SOUTH EUCLID OVERSIGHT

Cedar Center Decoy

2012-02-01T20:57:00.066-05:00

.....POST IN PROGRESS.....

The collection of documents and videos presented in this post sheds light on the truly symbiotic relationship between the South Euclid government, developers and the local media. The continuity of keeping The Coral Company in the picture was a nice ancillary benefit for South Euclid officials, particularly in a Mayoral election year. However, after peeling away the varied stories and layers of blatant misrepresentation, it seems possible the true advantage of this relationship is to keep the public in the dark about their $20 million plus involuntary encumbrance. Meanwhile, the city snuggles into a cozy partnership with Oakwood Country Club developer, Mitchell Schneider, of First Interstate Properties. It appears he utilized his resources as a rescue effort to help the City get something- anything built at Cedar Center. As always, the Sun Messenger continues to beat the drum for the City, taking dictation and reporting for the fifth year in a row that all is well and the Coral Company is ready to begin construction any day now.

Below are two excerpts (boxed in red) from the November 2011 Cedar Center Purchase Agreement for the sale of 7 acres of municipally owned property for $1, 325,000.00. These are the only two places throughout the entire 17 page document where there is any mention of the Coral Company. In both instances, the reference is in the form of separation and not partnership with DeVille Development, the purchaser of the property as Cedar Center North, LLC.

Please click on images below to view full size.

Please click to view the entire text of the Cedar Center Purchase Agreement November 2011.

Here is a link to the October 28, 2011 commercial real estate appraisal regarding the 7 acres of property sold to Cedar Center North, LLC.

In the video below, Law Director Michael Lograsso speaks as if he was instrumental in locating and negotiating the Bob Evans deal for Cedar Center. In reality, it seems the credit for securing the Bob Evans deal belongs to Goodman Real Estate Services Group, LLC., and the negotiator hired by South Euclid to broker the deal.

time: 3 min. 19 sec.

First Interstate Properties, Ltd. is based in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Their offices are at Legacy Village. Goodman Real Estate Services, LLC. has it's offices at Legacy Village also. According to the information provided at the First Interstate Properties website, Goodman Real Estate Services is the leasing agent for all of First Interstate Properties with the exception of Legacy Village.

Here is Mr. Goodman's professional profile as it appears on his company website. His firm represents a variety of clientele which includes First Interstate Properties/Mitchell Schneider and DeVille Development/Patrick Sirpilla.

This press release is on the Goodman Real Estate Services Group website.

Video below: Regarding Cedar Center, Mayor Welo repeats the same worn out delusional stories; that many developers had “a lot of interest in it,” that the economy was to blame for nothing happening, and perhaps the biggest whopper of them all, “Tonight, Peter, you’re going to build Cedar Center.”

A few more amazing quotes:

“Keith Benjamin and Michael Love taught me about a lot of words and what I’m supposed to say and when I do things wrong.”

“I look forward to our next adventure.”

Video taken on October 24, 2011 – 10 days later on November 3, 2011, Mayor Welo and a representative for Cedar Center North, LLC. sign the Cedar Center Purchase Agreement

time: 2 min. 36 sec.

time: 3 min. 04 sec.

Ohio Secretary of State - Business Search By Name - Cedar Center North, LLC

Click on each link below to view information.

Cedar Center North, LLC - 2005 Business Filing - Caitlin Company

Cedar Center North, LLC - 2006 - Business Dissolution - Caitlin Company

Cedar Center North, LLC - Oct.31, 2011 - Business Filing

Cedar Center North, LLC - November 01, 2011 - Trade Name Registration\

time: 0 min. 54 sec.

Ordinance: 39 -11

2012-01-14T19:05:00.003-05:00

The following legislation was prepared and introduced by

Ward 4 Councilman Ed Icove.

Please click on image below to view full size.

A Sad Year For Oakwood

2011-12-26T23:35:00.001-05:00

Please click on images below to view full size.

Take It To The Public

2011-12-07T01:24:00.009-05:00

Video below: Robert Schoenewald advises City Council of the citizen organized effort for a Charter Amendment initiative to prohibit a trash collection fee.

time: 4 min. 11 sec.

Moody's Investors Service credit rating of South Euclid (click to view) was partially contingent on the implementation of revenue enhancements, specifically named as garbage collection fees.

Video below: David Miller responds to a question at the League of Women Voters Candidate Forum. He claims that others are telling lies and proclaims, "...I'm here to be the truth squad!"

time: 2 min. 0 sec.

On April 4, 2011, during a discussion about trash collection fees (click to view), David Miller said, making reference to the tax credit rollback legislation uproar of 2010: “This conversation also germinated when the tax credit was rolled back and then put back on. That it was a more fair option regarding everybody having skin in the game.”

Please see the previous post:
Spin The Budget

Administrative Salaries Must Be Cut

2011-11-29T00:35:00.034-05:00

During the tax credit rollback debacle of 2010, attention was focused on the increased salaries of the Mayor and her Administration, and with the spike in the number of high paying new positions that had been created at city hall.

time: 3 min. 14 sec.

Please see the related post:
Salaries Skyrocket Under Welo

Please click on images below to view full size.

Please click here to view:
2003-2009 SALARY ORDINANCES.

Below: Ordinance 12-07:
An ordinance fixing the salary of the mayor...

Below: June 28, 2010 - Mayor Georgine Welo states that in lieu of reducing her salary mid-term, which is not permitted by law, “…I’m using furlough days, I’ve written checks for different bills and things like that…”

A new Mayoral term is about to begin January 1, 2012. Where was the legislation to lower the Mayor’s salary? Apparently Mayor Welo’s statement about wanting to lower her salary was disingenuous. (video below)

Where is a current Salary Ordinance reflecting Administrative pay reductions? The last Salary Ordinance was passed in 2009. Why is that?

time: 2 min. 12 sec.

Below: Do not miss this video. Amazing and true, the citizens of South Euclid allowed these outrageous salaries to continue when few wanted to get involved.

time: 7 min. 12 sec.

Here are some MUST-SEE previous posts related to SALARIES:

No Capacity For Shame

"You Don't Have To Worry About It"...?!

One Or The Other

Hope You're Sitting Down For This One

Not Reporting The Whole Story

Why So Much?

Please click here to view SEO's:
Budget and Salaries Index

Cedar Center Purchase Agreement November 2011

2011-11-21T11:12:00.009-05:00

Please click on the following link to view the most recent purchase agreement for 7 acres of Cedar Center property for $1,325,000.00.

Cedar Center Purchase Agreement November 2011

The Bully Culprit

2011-11-18T10:42:00.012-05:00

time: 7 min. 02 sec.

Please click on images below to view full size.

Please click on the following links to read the online versions of the Sun Messenger articles above, including readers comments:

"South Euclid Council President David Miller apologizes to the offended for his Oakwood comments, but also stands by comments' meaning"

"David Miller's hateful language has no place in public discourse: Letter to the Editor"

Please also see the previous SEO post:

Warning Signs

2011-11-10T19:01:00.020-05:00

time: 1 min. 12 sec.

Here is a link to review further information regarding

Dr. Miller's educational profile.

Please click on images below to view full size.

Here is a link to read the above

Sun Messenger article, online version,

including reader's comments.

Please also see previous SEOversight posts,

Public Spat , Toxic Tango and
The Bully Culprit.

