"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
A. Lincoln
During the Public Comment portion of several trustees meetings, I have spoken about the rule of law, in contrast to the rule of men. That wasn't just idle philosophizing, the egghead prof lecturing the reluctant multitude.
It was a commentary on what was going on in the Township Hall: a collision between Marie, Mark, and Vic--the rule of law--and the loud demands of a small group who want it their way, and the law be dipped.
The argument is made in a number of ways, but it's always the same: I (the speaker) should get special treatment.
The demand is "supported" this way:
"I pay your salary." Really. Just you. Right. (Teachers hear this one a lot.)
Or "I pay taxes here." So? And you're the only taxpayer here? I guess I misread that twice-a-year bill from the Portage County Treasurer.
Another: "We own/paid for this building." Well, you and a whole bunch of other people who may not see eye to eye with you.
Again: "I own X properties here and blah-blah-blah, I should get to do what I want." Oh? Well, I have more education than you. I should get to do what I want.
You've certainly heard the same twaddle yourself.
Every one of those remarks is a putdown. Every one, in short, is about power. Not about equality. Not about an equal chance, or at least a fair game. Power.
But equality and a fair game are ideas that scare the bejabers out of some people, and a lot of their effort goes into getting one--at least one, preferably a lot--over on others.
I see it in the Township Hall, when people are demanding a special tour through the Center school, and never mind what the insurance carrier says or that the school is posted as a construction site.
Maybe the most blatant example of rule of men and gaining advantage is this: "My man got elected. Things will change now." You--somewhere out of sight behind someone else--you are going to run things to suit yourself? This isn't Oz, although you may be the man behind the curtain. What about the rest of us?
Corrupt power operates exactly that way: with absolutely no sense of responsibility or accountability, preferably behind someone who will take the fall.
The Middle East is going up in flames because people have had enough of that kind of rule.
Ethical power, however-- character--balances power with responsibility. In fact, people of the very best character see "power" in terms of responsibility. If people pay attention, they can tell the difference.
If people pay attention, the public servant gains honor; the puppet-master and the puppet, scorn.
(Remember my telling you at the very beginning of this adventure that my opinions would be clear? Any doubt here?)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
A Small Oops
In the "If You're New" post, I said that you have the e-mail address to contact me if you wish to. That's true: the address is up at the top of the page. It's the address, not a link, so if you tried to click on it and got nothing, that's why. If you want to send an e-mail, you'll have to type that address in when you compose the message. That works. I tried it.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
If You're New . . . .
If you're a new reader, welcome to this little piece of the blogosphere.
As quietly rural as Mantua Township may seem, it is like any other place where humans come together: full of differing, often intensely differing, interests, purposes, and opinions.
I decided to start this blog after nearly a year and a half of watching trustees Victor Grimm and Mark Hall insulted, accused, and bullied by a very small, very loud group with no discernible concern for the township, but only for themselves. My sense of fairness was outraged, and you are reading the result.
Initially, I was not going to identify myself, as a shield against the same kinds of attacks. That is why, at the bottom of each post, you will see "Posted by Mantua Twp. OH Fact Checker."
However, since the 2009 election, a number of things have been circulated anonymously, none of them motivated by benevolence, to put it mildly.
So--this is my blog, and you know who I am. If you become a regular reader, you will learn more and more both about the township and about who I am. What's really important is what you learn about the township.
If you have thoughtful, adult questions, you have the e-mail address that supports the blog. Send me your questions, and I will see what I can find to answer them. SIGN YOUR NAME. I will not respond to anonymous messages of any kind or to the kind of venom that shows up regularly in "Sound Off!" and on other local electronic sites.
Because this is my blog, I reserve the right to mark mail as SPAM or to block a "Follower." Blocking a follower only prevents someone from interacting with other followers. The blog is out there on the Internet and available to all.
If you would like to be notified of each new post, please let me know, and I will add you to the contacts. You'll get a "New Post" in the subject line and a one-line message stating the topic or title of the post. "No salesman will call." :-))
Once a teacher, always a teacher. I believe, deeply, that if people--most people, anyhow--have good, solid, accurate information delivered without spin, they will have the tools to make well-reasoned decisions for themselves. It would be an honor to have you along.
As quietly rural as Mantua Township may seem, it is like any other place where humans come together: full of differing, often intensely differing, interests, purposes, and opinions.
I decided to start this blog after nearly a year and a half of watching trustees Victor Grimm and Mark Hall insulted, accused, and bullied by a very small, very loud group with no discernible concern for the township, but only for themselves. My sense of fairness was outraged, and you are reading the result.
