbey’s preservation nor its demolition costs. Neither of those definitive statements fostered any hope for a true dialogue. Bell was not surrounded by flames and green smoke, but he spoke with the authority of the Great and Powerful Oz himself, with that wizard’s penchant for “I will talk, you will listen” communication.

And your little dog, too

Before Woodberry, the ostensible host of the meeting, could speak, Bell gave the floor to Pecko, who made it clear that TPS had no intention of missing an Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) deadline for demolishing Libbey. Before he could finish, Toledo City Councilman (and Libbey graduate) D. Michael Collins interjected that he had testified before the OSFC on Feb. 24, and secured commitment that the $2.25 million in demolition funds could be guaranteed for an additional 24 months.

Like a pack of the Wicked Witch of the West’s winged henchmen, the TPS officials and Bell descended on Collins, questioning and doubting his comments about the OSFC arrangement. It was strikingly clear that Collins and Bell are not mutual fans; they seem to work together as well as a falling house and the Wicked Witch of the East.

Again, before Woodberry could begin, TPS Board of Education member Larry Sykes jumped in. Sykes, in an important community forum with the clock ticking, opened his comments with a glance at me and the statement that “I am not a terrorist,” a reference to a Feb. 6 column in which I described TPS’ decimation of the South End as “institutional terrorism.” Well, Mr. Sykes, despite your aggressive effort to single me out in a large crowd and intimidate future commentary, you made your point — you are no terrorist.

A terrorist is scary.

Sykes, the Tin Man displaying no heart, brusquely proclaimed that “the die were cast” on Libbey and that he did not see any chance that the TPS board would change its vote to demolish Libbey.

He said all that before one word on Libbey’s behalf was uttered by its supporters.

Within minutes, three levels of government exposed their egos, prejudices and alliances. If only a sixth-grade civics class had been watching from behind a panel of glass.

I’m melting! Melting!

Finally, Woodberry took the floor and implored the attendees to focus on the positive opportunities. He and his allies — including Sue Terrill of the Libbey Alumni Association, former Libbey basketball coach Leroy Bates and green technology housing expert Bill Decker — tried to build a case for the alternative uses of the Libbey property, but the preceding conflict and hostility punctured any opportunity for an open exchange of ideas. The impatience and disinterest on display from the city and TPS officials melted the meeting’s intent as surely as a bucket of water vaporized the Wicked Witch of the West.

It looked like the hour-long meeting was effectively ended within 30 minutes, but then, like a floating pink bubble heralding Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, Rep. Marcy Kaptur arrived. It did not take long for Kaptur to sum up the atmosphere; “I sense a lot of tension,” she said, in the most diplomatic comment since “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Since no one recapped the first 30 minutes of the meeting for her, Kaptur could not have known that the discussion did not for one minute focus on returning Libbey to its former status as an active school. So she opened her comments on that exact topic, suggesting the University of Toledo, or more likely Owens Community College, might utilize the campus for an educational opportunity. Kaptur did not wave a wand or cue the Munchkin chorus, but she brought a calm to the meeting that had been noticeably absent.

There’s no place like home

One of the productive, albeit inconclusive, conversation threads followed the projected costs of maintaining the Libbey buildings for Collins’ hypothetical 24 months. TPS Chief Business Manager James Gant estimated it would take a minimum $150,000 a year to “mothball” the unoccupied building, a number that does not include roof repairs or other essential preservation steps.

Various members of Toledo’s Lollipop Guild interjected during the meeting, but there was no true plan or course of action presented. There was more discussion of Collins’ OSFC proposal and agreement that there needs to be a short- and long-term needs discussion, but Woodberry and his allies never really gained control of the meeting from the yapping Totos in the room.

At noon, the monthly city alarm test effectively ended the meeting. Two dozen people from every level of Toledo government came together and left with nothing as resolute or certain as that blaring siren.

For as closely as its situation mirrored Dorothy’s, the collective group might as well have been wearing ruby slippers. The power to fix Libbey has been within them all along, but they are distracted by nostalgia, dreams, fears and the chatter of people who carry more resources in their brains, hearts and guts than they realize.