Click to view South Euclid's

"Good Neighbor Guide."

Not If, But When

2011-11-09T21:42:00.011-05:00

Please click on image to view full size.

MUST SEE previous SEO post: Revenue Enhancements Garbage Collection Fees

South Euclid Election Results 2011

2011-11-08T21:35:00.012-05:00

SEOversight is monitoring the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website to obtain the following elections results. Also provided here is a link to the BOE website if you prefer to conduct your own search for results.

We will continue to update SEO until the final results for the races below are posted by the Board of Elections. All candidate names are shown in alphabetical order. Thank you for reading SEOversight.
Last update 12:05 a.m. - all precincts reported - unofficial final results

MAYOR

Schoenewald....2180
Welo................5120*

COUNCIL AT - LARGE

Caroscio.................2275
Fiorelli...................3003*
Fortner..................1404
Gelfand.................2323*
Liptow...................1370
Martin...................927
Miller....................3373*
Shute-Woodson.....1988

MUNICIPAL JUDGE

Casa.....................2518*
Koosed.................2210
Williams-Byers......2504

ISSUE 96 - OAKWOOD

No....3451
Yes...4272*

ISSUE 97 - TRAFFIC CAMERAS

No.....3443
Yes....4123*

SE-L SCHOOL BOARD

Hood.......383
Rhine......6793*
Wynne....4716*

South Euclid Candidate Literature 2011

2011-11-04T19:24:00.028-04:00

Please click on images to view full size.

MAYORAL RACE

NOTE: No campaign literature was provided by the Welo Campaign, and the Mayor did not attend the candidate forum night at Brush High School sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

                        ~

                COUNCIL AT-LARGE
                  (candidates presented in alphabetical order)

NOTE: Tony Caroscio did not attend the candidate forum night and did not provide literature. This flyer was obtained via general distribution.

Note: SEO apologizes for not obtaining or keeping better track of Mr. Fiorelli's campaign literature from the candidate forum night at Brush High School. Here is a link to his current city council website:

DENNIS FIORELLI

Note: Please click the following link for the campaign website of;

George L. Martin

MUNICIPAL JUDGE

SCHOOL BOARD

Please click on the following link for:

Stephanie Rhine

Old News

2011-10-30T20:52:00.010-04:00

The video below was published by Fox8 News.

Here is a link to the

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court

system. At this location you may search both the CIVIL and CRIMINAL dockets for ALL council candidates, current members of council and the administration.

Welo’s Expedient Rhetoric

2011-10-26T20:54:00.002-04:00

time: 4 min. 49 sec.

Please also see previous SEOversight post:
Good Old-Fashioned Propaganda

Citizen Editorial

2011-10-25T20:29:00.005-04:00

South Euclid Oversight received this editorial from a South Euclid citizen who wanted the Sun Messenger to publish this anonymously. Knowing the credibility of this individual, SEO is happy to oblige.

It’s time for the “No on 96” haters to quit accusing First Interstate Developers of not telling the truth. The 1,589 of you that liked the “No on 96” Facebook page just don’t have the information that the 27 people that liked the “Yes! Issue96” Facebook page do. Let’s examine the facts. We need more retail in South Euclid. If the exciting rumors are true, we’ll have access to TWO Wal-Marts within a 3-mile radius. Take that Beachwood; you don’t even have one Wal-Mart. Nothing attracts solid residents and a sense of community more than superstores. All you have to do is look at the bustling, thriving retail centers like Severance Town Center, University Square, and Cedar Center. That’s proof that no shopping center in this area has empty storefronts. Have you seen the new dollar store that opened in Maymore Shopping Center? That’s going to draw lots of new residents.

You better believe First Interstate will help to create jobs. Great jobs! Take Wal-Mart for example. Who wouldn’t want to make a median income of $17,762 (from glassdoor.com) while earning a 10% discount on quality, Chinese-made merchandise? With another $4588 of earnings (maybe you could sell drugs), you’ll almost reach the national poverty line for a family of four. If this is any indication of the type of big-box jobs we can expect from First Interstate, they’ve got my vote. After all, it’s not like there’s an international movement occupying the public eye in regards to distribution of wealth. Let’s make First Interstate richer. It doesn’t cost you anything--just like the green space that will accompany the shopping center. Nothing relaxes me more than spending a sunny afternoon under the trees adjacent to a large asphalt parking lot.

Finally, let’s commend the forward-thinking leadership of South Euclid. They understand that the solution to aging citizens, a declining population, and financial hardship is not through quality schools, excellent city services, decreased city spending, controlling city salaries, or creating incentives (rather than penalties) to upgrade the housing stock. They know that the future is…SHOPPING! Forget all you’ve heard about this crazy “online” shopping fad. It won’t last. Brick and mortar retail is strong, like the United States Postal Service. Let’s meet for coffee at Borders to talk about it.

The visionary leadership of our fair city purchased the Greenvale 9 houses for $1.6 million and then got an even better deal of $200,000 to knock those unsightly things down. They have purchased a Harley Davidson for the police force so they’re no longer cramped in awful squad cars during the long Cleveland summer. They paid consultants $40,000 for a study that recommended anchoring Cedar Center with a Bob Evans. Thanks to that outside-the-box thinking, we won’t have to settle for a second-rate breakfast served by IHOP 2.5 miles away.

As you can see, the city of South Euclid is stepping into the future with innovative and creative solutions to our problems. Follow us into the 20th century!

Revenue Enhancements = Garbage Collection Fees

2011-10-23T00:29:00.008-04:00

It seems the Moody's rating of South Euclid was partially contingent on the implementation of revenue enhancements, specifically named as garbage collection fees.

Please click on image below to view full size.

Please click here to view the entire
Moody's report.

Schoenewald Analyzes Cedar Center

2011-10-20T13:45:00.002-04:00

Please click on image to view full size.

time: 9 min. 36 sec.

Buckle Your Seatbelts - Part 2

2011-10-13T12:31:00.010-04:00

time: 5 min. 19 sec.

According to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Columbus, “covert plates” such as the ones currently in use on the noted vehicles are obtained through the Gratis Department of the Ohio BMV. Those plates are issued at the discretion of the Registrar in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 4503.35.

Please click on images below to view full size.

Here is a copy of the accident report issued at 1:50 a.m. on December 7, 2007. The crash occurred after the firemen's Christmas party at Muldoon's.

Please see previous related post,

Buckle Your Seatbelts - Part 1

Twilight Zone

2011-10-13T06:15:00.006-04:00

Please click on image to view full size.

Please click to view the above Plain Dealer article online including reader comments.

Cedar Center, Down On The Farm

2011-10-08T19:53:00.015-04:00

BOB EVANS COMES TO CEDAR CENTER

Please click on image to view full size.

Please click here to see entire agenda.

Please click on below to view full size.

Please click here to view a previous related SEO post,

Zamiska Sharply Scrutinizes Cedar Center

To see all previous SEOversight Cedar Center posts please click on, CEDAR CENTER AND STANHOPE ROAD - INDEX

Buckle Your Seat Belts – Part 1

2011-09-27T22:44:00.030-04:00

time: 5 min. 38 sec.

Please click on images below to view full size.

December 17, 2010: Highland Heights, Ohio -
Note the license plates do not identify this
as being a "city" service department vehicle.