Initially, I was not going to identify myself, as a shield against the same kinds of attacks. That is why, at the bottom of each post, you will see "Posted by Mantua Twp. OH Fact Checker."
However, since the 2009 election, a number of things have been circulated anonymously, none of them motivated by benevolence, to put it mildly.
So--this is my blog, and you know who I am. If you become a regular reader, you will learn more and more both about the township and about who I am. What's really important is what you learn about the township.
If you have thoughtful, adult questions, you have the e-mail address that supports the blog. Send me your questions, and I will see what I can find to answer them. SIGN YOUR NAME. I will not respond to anonymous messages of any kind or to the kind of venom that shows up regularly in "Sound Off!" and on other local electronic sites.
Because this is my blog, I reserve the right to mark mail as SPAM or to block a "Follower." Blocking a follower only prevents someone from interacting with other followers. The blog is out there on the Internet and available to all.
If you would like to be notified of each new post, please let me know, and I will add you to the contacts. You'll get a "New Post" in the subject line and a one-line message stating the topic or title of the post. "No salesman will call." :-))
Once a teacher, always a teacher. I believe, deeply, that if people--most people, anyhow--have good, solid, accurate information delivered without spin, they will have the tools to make well-reasoned decisions for themselves. It would be an honor to have you along.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
It's Community
Sooner or later, everyone talks about the weather. This morning on my way to Rt. 44 via Wayne Road, I had to drive around a big branch that last night's wind and rain had dropped onto the road. I parked and tried to drag it off the road, but it was definitely above my pay grade. (Actually, it was more a small tree than a branch.)
Another woman stopped, tried to move it from a different angle, and also decided that it was heavier than she could manage.
Another SUV stopped, and that driver looked at us and decided that she probably couldn't add much to the effort.
By then, another vehicle stopped, and a man got out and came up to the tree. He and the first woman moved it aside. Obviously, what we had needed all along was testosterone-fueled muscles.
Finally, a school bus joined the line, as if we were all getting ready for a parade.
As we were all getting back to our vehicles, Vic showed up, as he seems to do whenever there is a problem that should be addressed by the trustees. Where was the road crew? Digging a grave in the rain because a burial was scheduled for later in the day.
It didn't take an organizational meeting or a pep talk: Everyone who came along tried to do something about the problem. We all at least made an effort to pitch in. When things had been made safe enough until the road crew could get there, we went on about our travels or errands.
It's called community, and it happened because good people took ownership of what's going on in the place they call home. It's why I wanted to retire here and nowhere else..
Another woman stopped, tried to move it from a different angle, and also decided that it was heavier than she could manage.
Another SUV stopped, and that driver looked at us and decided that she probably couldn't add much to the effort.
By then, another vehicle stopped, and a man got out and came up to the tree. He and the first woman moved it aside. Obviously, what we had needed all along was testosterone-fueled muscles.
Finally, a school bus joined the line, as if we were all getting ready for a parade.
As we were all getting back to our vehicles, Vic showed up, as he seems to do whenever there is a problem that should be addressed by the trustees. Where was the road crew? Digging a grave in the rain because a burial was scheduled for later in the day.
It didn't take an organizational meeting or a pep talk: Everyone who came along tried to do something about the problem. We all at least made an effort to pitch in. When things had been made safe enough until the road crew could get there, we went on about our travels or errands.
It's called community, and it happened because good people took ownership of what's going on in the place they call home. It's why I wanted to retire here and nowhere else..
Monday, April 18, 2011
Limerick 4/19/11
April was a busy month in American history: The Civil War began when the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter in early April, for one.
Eighty-five years earlier, the Colonists fired "the shot heard 'round the world." Dave's limerick this week commemorates that event.
Every fence and tree and rock
Concealed a man of stalwart stock.
For the Redcoats, 18 miles of woe.
Americans call it "The Battle Road":
Concord Bridge to Lexington, April 19, 1775
Copyright 2011, Dave Pollard
Eighty-five years earlier, the Colonists fired "the shot heard 'round the world." Dave's limerick this week commemorates that event.
Every fence and tree and rock
Concealed a man of stalwart stock.
For the Redcoats, 18 miles of woe.
Americans call it "The Battle Road":
Concord Bridge to Lexington, April 19, 1775
Copyright 2011, Dave Pollard
Friday, April 15, 2011
Trustees' Meeting 4/7: Open House Committee Update, Public Comment
Center School Open House Volunteer Committee Report:
Terri Vechery reported that the committee (Terri and John Vechery, Sue Skrovan, Carole Pollard, Roger Hurd, Dave Pollard, Carol Srajer) had met and continued to discuss what kinds of information to have at the Open House and how to present it most effectively. Terri asked if the trustees had considered a date for the Open House.