While watching “The Wizard of Oz” for the first time in 30 years, I was struck by a scene I did not remember from my small-screen viewing as a child. Just after the Wizard dispatches Dorothy and her posse to capture the Wicked Witch’s broomstick, they are shown in the haunted forest.  Tin Man has his ax and a Quentin Tarrantino-size pipe wrench, Lion has a net and a Gallagher mallet and the Scarecrow is carrying … a gun. It’s a silver revolver, and to see it is to be shocked out of the film’s magical, musical “reality.”

Seeing a Toledo community movement fall victim to the least productive elements of Toledo politics was a real-life “Scarecrow’s gun” moment, a surreal, jarring, impossible to reconcile collision of liars and bribers and glares.

Oh, my.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him through e-mail at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

Tags: BIll Decker, Bob Vasquez, Brenda Hill, Carty Finkbeiner, City of Toledo, D. Michael Collins, Edna Brown, Frank L. Baum, Gallagher, James Gant, Jerome Pecko, Jerry Chabler, Larry Sykes, Leroy Bates, Libbey High School, Lighting The Fuse, Marcy Kaptur, Michael S. Miller, Mike Bell, Owens Community College, Peter Ujvagi, Quentin Tarrantino, Robert LaClair, Sue Terrill, Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Toledo Public Schools, University of Toledo, Warern Woodberry, Wizard of Oz

This entry was posted on Friday, March 11th, 2011 at 12:00 am and is filed under Lighting The Fuse, Opinion.
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The Toledo Free Press “Art of Politics” debate at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Great Gallery on Oct. 26 helped clarify the difference between candidates in three key categories — Anita Lopez and Gina Marie Kaczala for Lucas County Auditor; Carol Contrada and George Sarantou for Lucas County Commissioner; and Edna Brown and Tom Waniewski for Ohio State Senate District 11. We profusely thank the museum’s management and staff for providing the immaculate and inspiring venue, and we thank the Toledo Chapter of the League of Women Voters for providing oversight and counsel.

• State Senate District 11: Toledo Free Press endorses Tom Waniewski. With due recognition to Edna Brown for her public service, Waniewski offers an approach of fiscal responsibility and limited government involvement that we respect. Brown undoubtedly has relationships in Columbus, but as Waniewski said at our debate, there needs to be a greater emphasis on relationships here in Northwest Ohio, and he represents that potential.
• Lucas County Commissioner: Toledo Free Press endorses George Sarantou. Carol Contrada was impressive during the debate, and she will be a continuing factor in county politics. Sarantou represents an opportunity to add a conservative and moderate voice to a commission that tends to demonstrate neither of those traits. His understanding of government finances and his experience with being in the political minority are also pluses. We do have concerns about Sarantou’s continuing bashing of local utility companies; his rhetoric on this issue is out of touch with economic reality and the efforts these important neighbors are making in serving the community.
• Lucas County Auditor: Toledo Free Press endorses Anita Lopez. Lopez has earned a second term for her efforts to improve accountability and transparency. She needs to work to remove any concerns about specific employees who have been dragged into the public discourse, but there should be no question she is the best choice for the job.

• District 9 House of Representatives: Here, we hit a wall. We are a small business, and we face pressures that prevent us from endorsing the policies of Marcy Kaptur, because she represents so much uncertainty in terms of tax rates, health care changes and the potential costs of “cap and trade.”

For years, we have been looking for a conservative businessperson to step up and challenge the status quo. Rich Iott seemed to answer that call, but there are some nagging concerns. The first is his tendency to strongly support some of the most left-leaning Ohio Democrats —Ted Strickland, Teresa Fedor, Peter Ujvagi — with thousands of dollars, while offering relatively little to Republicans or conservatives. He has a right to give his money to anyone he chooses, but that pattern does not bear witness to a strong conservative philosophy.

The other issue is that Iott has severed communications with Toledo Free Press, according to campaign spokesman Matt Parker, due to one unfavorable opinion column. How do we endorse a candidate who allows one opinion piece to so dramatically close the door? That Iott found it that difficult to work around 900 words demonstrates a haste to act and a lack of long-term vision. Iott has an absolute right to communicate (or not to) with anyone he chooses, but if he is that thin-skinned and quick to cut ties, how is he going to act in D.C.? And if he can’t wisely spend his millions of dollars in his choice of managers and staff, how can he be trusted to wisely spend ours?