June 16, 2011
Curious residents wondered why city trucks were involved
while concrete was being poured on private property
at the Service Director's house. Turns out he was
on vacation and the city pickup truck was left in his
driveway rather than being utilitzed to service
the taxpayers.

It is unknown why another city vehicle,
and the vehicle's driver,
was spotted at that location
during the concrete pour.

Job's done.

This vehicle has now been inherited by
the new Service Director.

Please see previous related SEO post

Snow Job

Here are some links to
Plain Dealer coverage

of Cuyahoga County Executive
Ed Fitzgerald's new policies regarding
personal use of county vehicles.

According to one article,

there are 11 Cuyahoga County

employees who receive the benefit of

a take-home car, but they are not

supposed to utilize the car

for personal reasons.

It is believed that there are

currently 7 privileged employees

in South Euclid who receive

a take-home vehicle.

Some of those vehicles have no
identifying municipal stickers
or signage.

The license plates

do not include
the word “City.”

Please also see other related SEO posts regarding Budget And Salaries.

Good Old-Fashioned Propaganda

2011-09-24T23:59:00.010-04:00

time: 6 min. 28 sec.

time: 8 min. 06 min.

Please cilck on images to view full size.

SEO Update: E.P.A. Action

2011-09-13T20:47:00.011-04:00

Please see the related previous post:

Illicit Dumping

Please click on images below to view full size.

BUDGET AND SALARIES - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:57:00.006-04:00

BUDGET AND SALARIES - INDEX PAGE

PURE RUBBISH - 7/25/2010
NO CAPACITY FOR SHAME - 7/11/2010
GOODMAN SPEAKS OUT - 7/5/2010
IT'S A SECRET - 7/2/2010
HOW MUCH FOR THIS? - 6/20/2010
UNFASHIONABLY LATE - 6/6/2010
SALARY ORDINANCE 2003-2009 - 5/17/2010
BUDGET 2010- CITY OF SOUTH EUCLID - 5/11/2010
ONE OR THE OTHER - 2/1/2010
A FEW IDEAS - 11/28/2009
FINANCIAL AUDIT: 2008 - 9/15/2009
STIMULUS MONEY - 9/10/2009
CONTENTIOUS PUBLIC SECTOR RAISES ALL AROUND - 8/15/2009
2009 SALARIES & SO MUCH MORE... - 5/2/2009
SPIN THE BUDGET - 4/22/2009
A DEVELOPING PATTERN - 4/7/2009
BUDGET 2009 - 4/3/2009
VANISHING INTEGRITY - 3/21/2009
NOT REPORTING THE WHOLE STORY - 3/20/2009
NOT ALL TAXPAYERS ARE CREATED EQUAL - 3/14/2009
THE RAISE REVISITED...AND MORE - 3/11/2009
ALL IS WELL FOR SOME IN S.E. - 3/8/2009
TAXPAYERS - WATCH YOUR BACK - 3/7/2009
MODIFIED RAISE - 3/3/2009
STANDING BY THE PROPOSED RAISE - 2/26/2009
HOPE YOU'RE SITTING DOWN FOR THIS ONE - 2/22/2009
FINANCIAL CONCERNS? - 2/20/2009
OPPOSING VIEWS - 2/8/2009
ONE MORE BAD CALL - 1/30/2009
OUTRAGEOUS OPULENT SPENDING - 12/6/2008
CUTTING COSTS? - 11/25/2008
FUN IN THE SUN - 11/20/2008
PAID ADVERTISING - 10/29/2008
ABSURD SPENDING - 9/27/2008
WIRELESS INTERNET - 9/9/2008
2008 SALARIES - 8/23/2008
MORE SOCIALIZED REAL ESTATE? - 6/27/2008
WEAK WEBSITE AT LAVISH COST - 6/22/2008
CALCULATED STALLING - 5/30/2008
LIMITED REALITY - 5/11/2008
REVENUE PRODUCING SCHEME? - 5/4/2008
EMPTY WORDS - 4/28/2008
FISCAL FIESTA? - 4/14/2008
MIXED MESSAGES - 4/5/2008
IS IT REALLY A SURPLUS? - 4/2/2008
ANOTHER BAFFLING DECISION - 3/8/2008
FAILURE TO ACT! - 2/14/2008

CAMPAIGN FINANCE - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:56:00.003-04:00

CAMPAIGN FINANCE - INDEX PAGE

Campaign Finance Reports - 1/14/2010

CAMPAIGN TRAIL - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:55:00.003-04:00

CAMPAIGN TRAIL - INDEX PAGE

Campaign Finance Reports - 1/14/2010

CEDAR CENTER AND STANHOPE ROAD - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:53:00.008-04:00

CEDAR CENTER AND STANHOPE ROAD - INDEX PAGE

Cedar Center, Down On The Farm -10/8/2011
Good Old-Fashioned Propaganda -9/24/2011
Land Bank Shenanigans -7/23/2011
Zamiska Sharply Scrutinizes Cedar Center -4/29/2011
Why Did Ordinance: 35-10 Go Away? -3/17/2011
Toxic Tango -2/19/2011
A Desperate Chase -2/13/2011
Lapsed Contract Kept Under Wraps -2/4/2011
Incomplete Picture -2/2/2011
Counting Her Chickens Before They’re Hatched -1/21/2011
She’s Kidding…..Right? -12/18/2010
Cedar Center Quagmire -12/8/2010
Grasping At Straws -10/10/2010
Cedar Center: Update - Fall 2010 -9/18/2010
Cedar Center Update - June 2010 -6/21/2010
Stanhope Swimming Hole Now Open -6/9/2010
A Call For Common Sense -4/11/2010
Count To 10 -3/5/2010
Saga In Euclid -2/2/2010
School Board Do Your Homework -1/23/2010
October? -1/18/2010
More Questions Go Unanswered -1/5/2010
Stalled -12/22/2009
SEO UPDATE: Stanhope Road aka Cedar Center -12/12/2009
Stanhope Road Infrastructure Project -12/5/2009
Ramming It Down Our Throats -10/2/2009
The Plot Thickens -8/23/2009
What’s The Public Tab? -8/1/2009
Still Holding Out -7/16/2009
Like Pulling Teeth -5/31/2009
Wide Open To Danger....Again -5/23/2009
Now What? -4/30/2009
Making It Up As They Go Along -4/16/2009
A Developing Pattern -4/7/2009
Short On Specifics -3/4/2009
Behind The Scenes -2/16/2009
Overdue Explanations Needed -2/11/2009
Prolonging The Agony -1/25/2009
Another Piece Of The Puzzle -1/21/2009
Evading Public Deliberation -1/15/2009
What Happened? -1/2/2009
Dismal Retail Outlook -12/31/2008
The First Step -12/30/2008
Waiting For The Financial Timeline... -12/27/2008
Political Will? -12/23/2008
Failure To Communicate -12/18/2008
Deceptive Account -12/15/2008
Documents Of Note -11/30/2008
Citizen Participation Not Encouraged -11/15/2008
Ordinance 46-08 -10/28/2008
What Will It Cost? -10/14/2008
Adverse Indicator -10/6/2008
Ward 4 Meeting -10/3/2008
The People Deserve Better -9/10/2008
The Saga Continues... -9/5/2008
Irreconcilable Details -8/16/2008
Port Authority Balks At Retail Projects -7/23/2008
Crunching The Numbers -7/13/2008
University Square For Sale -7/13/2008
Interesting Scenario -7/1/2008
More Evasive Maneuvers -6-29-2008
Cedar Center Facts -6/12/2008
Transparency Postponed -5/26/2008
Is It Really A Surplus? -4/2/2008
Irresponsible Delays -3/1/2008
Useless? -2/21/2008
Planting Seeds Of Suspicion -2/9/2009
"Appetite For Destruction" -1/24/2008

