FT

Full text of my email to the council president having to do with a previous email regarding lawsuits, crime statistics, etc:

to:		JACQUELINE M ALBERS <jackiewalkin@sbcglobal.net>
date:		Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 2:00 AM
subject:		Re: Public Information

 

"Thanks Jackie ....

 

 

I think the lawsuit titles (w defendant/plaintiff/dates) should be recorded and kept on a city webpage for all residents to see.  These are public records.  I shouldn't have to go looking through federal/state/county, civil/criminal court records to find cases pertaining to the City of Maple Heights or some Maple Heights city employee. 

 

 

Further, while the law director may not want to disclose settlement figures (invoking attorney client privilege), I think, given that it's partly my money (no matter how small) being used to settle, I want to know that figure.

 

 

This recent disclosure by Channel 3 news regarding Alexander Casey and the lawsuit should have been disclosed to council and the residents way before showing up in the news.

 

 

Also, in my opinion, there should be a resolution or negotiation with the police union, that any member of the police department who has at least 2 complaints of excessive force, should a third produce a lawsuit, that person should have to provide their own legal defense (there are other cities that have refused legal defense for various reasons).

 

 

How does one justify defending a public employee who abuses a person who helps pay his salary?  This screams conflict of interest.

 

 

My money helps pay the insurance premium.  I want to know who I'm defending.  Evidently, there was a settlement because of Mr. Casey's [alleged]actions. 

 

 

Any law director that can't tell me the number of lawsuits filed against the city or a city employee (in the line of work), or on behalf of the city (within a small period of time), in my opinion, is not fully serving the residents.  Further, if we're losing lawsuits, or negotiations with police unions harm the citizens (ex. employee's paying $20/$40 a month for their health insurance premiums, as was negotiated in 2011) perhaps we should start looking for another lawyer. And just why is it that the law director and assistant law director are from the same firm? 

 

 

Considering that I had to take out a loan to pay my current property taxes, I want to know where every penny is going, and how it's being used.  [This is more than a hint on how I'm going to vote on the levy in November.]

 

 

I also want to know why "the city will not be utilizing the Code Red Message System" anymore.  Was it to expensive?  What's the explanation?

 

 

And finally, there's the case of Gary Marable.  I'm told Mr. Marable was found hanging in his jail cell around May of this year.  I'm told council can investigate.  Will you?"