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

Tags: Anita Lopez, Carol Contrada, Edna Brown, George Sarantou, Gina Marie Kaczala, Marcy Kaptur, Publisher's Statement, Rich Iott, Toledo Free Press, Tom Waniewski

This entry was posted on Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Publisher's Statement.
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Gentle and not-so-gentle barbs were traded Oct. 26 at “Art of Politics,” where three sets of candidates debated at the Toledo Museum of Art.

More than 150 people attended the debate, hosted by Toledo Free Press and the Toledo chapter of the League of Women Voters. The program, moderated by FOX Toledo news anchor Laura Emerson, consisted of exchanges between candidates in the Lucas County Auditor race, the District 11 Ohio Senate race and the Lucas County Commissioner race.

The candidates answered questions from panelists Brandi Barhite, Toledo Free Press associate editor, and Cumulus Radio News Director London Mitchell.

Kaczala/Lopez

First up were Democrat Anita Lopez, incumbent Lucas County auditor, and her challenger, Republican Gina Marie Kaczala.

Kaczala said the auditor’s office requires experience and her 21 years working in the auditor’s office gives her knowledge that Lopez lacks.

“Lucas County property owners are paying some of the highest property taxes in the state of Ohio — why? Because my opponent does not possess the experience this job requires,” said Kaczala, who said Lopez could have started the process to lower property values when she took office in 2007, but didn’t until 2009 because “she simply didn’t know how to lower the values.”

Lopez said those property values were locked in after being submitted in 2006, but Kaczala said end-of-year tax bills could have been lowered as a refund of sorts.

Another ongoing argument revolved around the qualifications of Lopez’s staff, while Lopez accused Kaczala of not maintaining consistent attendence during her tenure in the auditor’s office. Both candidates accused the other of nepotism.

Kaczala said Lopez lives in the past, “blaming the previous administration,” but Lopez said that administration, run by Kaczala’s late husband, Larry Kaczala, did make a number of errors.

“Whatever qualifications they may have had, they still didn’t deliver the right results for Lucas County citizens and that’s why I was elected,” Lopez said. “I stand 100 percent behind my staff and the quality work we deliver.”

Lopez said that, since taking office in 2007, she has focused on decreasing spending and increasing transparency.

Both candidates said they would consider combining the offices of auditor, recorder and/or treasurer into one position. Kaczala said the position could be appointed, while Lopez said more study and public input is needed and that the position should be elected.

Brown/Waniewski

Next, Democrat Edna Brown, an Ohio House Representative for District 48, and Republican Tom Waniewski, a Toledo City Councilman, squared off in the District 11 Ohio Senate debate.

Waniewski called Brown, who is term-limiting out of the House of Representatives after nine years, a “career politician,” but she objected to the title.

She said she is a “public servant” and the relationships she has built in Columbus and her knowledge of how the legislature works are invaluable to Northwest Ohio.

Referencing Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati as the “3 C’s,” Brown said Toledo is often shortchanged in the legislature because those cities are larger, with more representation and a stronger voice.

“But the one thing I have learned … seniority goes a long ways,” Brown said. “Seniority means a lot … having seniority enables one to sit at the table and have a strong voice when it comes to who gets what.”

But Waniewski said “relationships are not made in Columbus, but made in the community you serve. If you can’t do your job in eight years, something is wrong.”

Waniewski, whose background is in journalism, where he said he was aggravated by never getting straight answers from politicians, said he never considered a career in politics.

“I went into politics because I thought the public wasn’t getting their money’s worth from elected officials,” Waniewski said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think ‘Am I giving the public their money’s worth?’”

But Brown questioned Waniewski wanting to leave the Toledo City Council before finishing his term.

“I kind of wonder, with all he has to say about the state of Ohio, Toledo has a budget deficit and Mr. Waniewski has served less than three years of his initial term on City Council, so I kind of wonder … why not try to solve problems first in the city of Toledo rather than think you can solve the state of Ohio’s problems singlehandedly?” Brown said.