CITIZENS AT THE MICROPHONE - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:44:00.002-04:00

CITIZENS AT THE MICROPHONE - INDEX PAGE

CITY SERVICES - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:43:00.005-04:00

CITY SERVICES - INDEX PAGE

COUNTY CONNECTIONS - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:43:00.002-04:00

COUNTY CONNECTIONS - INDEX PAGE

CUTTER'S CREEK - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:42:00.002-04:00

CUTTER'S CREEK - INDEX PAGE

FEES AND FINES - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:41:00.004-04:00

FEES AND FINES - INDEX PAGE

Public Debate! -12/30/2008
A Slap In The Face -12/15/2008
Revenue Producing Scheme? -5/4/2008

GREENVALE 9 - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:40:00.006-04:00

GREENVALE 9 - INDEX PAGE

Land Bank Shenanigans - 7/23/2011
Grasping At Straws - 10/10/2010
Greenvale 9 Autopsy - 8/16/2010
Ride It Out? - 3/14/2010
A Very Costly Shell Game - 10/28/2010
Short On Specifics - 3/4/2009
Overdue Explanations Needed - 2/11/2009
No "Comments Or Questions" - 11/28/2008
Greenvale 9 Review - 10/26/2008
Is It Really A Surplus? - 4/2/2008
Irresponsible Delays - 3/1/2008
Useless? -2/21/2008
Who Owns Mayfield and Green? - 2/3/2008
Ordinance 81-06 - 1/21/2008
A Shameful Saga - 1/13/2008

LEGAL MATTERS - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:40:00.002-04:00

LEGAL MATTERS - INDEX PAGE

LETTERS - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:39:00.011-04:00

LETTERS - INDEX PAGE

Not A Welo Fan - 10/20/2010
Finite Resources - 9/4/2010
Letters To The Editor - 8/14/2010
Welo Takes The Low Road - 7/16/2010
Triple Play - 6/4/2010
A Sincere Salute - 5/28/2010
Assessing The Welo Regime - 4/24/2010
A Call For Common Sense - 4/11/2010
Not Convinced At All - 3/25/2010
Count To Ten - 3/5/2010
School Board Do Your Homework - 1/23/2010
Failure Of Priorities - 11/16/2009
Post Election Thoughts - 11/13/2009
Civic Responsibility - 9/14/2009
Another Unfavorable Assessment - 7/31/2009
Letter To The Editor - 5/18/2009
Another Valid Perspective - 4/12/2009
Rhetorical Question & A Call To Action - 4/4/2009
Taxpayers Watch Your Back - 3/7/2009
Opposing Views - 2/8/2009
Perceptive Analysis - 12/12/2008
Wake Up Call - 11/13/2008
Conscientious Citizens - 10/9/2008
Another Resident Speaks Up - 9-11-2008
EVANS- 2 For 2 - 9/5/2008
Letter To The Editor - 8/28/2008
Flawless Assessment - 7/10/2008
Public Commentary - 6/3/2008
Insightful Perspective - 5/28/2008

MISCELLANEOUS - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:38:00.000-04:00

MISCELLANEOUS - INDEX PAGE

MUST SEE POSTS - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:36:00.004-04:00

MUST SEE POSTS - INDEX PAGE

Illicit Dumping - 7/10/2011
The Camera Doesn’t Lie - 3/29/2011
Snow Job - 3/12/2011
Toxic Tango - 2/19/2011
Salaries Skyrocket Under Welo - 8/18/2010
Greenvale 9 Autopsy - 8/16/2010
In The Name Of Diversity - 3/18/2010
Ride It Out? - 3/14/2010
Disingenuous Rhetoric - 10/24/2008
Taxation With Misrepresentation - 10/15/2008
More Socialized Real Estate? - 6/27/2008

OAKWOOD - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:35:00.003-04:00

OAKWOOD - INDEX PAGE

Twilight Zone - 10/13/2011
SEOversight Thought For Today… - 9/11/2011
High Court Sides With Citizens For Oakwood - 9/7/2011
Oakwood Goes To Columbus - 8/14/2011
Forgone Formalities - 4/15/2011
Unequal Time - 2/9/2011
More About Oakwood - 1/24/2011
Uneven Playing Field - 1/16/2011
Oakwood Country Club For Sale - 1/9/2011

PERSONNEL - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:34:00.002-04:00

PERSONNEL - INDEX PAGE

PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:33:00.002-04:00

PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES - INDEX PAGE

POINT-OF-SALE - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:32:00.002-04:00

POINT-OF-SALE - INDEX PAGE

POLICE - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:31:00.000-04:00

POLICE - INDEX PAGE

REAL ESTATE - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:29:00.002-04:00

REAL ESTATE - INDEX PAGE

TAX CREDIT ROLLBACK - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:28:00.002-04:00

TAX CREDIT ROLLBACK - INDEX PAGE

TRAFFIC CAMERAS - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:26:00.000-04:00

TRAFFIC CAMERAS - INDEX PAGE

YEAR IN REVIEW - INDEX

2011-09-12T22:22:00.001-04:00

YEAR IN REVIEW - INDEX PAGE

SEOversight Thought For Today…

2011-09-11T20:28:00.003-04:00

It stands to reason the developer of the Oakwood property will be investing a significant amount of money and time trying to convince the voters of South Euclid to rezone the property from residential to commercial.

It will be difficult to muster support and mount an effective campaign strategy while simultaneously not divulging his exact intended use of the 62 acres of land.

Please also see previous SEO post:
High Court Sides With Citizens For Oakwood

High Court Sides With Citizens For Oakwood

2011-09-07T19:47:00.011-04:00

Please click on image to view full size.

Please click here to read the entire

Ohio Supreme Court Decision.

Here is a link to the above Cleveland Plain Dealer online story which includes reader comments.

Here is a link to a Sun Messenger article posted online.

Desperate Measures

2011-08-28T14:26:00.002-04:00

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Traffic Cameras Go To The Ballot

2011-08-23T22:21:00.004-04:00

time: 7 min. 23 sec.

time: 3 min. 32 sec.

Please click here to view online Sun Messenger article.

Up For Grabs

2011-08-17T19:08:00.003-04:00

Please click on image to view full size.

Welo Campaign Finance – 2010

2011-08-14T18:50:00.002-04:00

Please click on the following link to access Georgine Welo's semi~annual 2010 Ohio Campaign Finance report submitted for the "We Win With Welo" campaign.

Here is a link to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to view additional CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS.

Oakwood Goes To Columbus

2011-08-14T17:57:00.007-04:00

The Supreme Court of Ohio

CASE INFORMATION

Case Number 2011-1387

Case: 2011-1387 Original Action Involving Expedited Election Matter

Filed: 08/12/11

Status: Case Is Open

State ex rel. Anna Julnes et al. v. City of South Euclid, Ohio City Council et al.

