There have been a number of questions,
comments, complaints, and opinions made by residents in Maple Heights. A list
of some of those questions/comments/opinions are listed below. Feel free to
answer, add to, or comment on those questions and/or comments/opinions. (smile)
It is doubtful you will get relevant/specific comments or answers from this
administration or council representatives about these matters, but ask anyway.
If you do get answers and/or comments, demand that they provide proof. Better
still, give your representatives homework assignments. Tell them if they don't
complete the assignment, they don't get your vote.
When abandoned buildings were
demolished, did we use city workers, or did we use outside contractors? If we
used outside contractors, who were they, and what are the names of the owners
of these companies? How many were minority contractors?
A comment: The city (at the mayor's request) recently increased fees and the cost of permits. What most people don't
realize, those costs are passed on to us either directly, or through the
contractor who wraps it into what he charges us to do the work.
Why has construction stopped at the school site on Raymond?
A comment: Real estate agents and government home buying workshops
should be required to tell home buyers about what is expected of them when they
buy a home (ex. upkeep of property, property taxes, adhering to city
ordinances, etc). Real estate agents should be required (when they show a
house) to present the city ordinances, so the buyer knows what is expected of
him/her before buying a house.
How many auxiliary employees are in the police department? Are
they all police officers?
A comment: Every public employee (which includes elected
officials) should remember that their function is to protect and serve the
residents in the city where they are employed. Their first duty is serving and
protecting the residents. That means, if a city’s population is declining, and
there is high unemployment, they should expect an adjustment (downward) in
their pay and benefits. When the community is financially stable, public
employee’s pay and benefits can be adjusted (upward).
List of projects Maple Heights has been involved in. Who were the
contractors? What materials were purchased for these projects, and from whom
were they purchased? How much did we pay these contractors, and where did the
funds come from (tax payers, donations, grants, etc)?
Do we charge businesses/contractors any fees for doing business in
Maple Heights. If yes, are all of them charged fees, and if not, why not? How
are fees determined?
Do all the businesses in Maple Heights pay taxes to the city of
Maple Heights? If some do and some don’t, who does and who doesn’t? At what
rate are they taxed? Do they all pay the same tax rate?
List of businesses that contracted with the city of Maple Heights
over the last 4 years?
List of minority owned businesses/ contractors used over the past
4 years?
A comment: All public records requests should be provided to the
requester w/in 30 days without the mayor's approval.
What is the monthly salary or hourly wage, city of residence, job
title, date of hire, and race of each city worker (broken down by department)?
Are African Americans denied information about the city, while
Caucasians have no problem obtaining information?
Do all requests for information about the city have to go through
the mayor?
Why are there so many miscellaneous categories in the budget, etc.?
How much do we pay in benefits to Maple Heights public employees
(including elected officials)?
What is the totalhealth insurance premium for Maple Heights
public employees? What percentage of the total do Maple Heights public
employees pay?
How much interest do we pay to bondholders? How often are these
interest payments made? When was the last payment made?
Is the affirmative action agreement (involving the police
departments and schools) available online?
Update: Affirmative Action agreements (1) (2)
Update: Affirmative Action agreements (1) (2)
Where can we obtain a copy of that affirmative action agreement?
Update: Affirmative Action agreements (1) (2)
Update: Affirmative Action agreements (1) (2)
What is the job description of safety director, and why is it
necessary to have one?
A comment: The position of safety director should be replaced with
a civilian review board.
Number of foreclosures each year since 2007
A comment: Council should not be able to pass any resolution
without first holding a public meeting/debate, and also having a citizen's
advisory board review it.
A comment: We should pass a resolution and/or change charter
making it mandatory that there be a special election held w/in 90 days of a
council seat becoming vacant.
A number of people have expressed interest in community policing.
A comment: You should not be able to declare a council seat vacant
for any reason.
What's the total cost for the 4th of July fireworks?
Do the people who work at the Food Pantry receive a wage, or are
they just volunteers? They should receive a wage.
What is the city doing about the continuing problem of high home
foreclosures?
A comment: This city should be reducing the salary of the mayor
and council right now, and not after their term in office (call your council
representative about a recent council resolution regarding the mayor's salary
and their salary). Council salary will still be too high regardless of that
resolution they passed. We have high unemployment among African Americans, more
losses in population, and high, ongoing home foreclosures, and these
politicians still fail to address the city's financial problems adequately.
A comment: This city is 73% African American. Name more than 1 African
American department head [Waller - who doesn't live in Maple Hts, ... Who hired her? This mayor's record
on diversity in leaderhip positions stinks. There are no African Americans in this mayor's
inner circle, one in a leadership position and high-salaried position,
and only 1 elected African American in council, the other African American in
council was sought out and appointed by council (not the people in his
district).
The mayor knew about state budget cuts to local municipalities in
June 2011. Why wasn’t appropriate action taken then regarding salaries (esp.
mayor’s salary), etc? Why didn’t council make a resolution last year to cut
council members salaries and the mayor’s salary for the next four years or
more?
What was so important about the state funds? What did those funds
pay for? Maple Heights mayor blames state cuts on Maple Heights problems. Tell
us why you needed those state funds.
What salary/benefits and other concessions were made last year and
this year by each department? Name the individuals affected. %age African
American affected?
A Comment: Cut council meetings to 1 day a month, and no council
meetings in the summer month.
A Comment: The mayor should not use glossy newsletters.
Why aren’t council and mayor, etc. salaries being cut now?
Explain what a safety director does, and why does the mayor need
that title?
Who okays salary increases? Who can order salary cuts?
What communities were hurt most by state budget cuts? Were they
mostly communities of color?
A Comment: All out of town trips by public employees must be
documented and approved by council or perhaps a citizen’s advisory board.
A Comment: Mayor said: "Lansky said it was expected the city would spend $150,000 a year less in legal fees when compared with the prior administration." Did we save money in legal fees?
A Comment and a Question: Linda Vopat hired a dance instructor to perform at the senior center. Who is that person? What city does she reside in? Is she a Maple Heights government employee? How much was she paid (need to see checks written), and what were the financial arrangements made between the instructor and the city of Maple Heights? How long is the contract for between the dance instructor and the city of Maple Heights? Can anyone use a Maple Heights government facility (like the senior center) for profit making purposes? Can a Maple Heights resident use a Maple Heights government facility (like the senior center) in order to make a profit? Can a Maple Heights resident use a Maple Heights government facility for social events? If yes to the last 3 questions, under what provisions and conditions, and what facilities are available? Why is there so much secrecy surrounding the financial arrangements with this dance instructor?
Comment:
Council should not be able to call a council seat vacant "for any reason" (reasons should be clearly stated)
Comment:
A special election (within 60 days) should be required if a council seat becomes vacant and there is more than 12 months left in the term.
Information: Ohio Sunshine law manual
4 comments:
The mayor and his administration, and most on city council, act like a bunch of dictators. They don't even listen to the people who pay their salaries.
Looks like they've run this city into the ground. They do seem to be involved in some kind of cover-up. Boot them all out of office.
Wish we were able to do it today.
Montello can find a 1924 case law, but can't find any affirmative action aggreements the city signed?
What is this administration hiding?
Time to fess-up.
City council members (from any city) are going to have to decide who they work for. Do they work for the residents/constituents, esp. the people who pay their salary, or do they work for the mayor? If a mayor tells you to do something that is illegal, do you do it and risk prosecution or being caught up in a legal situation?
If someone who is entitled to see a public document, requests to see that document, and you (as a public official who can grant that request) deny that request, are you legally culpable?
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