Waniewski said he’s not abandoning his constituents — rather he wants to represent more of them. He said he hopes his “fiscal sense” will be more influential when working as an Ohio senator as opposed to one of 12 Council members, in which he was sometimes overruled as the lone dissenter.

Contrada/Sarantou

The last set of debaters was Democrat Carol Contrada, a Sylvania Township trustee, and Republican George Sarantou, a Toledo city councilman, who are facing off for a Lucas County Commissioner seat.

Both candidates stressed the need to reach out more to suburban Lucas County communities to combat the historically Toledo-centric focus of the county commissioners.

Sarantou pledged to attend meetings in each jurisdiction — 11 townships and six villages — once per quarter in order to learn what is important to each.

“I know I’ve committed myself to a lot of meetings, but … I will do everything I can do to bring us to this next level of success,” Sarantou said. “I will roll up my sleeves and put my ego in my back pocket and go to work for the citizens of Lucas County.”

Contrada said Sarantou is promising to visit the townships, but she already knows how they work.

“Each one is unique, but I could bring that representation from day one,” Contrada said.

Although he lives in Toledo, Sarantou said his record proves he has a history of addressing county and regional issues as well as Toledo issues. He said it’s not the address you live at, but the leadership you exhibit for the region that should qualify you to serve on county commission.

Sarantou, a businessman for 28 years, said he would bring maturity as well as business sense to the office. He said retaining and creating jobs would be his No. 1 priority.

“I think my business skills are vastly needed at the commission office,” Sarantou said. “If we do not retain the jobs we have and create more jobs we will not win in this economic war of survival. Other areas of Ohio will benefit.”

Tags: Anita Lopez, Art of Politics, Brandi Barhite, Carol Contrada, Edna Brown, George Sarantou, Gina Marie Kaczala, Laura Emerson, League of Women Voters, London Mitchell, Toledo Free Press, Toledo Museum of Art, Tom Waniewski

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 28th, 2010 at 8:51 pm and is filed under Community, Politics.
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The “Art of Politics” debate began at 7 p.m. The live blog aspect of the debate was to begin at approximately 6:45 p.m. More information on the preview of tonight’s event is in this article, TFP debate to feature Brown/Waniewski, Contrada/Sarantou, Kaczala/Lopez, Oct. 26 at TMA

More will be forthcoming from the Toledo Free Press on tonight’s debate. Audio from the debate courtesy of Glass City Jungle is below, Glass City Jungle also has a rough transcript of the “Art of Politics” debate.

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– Introduction and Auditor candidate debate.

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– Ohio Senate 11 candidate debate.

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– Lucas County Commissioner candidate debate.

Tags: Anita Lopez, Brandi Barhite, Edna Brown, FOX Toledo, George Sarantou, Gina Marie Kaczala, Glass City Jungle, Laura Emerson, League of Women Voters, Lisa Renee Ward, Toledo Free Press, Toledo Museum of Art, Tom Waniewski

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 at 4:31 pm and is filed under Community, Election 2010.
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On Election Day Nov. 2, area residents will cast votes for important national and statewide races, with congressional races, an election for Ohio governor — and an equally important number of local races.

Toledo Free Press and the Toledo chapter of the League of Women Voters will host a three-in-one debate Oct. 26 between candidates in three of these races.

“The Art of Politics” starts at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Great Gallery. This public event will feature three debate pairings moderated by FOX Toledo anchor Laura Emerson and live blogged by Lisa Renee Ward on the Glass City Jungle and Toledo Free Press websites.

The debate begins with the Lucas County Auditor race, followed by the District 11 Ohio Senate race and then the Lucas County Commissioner race. Tickets for the debate are available through each candidate’s campaign.

Lucas County Auditor: Kaczala vs. Lopez

Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez (D) is seeking to retain her position against Gina Marie Kaczala (R), a former employee of the auditor’s office.

Lopez, who believes citizens are the boss, hopes to continue to work to make sure property values are fair and equitable and that citizens are engaged, she said.

“The more we can engage the public, the more feedback we get and we can make sure our descriptions of their properties are accurate,” Lopez said.

Lopez

Since 2007, Lopez has cut the previous administration’s department spending by $500,000 and has added three new tools to the Auditors Real Estate Information System (ARIES) to provide more transparency, she said.