Welo Caught In Power Struggle

2011-08-02T19:09:00.011-04:00

Please click on images below to view full size.

Click here to view above article at Cleveland.com including READER COMMENTS.

Please see previous related SEO post: Land Bank Shananigans

Traffic Cameras Closer To Vote

2011-07-31T12:58:00.018-04:00

Please click on image below to view full size.

Please click here to view above article at Cleveland.com including READER COMMENTS.

time: 4 min. 09 sec.

Please click on the following link to view or subscribe to: South Euclid Ban The Traffic Cameras website.

Land Bank Shenanigans

2011-07-23T23:08:00.023-04:00

Please click on images below to view full size.

Please click here to view the above article at Cleveland.com which includes reader's comments.

Here is a link to the Cuyahoga County Land Bank website and also a link to their list of "All Land Bank Properties."

Video below: On October 26, 2009, the discussion of Ordinance: 50-09 reveals some interesting things:

South Euclid taxpayers have paid approximately $60,000 per year for the past 3 years on the original $1.8 million borrowed for the Greenvale 9. None of that money has gone to the principal.

Mayor Welo callously spoke that the foreclosure crisis didn't yeild the opportunity to acquire more real estate: “Everything changed. When this first happened the market was quite different. We had two developers looking at it. However, at the time we weren’t sure if we really wanted to turn it into housing. A lot of the residents liked the openness of it. We had hoped that we could maybe even get the rest of the homes. We thought maybe with the foreclosure process, you know, pick up a couple…”

time: 9 min. 08 sec.

Please see related SEOversight posts:

Welo Caught In Power Struggle

Greenvale 9 Autopsy

Toxic Tango

A Very Costly Shell Game

Ride It Out?

Ordinance 81-06

Public / Private Campaign?

Friends In High Places

Why So Much?

2011-07-19T20:36:00.003-04:00

More Legal Spending: Jan 2004 - Dec 2006

Legal Spending: Jan-Oct 2007

Legal Spending: October 2007 - July 2008

Legal Spending: July 2008 – January 2010

Please see related post, Where Does The Buck Stop?

Illicit Dumping

2011-07-10T15:12:00.026-04:00

PLEASE ALSO SEE RELATED POST:

SEO Update: E.P.A. ACTION

Below is a portion of the Storm Water Management Program which is posted on the City of Cleveland Heights website:

Please click on image to view full size.

The video below was recorded in March 2010 and illustrates a shockingly different approach to the disposal process utilized by the City of South Euclid. Note the “City of South Euclid Flood Protection Program” information which was mailed to all city households.

time: 4 min. 32 sec.

The photographs below were taken in November 2009. In these pictures, a different city vehicle is shown emptying its contents onto the ground near a storm drain located in the yard of the Service Department garage located on Monticello Boulevard.

According to SEOversight sources, all city vehicles which engage in sewer and catch basin cleaning are discharged into the storm drain in the same manner, despite the contents of the truck. This area is also used as a parking location for equipment and dumpsters. The dispersal of the truck contents into the drain causes the entire paved surface and surrounding area of the service yard to be enveloped in the wastewater from the vehicle. When the flooding recedes, the solid material is left to dry. It is reported that the source of the wastewater varies, but the contents at one time or another meet one’s expectations of such a vehicle’s cargo, including raw sewage, catch basin debris and “grease from the restaurants on Mayfield Road.” Once any remaining material has become coagulated by the outdoor elements, it is then shoveled by hand into the on-site dumpsters.

The City of South Euclid is still utilizing this procedure to date.

Click here for information on the EUCLID CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL, Mayor Georgine Welo, Chairperson.

PLEASE ALSO SEE SEO UPDATE TO THIS POST: EPA ACTION

Rhymes Of Truth

2011-07-03T20:48:00.002-04:00

Please click on images to view full size.

Please also see the previous SEOversight posts:

Failure Of Priorities

Snow Job

Back So Soon?

2011-06-14T22:43:00.008-04:00

time: 3 min. 13 sec.

Please click on image below to view full size.

PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING RELATED SEO POSTS:

Bottomless Pit & Deep PocketsSEO Update: Ordinance 19-10

What's In Your Wallet?

REFERENDUM – Ordinance: 19-10

UPDATE # 1 : Referendum – Ordinance: 19-10

UPDATE # 2 – Ordinance: 19-10

Standing Room Only!

A Sincere Salute

Triple Play!

Phase One Complete

On Second Thought...

“You Don’t Have To Worry About It”…?!

ACLU Steps In

2011-05-27T12:34:00.004-04:00

Set aside for a moment, the differing opinions on whether or not it is appropriate to politicize the Memorial Day parade and please consider this:

City officials already use this venue to campaign at the taxpayer’s expense. Shouldn’t the citizen’s who pay for the parade be given equal time?

Please click on image to view full size.

Don’t miss the previous SEOversight post, Public / Private Campaign?

Zamiska Sharply Scrutinizes Cedar Center

2011-04-29T17:30:00.051-04:00

Planning Commission member Tracie Zamiska to Peter Rubin, President of the Coral Company:

“…You sell something and now there’s not a delivery…”

“…There is not one resident in this city that believes in this plan. There is not one person who thinks that this is going to be successful…”

Video highlights below: April 28, 2011 –HIGHLIGHTS- from the 19 minute video of Peter Rubin, President of the Coral Company discussing preliminary plans with the South Euclid Planning Commission. (Please see longer version below in this post) Despite claiming they intend to break ground this August, there are a number of pieces missing from the puzzle. Commission member Traci Zamiska delivered some harsh words for the Cedar Center project.

time: 3 min. 19 sec.

Video below: A few items to note – as illustrated in the video highlights, Planning Commission member Tracie Zamiska contradicts all previous public statements put forth by any member of the Administration or Council regarding the Cedar Center project. This level of dissent has never before come from behind the walls of City Hall. Notice the reaction from Planning Commission Chairman, Art Goddard as Zamiska lambastes the plans presented for Cedar Center.

What is a Charrette?
A charrette is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development.

time: 19 min. 18 sec.

After the meeting ended, Peter Rubin was questioned about the residential component at Cedar Center. He disclosed there would be no housing at Cedar Center.

Some facts on why it is interesting there will be no residential component:

South Euclid received $1.8 million in funds from Cuyahoga County for the demolition and environmental abatement of Cedar Center. The amounts of funding assistance requested and received were: $1,000,000 from the Brownfield Redevelopment Fund and $800,000 from the Commercial Redevelopment Fund.

Funds are awarded by the County based on specific criteria outlined by the application process. Applications are reviewed and a scoring system is used to determine adherence and level of compliance for the various requirements of the program. The existence of housing in the project allowed South Euclid to receive a higher score on the rating scale used by the County. (Please see documents below)

Please click on images below to view full size.

To gain insight into the revolving explanations of how, when and by who the $1.8 million will be repaid – or how much, if any, will be “forgiven” – please see the previous post, Irreconcilable Details. Don’t hold your breath waiting for answers!

Another oddity is why South Euclid presented information on the application which wasn’t quite factual at the time of submission. For example, the supposed $13,000,000 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposal requested of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District has never been approved by CHUH to date. On the application South Euclid officials represented that financing arrangement as a done deal.

In response to requests for public records, Scott Gainer, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District provided the following information on
April 5, 2011:

"The district was first approached by South Euclid asking for a TIF at Cedar Center in November, 2005.

