Appointment to fill the City Council Seat

No doubt, Steve Steele is a bright, articulate candidate for City Council. But his primary role over the next few months is to get elected to office and appointing Steve to fill the City Council seat vacated by Mark Sobczak will only acerbate the Council proceedings and decisions. It will become a political campaign, whether or not intentional.

I ask you once again, think beyond party politics and political paradigms, appoint a statesman with no political ambitions.

Steve will have plenty of time, talent and resources to run his campaign for election. Toledo needs efforts and attentions directed to resolving the issues facing our embattled city and City Council, Toledo does not need this appointment bo becoma a campaign to be elected to office.

Karen Shanahan
3633 Denise Drive, Toledo 43614
kesjr@att.ent
419 380 0244

Parking Tickets while Parking at Home, another embarrasment for Toledo

Shame on the Mayor, this is ridiculous, is the city administration this desperate? We hit the national news again:

Added just this afternoon
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31390180/ns/us_news-weird_news/

http://www.autoinsane.com/2009/06/16/news/government-policy/city-of-toledo-ohio-issues-parking-tickets-to-drivers-parked-in-their-own-driveways/
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/06/toledo_residents_find_25_parki.html
http://forum.thedailyshow.com/tds/board/message?board.id=story_suggestions&message.id=9574
http://www.torontosun.com/news/weird/2009/06/16/9812656.html
http://www.cantonrep.com/ohio/x702343198/Toledo-residents-ticketed-for-parking-in-their-own-driveway
http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/2009/06/toledo-tickets-citizens-for-parking-in-their-own-driveways.html
http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20090616/UPDATES01/90616001
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/122858/group/home/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090616/ap_on_re_us/us_odd_ohio_driveway_tickets
http://www.startribune.com/nation/48147072.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUX
http://www.kfsm.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-odd-ohio-driveway-tickets,0,7207199.story
http://privatopia.blogspot.com/2009/06/holy-toledo-city-acting-like-hoa.html
http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/06/16/park-in-your-own-driveway-youre-a-criminal/
http://www.wtte28.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.oh/33babf9c-www.wtte28.com.shtml
http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/200906160125
http://snackfeed.com/videos/detail/a3891efc-abdf-102c-8790-00304897c9c6/Ticket-for-parking-in-driveway_s=s (from CNN Most Popular)
http://blog.taragana.com/n/ohio-residents-ticketed-for-parking-in-own-driveways-under-toledo-law-about-unpaved-surfaces-82796/
http://www.rocketnews.com/2009/06/ohio-residents-ticketed-for-driveway-parking-source-the-globe-and-mail/
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wdsu.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wmtw.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wmur.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wyff4.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wisn.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wxow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10538958
http://www.wqow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10538958&nav=menu1364_2
http://www.wxii12.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=10538958
http://www.kitv.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wgal.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.4029tv.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wapt.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://digg.com/world_news/Ohioans_ticketed_for_parking_in_own_driveways

and let’s not forget this
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1968071/posts

Paradigm Shift for Council

Toledo City Council has many issues to contend with: rising unemployment, lagging economic development, budget deficits, increasing crime, decreased city services, employee layoffs and potholes. Now, unleashed in the midst of all these issues, is the search for a replacement to Council for Mark Sobczak, who resigned. If the process plays out in usual political fashion, we will again witness the partisanship and divisions within the parties and the end result will be a flawed, biased appointment of a person to fill the seat. It plays out like a three ring circus, which creates great press the media enjoys; but is harmful to effective government. Will the best person be appointed, or the best-connected person?

I challenge the Republican and Democratic chairmen and Council to effect a paradigm shift and consider the best interests of Toledo rather than the interests of the political parties. Appoint a statesman to the position, a person who has no desire or inclination to run for office

Seek a person who is experienced and can provide leadership without bias to the Party, reach out to the Community, appoint a Business Leader of our Community or a Donna Owens or a Tom Crothers or a Tom Pounds or a John McHugh, experienced but not politically motivated to seek office. Select a statesman who affects policy rather than policy affected by politics. Once this appointment is made, appoint this experienced Statesman President of Council, again, avoid politics, consider the needs of Toledo.

How refreshing it would be to have our political leaders take the high road of a paradigm shift, being more concerned with the welfare of Toledo and dismissing “politics as usual”.