The levy estimator allows citizens to see how much a proposed levy would cost them annually; the sales report allows citizens to see the price of sales in their market; and the tax distributor allows citizens to see dollar for dollar which government entity their property taxes are going to.

If re-elected, Lopez hopes to add links to the ARIES website that allow citizens to look directly at how money is being spent by the government entities receiving their property taxes, she said. In addition, Lopez hopes to work with the state to grant authority to the county auditor’s office to perform random audits on government entities.

“I think that’s important in these tough economic times,” Lopez said. “The state only comes around once a year. There’s no way of randomly keeping folks on their toes, to make sure they’re in compliance with the law.”

Prior to serving as auditor, Lopez was Lucas County Recorder and member of the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education.

Lopez’s opponent, Kaczala, said the development of ARIES has been virtually stagnant since her late-husband Larry Kaczala’s administration.

“That office was once a pinnacle,” she said. “We had people visiting the office from China, Europe and Australia just to view ARIES because of our financial responsibility. It’s no longer that pinnacle.”

Kaczala worked for 21 years in the Lucas County Auditor’s office and for 18 years as director of internal audits in the finance department.

“That experience is invaluable. I know every aspect of that office. I know financially how that office should be run,” she said.

Kaczala

Kaczala said if elected she already has an award-winning team with experience in finance and real estate ready to start working right away in the auditor’s office.

As auditor, Kaczala would immediately reevaluate all properties to make sure the values were fair and accurate because state reports show property values being inaccurate, she said.

Kaczala said senior citizens in Lucas County have been neglected and she will make sure they are being taken care of in a responsible manner.

Kaczala worked on the office’s comprehensive annual financial report that helped the county come up with its yearly budgets, she said. Every year the team received awards for its report, Kaczala said.

Kaczala is a graduate of the University of Toledo where she received a degree in political science.

District 11 Ohio Senate: Brown vs. Waniewski

Ohio House Representative for District 48 Edna Brown (D), who cannot run for re-election due to term limits, is seeking office within the Ohio Senate to continue serving Northwest Ohio.

“I want to continue the work I’ve done in the House,” she said. “Take that experience to the Senate. I think that it will serve this area well.”

Brown said more than eight years isn’t very long to get up to speed and get legislation moving, so she is seeking election in the Senate to continue her work.

Brown said she understands Columbus and how the legislature works and will be able to utilize that experience, she said. Brown previously worked with some current Senate members in the House and will be able to use her past relationships to help the region, she said.

Brown

Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski (R) decided to run for Ohio Senate because politicians were hopping from one legislature to another and he “couldn’t reward bad behavior.” While Waniewski hasn’t completed his full term as councilman, he said serving on Senate would be a greater way for him to assist the region.

“I want to ramp up my public service. There’s nothing wrong with that if it’s in true public service fashion,” he said. “Some politicians may be looking for their next paycheck, and I see it as an opportunity to shout more loudly and more clearly for Northwest Ohio.”

Waniewski hopes with a little energy and engagement he can help Northwest Ohio get out of its “funk.”

Waniewski wants to engage the community and work with them to find solutions, he said.

“Instead of being, “Here’s what we’ve done, let’s do this because it’s what we’ve always done,” let’s look at analyzing and finding new solutions,” he said.

Waniewski wants to focus on fiscal responsibility and the education system, he said.

“Government is spending more than they have. The culture of government has to change from one of politics to one of public service,” he said.

Waniewski

In addition, Waniewski wants to explore underemployment insurance, putting people back to work and not having them depend on the government, he said.

Prior to serving five terms, Brown was a member of Toledo City Council for six years.

Waniewski worked for 25 years a journalist before starting an Internet company. He has served as resource director for the Boys & Girls Club of Toledo. He is also a past chairman of the United Way of Greater Toledo board.

County Commissioner: Contrada vs. Sarantou

Both Sylvania Township Trustee Carol Contrada (D) and Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou (R), candidates for Lucas County Commissioner, said if elected commissioner they’d focus on economic development and fiscal responsibility.

Sarantou, who has experience working with joint economic agreements with Maumee, Monclova and recently Perrysburg as part of Council, said he would bring 28 years of business experience to the commissioner position. His top priority would to make sure the county is focusing on sound economic development, he said.