The original proposal was 30 years, 100% exemption. Over the years these terms have changed many times (length, TIF vs. abatement, etc.) and are currently being negotiated through legal counsel.

The district’s position has always been that we would expect to receive no less than what we received from the old Cedar Center strip (approximately $320,000 annually). We have been willing to forego anything more being sensitive to economic conditions. The city has placed the property in a land bank and it is currently bringing us nothing.

The city had over $19 million in outstanding notes related to this property (purchase and other costs). The current auditor value of that property is $4.5 million."

For further information regarding Cedar Center, please see the previous SEOversight posts:

Lapsed Contract Kept Under Wraps

A Desperate Chase
Toxic Tango
Why Did Ordinance: 35-10 Go Away?
The Camera Doesn’t Lie

~

The following information was obtained from the Cuyahoga County Department of Development website at the time South Euclid submitted the following funding request applications. (links provided below)

Brownfield Community Assessment Initiative
The Cuyahoga County Brownfield Redevelopment Fund Community Assessment Initiative provides professional services to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments on brownfields contaminated with hazardous substances and/or petroleum products in Cuyahoga County. The County contracts directly with experienced environmental consulting firms to conduct the assessment work. The most appropriate consultants will be assigned to a selected project. All Phase I environmental site assessments will meet the USEPA's "All Appropriate Inquiry" criteria; however, there is the option to complete all assessment activities under the standards of the Ohio EPA's Voluntary Action Program (VAP) and/or the State of Ohio's Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations' (BUSTR) 3-Tier Evaluation process. Eligible applicants are public entities, non-profit organizations, businesses, and developers located in the County. Funds are not available to any parties that caused or contributed to the contamination of the site. Please complete and submit an application if you are interested in receiving environmental site assessments under this Initiative. The Department of Development's brownfields staff highly recommends contacting them before applying. A committee, consisting of the County's brownfields staff and local community organizations, will review and make recommendations for suitable sites to the Development Director on a first-come-first-served basis. The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications: Community and Economic Benefits - Has the Applicant demonstrated the community and economic benefits of assessing and, subsequently redeveloping the project property? Redevelopment Viability - Has the Applicant demonstrated that the redevelopment of the project property is viable in the near-term? Risk - Has the Applicant adequately indicated the possible existing risks to human health and the environment at the site and demonstrated the need for assessment? Leverage - Has the Applicant adequately attempted to leverage additional funds and/or will County assessment funds stimulate additional funding for assessment/cleanup from other sources? The Department of Development requires the local community to demonstrate their support by having the local government in which a selected brownfield is located approve a resolution of support for the project. For additional information, contact the Department of Development's brownfields staff .

CUYAHOGA COUNTY BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT FUND - PUBLIC ENTITY APPLICATION (LOAN REQUEST): - click here to view -

Commercial Redevelopment Fund

Due to the strong demand for this program, all funds are currently committed. Please check back to this site for updates. The Cuyahoga County Commercial Redevelopment Fund is specifically designed to overcome barriers to the full re-use of abandoned, idled or underutilized commercial, industrial and institutional properties within Cuyahoga County. The primary focus is directed toward urban and “first ring” suburban communities. Job creation and an increase in property values are expected outcomes of redevelopment. The Commercial Redevelopment Fund consists of three programs: the Municipal Redevelopment Program, the Private Redevelopment Program and the Local Parking Needs Program . The CRF can be utilized to redevelopment vacant buildings or demolish idled properties and make way for redevelopment. Eligible projects must include a significantly vacant (at least 40% vacancy for the last 2 or more years) building that is at least 20 years old. Eligible applicants are public entities, non-profit organizations, businesses, and developers located in the county. Funds are not available for projects with environmental contaminants other than asbestos and lead paint. Commercial Redevelopment Fund does not support big box, retail mall development, lifestyle centers or other large-scale retail projects. The Commercial Redevelopment Fund cannot be used for the development of for-sale housing. More detailed information can be found in the description of the Commercial Redevelopment Fund , Loan Subsidy and Forgiveness Schedule , our Green/Sustainable Building Incentives and the Community Benefit Calculator . The Department of Development requires the local community to demonstrate their support by having the local government in which a selected site is located approve a resolution of support for the project. Community Development extends a special thank you to Peggy Weil Dorfman of the City of Solon for her invaluable assistance Contact Information: Christine S. Nelson Community Development Manager Cuyahoga County Department of Development 112 Hamilton Ct., Fourth Floor Annex Bldg. Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: (216) 443.8066 Fax: (216) 348.4479 mailto:cnelson@cuyahogacounty.us Pequita L. Hansberry Development Finance Analyst Cuyahoga County Department of Development 112 Hamilton Ct., Fourth Floor Annex Bldg. Cleveland, OH 44114 Phone: (216) 443.8397 Fax: (216) 348.4479 mailto:phansberry@cuyahogacounty.us

COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT FUND - PUBLIC ENTITY APPLICATION (LOAN REQUEST):

- click here to view -

No More Free Lunch?

2011-04-23T23:47:00.020-04:00

Video below: Service Director Ed Gallagher is an advocate for instituting a fee for garbage collection: “Everybody’s paying for rubbish.” He also makes the statement, “There’s no longer a free lunch.” The collection of brown yard waste bags has ceased. Mr. Gallagher explains that a brown bag full of grass clippings weighs 60 pounds. Interestingly, the city has recommended that residents may now dispose of those bags by bringing them to the service garage.

Council President David Miller makes reference to the tax credit rollback legislation uproar of 2010. “This conversation also germinated when the tax credit was rolled back and then put back on. That it was a more fair option regarding everybody having skin in the game.”

time: 3 min. 58 sec.

Please click on image below to view full size.

2 Videos below: 3 well informed citizens voice their concerns about rising salaries and the creation of new positions during a meeting on June 21, 2010.

time: 7 min. 34 sec.

time: 6 min. 16 sec.

Please click on images to view full size.

Please also see the previous related SEO posts:

Cash For Trash
Snow Job
Pure Rubbish
One Or The Other

Forgone Formalities

2011-04-15T14:36:00.031-04:00

Video below: April 14, 2011 - Planning Commission members vote 5-0 in favor of clearing the way for big box retail development at the former site of Oakwood Country Club.

Ordinance 763.01: Circumstances justifying amendments; review of amendments.

Planning commission member Tracie Zamiska makes a few elaborate statements justifying her decision on the Oakwood property. She quoted Ordinance 763.01 as being, “…what we use as our basis and guideline…” referring to the planning commission recommendation to approve the rezoning from R75-residential to C2-commercial. In part, Ordinance 763.01 states any zoning amendment, “…will not be detrimental to the adjacent property owners…”

Oakwood is partially located in an area of South Euclid which results in more abutting properties in Cleveland Heights. It appears any concerns of detriment from those adjacent property owners were not part of the decision making process.

Ms. Zamiska said,” When we were looking at opposition, it primarily did not come from people in our community.” Commission member Jennifer West echoed the same sentiment as part of her evaluation. “I know there’s been quite a bit of opposition, and I’ve also noticed that in that opposition in my estimate, probably 98% of it was from outside our city.”

This could be considered contrary to the objectives of 763.01. Despite claims of similar maneuvers being upheld in court, it could be construed as improper. It doesn’t seem to be in accordance with South Euclid’s “Good Neighbor” policies.

It was also explained that “spot zoning” is not occurring, but rather, “spot planning” which is taking place in conjunction with the amendment of the city’s Master Plan. Huh? Is that to say the Master Plan favored the Oakwood property remaining residential, so they amended it for the developer because he wants it commercial? Can anyone verify if that’s a fair assessment of what just happened?

time: 12 min. 17 sec.

Please click on image below to view full size.

Video below: March 10, 2011 – Planning Commission Meeting – A sampling of South Euclid citizens voicing their opposition to rezoning the Oakwood property C2-commercial.

time: 13 min. 20 sec.

Please see the previous related posts:

Oakwood Country Club For Sale
Uneven Playing Field
More About Oakwood

Cash For Trash

2011-04-02T16:30:00.013-04:00

Please click on images below to view full size.

Click here to view the above meeting information
at the city website.

Please click to read the online version of the above article at the cleveland.com website, which includes their reader's comments.

The Camera Doesn’t Lie

2011-03-29T23:18:00.050-04:00

Video below: On March 28^th, 2011, SEOversight attempted to obtain some answers from city officials.

Question: “There is currently no signed contract between the Coral Company and the City of South Euclid, correct?” Council President David Miller can be heard responding, “Correct.” Law Director Michael Lograsso contradicted Dr. Miller but offered very little explanation.

It was reported that the city’s Tax Increment Financing (“TIF”) proposal is currently in front of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District. The Law Director also said the CHUH District had requested an extension until the end of April.

The city Finance Director confirmed the amount still owed to the taxpayers for the Playground of Possibilities is approximately $90,000. When asked about the costs for the rubber surface groundcover, Mayor Welo stated that those costs were unknown due to an “angel donor” that arranged for payment through a non-profit organization.

Questions about privately owned commercial vehicles perpetually parked at city hall resulted in a surprising discovery. According to Mayor Welo, permits can be purchased that allow commercial vehicles to park in city lots, which apparently includes the city hall parking lot.

time: 5 min. 42 sec.

Please click on images below to view full size.

Please CLICK on the following links for information regarding:

CEDAR CENTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES EXPENSES

Video below: July 14, 2008 - Mayor Georgine Welo explains the purpose of Ordinance 31-08 - $150,000 will be loaned from city funds to pay for items needed "on a timeline" for the Playground of Possibilities. Mayor Welo states that the loan is intended to purchase among other things, the rubber surface "groundcover" and "ramping." It is unknown if the ramping being refered to is the wheelchair ramps which were donated to the playground on September 02, 2008 by then County Auditor Frank Russo. It should be noted that city officials accepted that donation roughly 5 weeks after the FBI raided Cuyahoga County administrative offices in downtown Cleveland. It was widely known that the main targets of the investigation were Frank Russo and County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora.
Please click on image to view full size.

time: 2 min. 41 sec.

Video below: July 28, 2008 – Commentary from the Mayor on the very day FBI agents raided the Cuyahoga County Administrative offices in downtown Cleveland.

time: 0 min. 38 sec.

Please CLICK on the following links to view:

2007 NON-PROFIT REPORT - PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES

2008 NON-PROFIT REPORT - PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES

2009 NON-PROFIT REPORT - PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES

RELATED POSTS:
Lapsed Contract Kept Under Wraps

A Desperate Chase

Toxic Tango

Why Did Ordinance: 35-10 Go Away?
A Perpetually Changing Story

What’s The Arrangement?

Why Did Ordinance: 35-10 Go Away?

2011-03-17T23:18:00.011-04:00

Please click on image below to view full size.

ORDINANCE: 35-10

time: 1 min. 04 sec.

Ordinance: 2-11
Legislation Cedar Center TIF-GFS and CRA-Coral Phase One[1]

Please also see related post regarding Cedar Center, Lapsed Contract Kept Under Wraps.

Snow Job

2011-03-12T23:40:00.027-05:00

PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS RELATED POST, NO BACKUP PLAN

Service Director, Ed Gallagher discusses the policy should an emergency occur on a furlough day. Referring to the snowstorm of Friday, February 25th, Ruth Gray can be heard saying, “It happened!” Immediately, Assistant Service Director, Jim Anderson is heard exclaiming, “No it didn’t!” The dual Service Directors continued to reiterate how all staff members were on duty. “Every truck was on the road,” they proclaimed several times. “It was bad press,” they all agreed.

Some interesting things to ponder:

Furlough days for the Administration and non union employees were in effect on February 25th. Furlough days for the union employees such as the Service Department have not yet been instituted. Consequently, all the regular snow plow crews were out plowing streets.

Now, that brings us back to the local news channel report of furlough days being the cause for poor road conditions in South Euclid on that day. Curiously, Council President David Miller is shown on that news report stating, “Unfortunately, with the furlough days, with city workers being off, our streets were unplowed.”

There are only two reasonable explanations for Council President Miller’s statement. Either he was uninformed of the employee furlough days, or, he knew that road crews were out plowing, but had ulterior reasons for wanting the public to think otherwise. How is it the news reporter happened upon the Council President while filming his story in South Euclid? Who contacted the media? Was it an impromptu interview with Miller, or prearranged?

Statements to consider when watching the videos:

Ed Gallagher: “We had established a program for replacement of trucks from the time I came in (2004), but unfortunately because of funding and everything we had to not go along with that program.”… “It’s a tough situation like I said, we had a program but unfortunately because of funding aspects we couldn’t rotate the trucks and purchase the new trucks as we had proposed.”

Jim Anderson: “We only have 6 salt trucks to cover 5 square miles in our city. Lyndhurst has 12 salt trucks.”… “We have a hard time keeping up with the snow.”

“Every truck was on the road.”
Not quite.
The Service Director and the Assistant Service Director were indeed on a furlough day that Friday when the snowstorm hit. Interestingly, both positions are graced with the use of city vehicles which are driven home. One of those vehicles is a pickup truck with a plow. That vehicle sat in Mr. Anderson’s driveway not plowing city streets. Reliable SEO sources have confirmed those reports.

time: 1 min. 20 sec.

time: 9 min. 14 sec.

Please click on images below to view full size.

No Backup Plan

2011-02-26T21:00:00.019-05:00

SEOversight ```FLASHBACK```

time: 0 min. 27 sec.

Please also see, Dissatisfied Customers.

Please click on image below to view full size.

Please also see the SEO UPDATE to this post, Snow Job.

Toxic Tango

2011-02-19T03:41:00.059-05:00

time: 1 min. 11 sec.

Presented below is a word-for-word transcription of the audio clip from above. South Euclid Council President, Dr. David B. Miller made this statement in reference to the pending Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposal with Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District:

“…let’s also understand that Cedar Center is moving forward and we are waiting for Cleveland Heights and University Heights School District to do what they’re supposed to do. So with folks are saying we’re not moving, there is two in this dance, there's two in this tango, and this group has had its shoes on and have been waiting a long time for the other group. So please sometimes, make sure that the right information and the right venom; and the venom is directed at the right group."

South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo, her administration and various versions of the 7 city council people made some catastrophic financial blunders. To conceal the blowback of those bad decisions, the aforementioned, with the assistance of the local newspapers have intentionally disseminated information construed to be misleading. It is unknown whether that combination is a result of the dictation-taking style of journalism often practiced around town, or just some good old fashioned collusion. Regardless, there are some obvious cracks appearing in the city's armor.