If elected, Contrada would begin securing federal dollars to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy for the region, she said.

Both said they’d go through the county’s budget line by line, eliminating waste.

Contrada

“I think it’s critically important to manage expenses and be accountable to the taxpayer. We need to make sure the service they think they’re paying for, is what they are getting,” Contrada said.

Sarantou said he has helped cut the city’s budget for the past nine years.

“We need to go through each department’s budget. They just found a reserve in the dog warden’s budget. I suspect there are other reserve funds,” Sarantou said.

Contrada wants to bring an outside voice to the Board of Lucas County Commissioners. Her experience in Sylvania Township will help her represent the 11 other townships in the county, she said.

Sarantou said if elected to the commissioner’s office, he would host meetings in townships and villages.

“My goal is to improve the communications, work with the suburban government,” he said. “It’s important for us to go out and find out what we can do to improve their situations.”

Sarantou said electing him as commissioner would help balance the county government, which is run by two Democrat commissioners.

Sarantou

Sarantou has served eight years on council and was re-elected for this third term as an at-large member in November. Sarantou is finance committee chairman and is a member of Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Government’s transportation council as well as a member of the Downtown Improvement District board of directors.

As trustee, Contrada helped the township achieve a Double-A rating, maintained and improved the township’s infrastructure and improved emergency services, she said. Contrada has served seven years as trustee and is first chairwoman of TMACOG’s executive board.

A personal injury lawyer, she is a member of the practice Contrada & Associates.

Tags: Anita Lopez, Brandi Barhite, Edna Brown, FOX Toledo, George Sarantou, Gina Marie Kaczala, Glass City Jungle, Laura Emerson, League of Women Voters, Lisa Renee Ward, Toledo Free Press, Toledo Museum of Art, Tom Waniewski

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 at 10:00 am and is filed under Breaking News, Community, Politics.
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As we roll into the final weeks of campaigning before the Nov. 2 election, a tremendous amount of attention is focused on the 9th District Congressional race between incumbent Marcy Kaptur and challenger Rich Iott. Their Oct. 11 debate, sponsored by Toledo Free Press and Leadership Toledo and broadcast live on FOX Toledo, will be the last high-profile opportunity for voters to see the candidates answer questions and face each other.

But there are several more races to be decided, and Toledo Free Press is teaming with the Toledo chapter of the League of Women Voters to bring you three more debates in one place on one night.

“The Art of Politics” will commence at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Toledo Museum of Art’s beautiful Great Gallery. This open-to-the-public evening will feature three debate pairings, moderated by FOX Toledo anchor Laura Emerson and live blogged by Lisa Renee Ward from the Glass City Jungle, FOX Toledo and Toledo Free Press websites.

The candidates will answer questions from panelists Michael S. Miller, Toledo Free Press editor in chief, Brandi Barhite, Toledo Free Press associate editor and Cumulus Radio News Director London Mitchell.

Here is the lineup of debates:

n Edna Brown (D) and Tom Waniewski (R): Brown, the District 48 representative to the Ohio House, is in her fifth term in the House and is looking to move to the District 11 Ohio Senate seat. Waniewski, a Toledo City Councilman, is the challenger.

n Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez (D) will debate challenger Gina Marie Kaczala (R).

n Lucas County Commissioner candidates. Sylvania Twp. Trustee Carol Contrada (D)and current Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou (R)will address several critical issues.

Free tickets to the “Art of Politics” debate night will be available Oct. 15 through each campaign, the Toledo Free Press office and the information desk at the Toledo Museum of Art.

Toledo Free Press strives to present community events and encourage conversations that promote our quality of life. We are greatly indebted to the Toledo Museum of Art, the six participating campaigns and our media and community partners for helping us make our vision a reality.

And, hopefully, making the debate night a true masterpiece.

Tags: Anita Lopez, Carol Contrada, Edna Brown, George Sarantou, Gina Kaczala, Marcy Kaptur, Publisher's Statement, Rich Iott, Tom Pounds, Tom Waniewski

This entry was posted on Friday, October 8th, 2010 at 4:04 pm and is filed under Opinion, Publisher's Statement.
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