City officials and the Coral Company presumptuously devised the original Cedar Center development agreement without prior approval from the CHUH School District. The key financial component of that agreement was the TIF proposal which city officials appear to consider themselves entitled. The game quietly changed from the property being “sold to a developer” to a “public-private development.” There’s been an assortment of county funds obtained by one means or another to help subsidize Cedar Center.

Tens of millions of taxpayer dollars are irreversibly engaged, while city officials refuse to divulge details and exactly how much has been spent thus far.

Now, in the event of failure at Cedar Center, South Euclid Council President David Miller points the finger of blame at the CHUH School District should they not agree to subsidize the project.

Currently, South Euclid City government is nothing more and nothing less than a patronage machine that exists for the purpose of keeping the machine alive.

Thank you for reading South Euclid Oversight.

Emilie DiFranco and Dave Furry

Please also reference a previous post, A Few Ideas.

For further information regarding South Euclid's proposal to the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District, please see, A Desperate Chase.

Please click on images to view full size.

Here is a link to the above article written by Bob Rosenbaum at the Heights Observer site which includes their reader's comments.

Please also see the Plain Dealer article, "Board of Revision problems..."

Below: Please compare the Sun Messenger’s version of Council President Miller’s remarks, and his actual statement regarding the forthcoming decision by the CHUH School District on the TIF proposal. Quite different indeed.

Councilperson Jane Goodman made the following statement during a committee meeting on Monday, April 19, 2010. That was the first and only time publicly, that a city official has taken some responsibility for the colossal mistakes that have occurred:

“We screwed ourselves, pardon my French, but it’s time for plain speaking—with some expenditures—some loans that—some things that we did that put us in iffy financial positions…And I know that our citizens want to see us spend less if we’re going to ask them to contribute more.”

To view video of the previous statement, please see the related SEO post, Bottomless Pit And Deep Pockets.

Please also review the following SEO posts:

Failure To Communicate

A Very Costly Shell Game
One Or The Other

Ride It Out

"You Don't Have To Worry About It"...?!

Goodman Speaks Out

Welo Takes The Low Road

Pure Rubbish

Salaries Skyrocket Under Welo

Friends In High Places

A Desperate Chase

2011-02-13T01:17:00.023-05:00

Please click on images below to view full size.

As of February 10, 2011, per Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District officials;

"No formal written proposal has been made to the CHUH School District by the City of South Euclid, although legal counsel for both sides have been having conversations...."

The City of South Euclid submitted an application (shown below) to the Cuyahoga County Department of Development seeking $800,000 from the Commercial Redevelopment Fund for Cedar Center.

It is unclear what exact date this application was submitted to Cuyahoga County. It was sometime between March 2007 when the property was purchased by the City of South Euclid and December 2008.

Several items of interest:

Question: What are the property taxes on this property for the current year?

Answer: $460,526.22

Question: What is the projected property tax on the site after cleanup?

Answer: $1,210,526.00

South Euclid Oversight Question: Was this 30 year projection of increased tax revenue plausible even at the time this application was submitted?

Financing

Question #26: Are there any commitments from the municipality or other local resources to contribute to redevelopment costs?

Answer: Yes.

Question: If yes, what are they?

Source of Commitment / Dollar Amount

Answer: Tax Increment Financing / $13 million (min)

South Euclid Oversight Question: How is it acceptable that the City of South Euclid stated on the application that they had a $13 million “commitment” for the TIF arrangement, when in fact years later they still have not received a commitment from the CHUH School District? What happens if the CHUH District denies the request? South Euclid recieved the $800,000 from Cuyahoga County for Cedar Center. City officials engaged in a series of conflicting answers regarding the loan or grant status of the money. It has never been revealed how much of that money was received as a loan rather than a grant and must be repaid by the taxpayers.

Commercial Redevelopment Fund Application

Provided below are links to access further information about the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposal between the City of South Euclid and the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District:

Toxic Tango - February 2011
Failure To Communicate - December 2008
Making It Us As They Go Along - April 2009
Irreconcilable Details - August 2008

Unequal Time

2011-02-09T23:00:00.004-05:00

Here is a link to a WCPN 90.3 FM broadcast from their show, The Sound of Ideas. It was posted to their website on January 13^th.

The topic of discussion is Oakwood Country Club.

The guests are:

Fran Mentch, president, Severance Neighborhood Organization
Robin Dubin, Professor of Economics, CWRU Weatherhead School of Management
Mitch Schneider, President and Chairman, First Interstate Properties, Ltd.

Please note the listener comments which appear at the bottom of their page below the broadcast.

Please also see previous posts regarding the Oakwood Country Club property:

Oakwood Country Club For Sale

Uneven Playing Field

SOUTH EUCLID OVERSIGHT

Cedar Center Decoy

Ordinance: 39 -11

A Sad Year For Oakwood

Take It To The Public

Administrative Salaries Must Be Cut

Cedar Center Purchase Agreement November 2011

The Bully Culprit

Warning Signs

Not If, But When

South Euclid Election Results 2011

South Euclid Candidate Literature 2011

Old News

Welo’s Expedient Rhetoric

Citizen Editorial

Revenue Enhancements = Garbage Collection Fees

Schoenewald Analyzes Cedar Center

Buckle Your Seatbelts - Part 2

Twilight Zone

Cedar Center, Down On The Farm

Buckle Your Seat Belts – Part 1

Good Old-Fashioned Propaganda

SEO Update: E.P.A. Action

BUDGET AND SALARIES - INDEX

CAMPAIGN FINANCE - INDEX

CAMPAIGN TRAIL - INDEX

CEDAR CENTER AND STANHOPE ROAD - INDEX

CITIZENS AT THE MICROPHONE - INDEX

CITY SERVICES - INDEX

COUNTY CONNECTIONS - INDEX

CUTTER'S CREEK - INDEX

FEES AND FINES - INDEX

GREENVALE 9 - INDEX

LEGAL MATTERS - INDEX

LETTERS - INDEX

MISCELLANEOUS - INDEX

**MUST SEE POSTS** - INDEX

OAKWOOD - INDEX

PERSONNEL - INDEX

PLAYGROUND OF POSSIBILITIES - INDEX

POINT-OF-SALE - INDEX

POLICE - INDEX

REAL ESTATE - INDEX

TAX CREDIT ROLLBACK - INDEX

TRAFFIC CAMERAS - INDEX

YEAR IN REVIEW - INDEX

SEOversight Thought For Today…

High Court Sides With Citizens For Oakwood

Desperate Measures

Traffic Cameras Go To The Ballot

Up For Grabs

Welo Campaign Finance – 2010

Oakwood Goes To Columbus

Welo Caught In Power Struggle

Traffic Cameras Closer To Vote

Land Bank Shenanigans

Why So Much?

Illicit Dumping

Rhymes Of Truth

Back So Soon?

ACLU Steps In

Zamiska Sharply Scrutinizes Cedar Center

No More Free Lunch?

Forgone Formalities

Cash For Trash

The Camera Doesn’t Lie

Why Did Ordinance: 35-10 Go Away?

Snow Job

No Backup Plan

Toxic Tango

A Desperate Chase

Unequal Time

MUST SEE POSTS - INDEX