Mark: We have not yet considered that.
Public Comment: Carol Srajer, Carole Pollard, Dawn Pechman, John Festa, Dave Pollard
Carol Srajer, Winchell Road. The substance of her remarks was this: I don't know why you want those jobs, but God bless you. Without coming to these meetings a person doesn't know how much work you do--all of the meetings you attend, the training you guys go through. I want you to know that I appreciate you.
Carole Pollard, Allyn Road: What I want to talk about tonight is just a little bit about what it means to be human. To me, two things distinguish us: first, through writing, we use our language to learn and improve over time. Although language can be twisted to many other uses, that is probably its noblest use.
Second, with language as the foundation, human beings create and use and respond to symbols. Like language, symbols can be used for ugly purposes. The swastika of Nazi Germany is an example. But symbols call us to rise to our highest stature and aspiration: Lady Liberty's torch; our flag; and beautiful public buildings like the township school, for just a few examples.
Before going further, I want to preempt sneers that you can't eat a symbol. True. You can't eat pride or greed or hatred, either. But those feelings, which drive many, create nothing admirable, improve nothing, and inspire not one person to his or her higher self.
However, sitting right here, in this small old building, we are in the presence of two symbols of human aspiration and striving for nobility--the church next door, and the school just north of us.
In 1912, the township school was an investment in the future of the township by investing in the knowledge and skills of its children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Education was the means to prosperity. I learned to read and write in that school, and my whole life since then has grown from that.
When the trustees bought back our school in 2004, they renewed the township's investment in the future. Now, on the verge of becoming the center of Mantua Township's government, the building symbolizes a third element of human life, which supports all the rest: the rule of law.
So what I want to say, to the fiscal officer and trustees who had the vision and the stamina to shepherd this project for the township despite skepticism and abuse, is "Thank you."
Note: Sometimes my public comments are ad lib, sometimes from notes. If it is important to build a logical progression and effective examples, I write out my remarks. My remarks in this meeting were written out, and printed here as written.
However, a few things were dropped in as seemed appropriate: that the indignation following an incident of flag-burning attests to the importance of symbols; that Steve Oros would have been proud of what has been done on the school to move it so close now to occupancy and use; and that Marie and Vic are the threads of continuity in this project.
Also, I asked Mark about whether an uninterruptable power supply for the control system on the furnace would be feasible. The short answer: nothing much can really be done to protect against power surges.
Dawn Pechman, 3218 S.R. 82: It is people that make any kind of society. We are just a small township and what is important is participating in our government. We need to be sure that we get records. People need to know what is going on. Trustees need to know that they can ask for help. I offered to help on the garden.
Jason got called on the carpet. As far as records, Marie, there have been two meetings. I would like to get those records. (Note: this got clarified after the meeting. Four sets of minutes had been reviewed, corrected, and approved. When Marie asked Dawn about that, Dawn said that she wanted them all.)
I would like to say that if you are going to keep me from speaking, my rights were violated. I think now is a good ttime to move forward and see if we can get them[?] together.
Mark Hall: Is that it?
Dawn: I was hoping to get a response from the trustees.
Note: There were no responses. Dawn was complaining about the fact that at the March 17 meeting, she was not allowed to speak because of her behavior at the March 3 meeting.
Here is what Robert's Rules of Order has to say on that subject:
" PROTECTION FROM ANNOYANCE BY NONMEMBERS IN A MEETING; REMOVAL OF AN OFFENDER FROM THE HALL. Any nonmembers allowed in the hall during a meeting, as guests of the organization, have no rights with reference to the proceedings (p. 625). An assembly has the right to protect itself from annoyance by nonmembers, and its full authority in this regard. . .
can be exercised by the chair acting alone. The chair has the power to require nonmembers to leave the hall, or to order their removal, at any time during the meeting, and the nonmembers have no right of appeal from such an order of the presiding officer." Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. 10th edition. Perseus Publishing, p. 628.
Blogger's note: As I understand it, government bodies are required to be a bit more permissive than described above, and apparently, the more local the body, the more it is required to be permissive. However, if you ever hear broadcasts of Congressional proceedings, occasionally a protester shouts something from the gallery--and is promptly removed. There have been a number of times in Mantua Township Trustees meetings that one might have wished that the Trustees had such powers, because of disruptive conduct and bullying remarks to the trustees.
The whole question of freedom of expression is worth a separate future post.
John Festa, 11915 Chamberlin Road. I am interested in your ideas about the roads [to Jason]. As a trustee that is one of your obligations. Maybe next time you should give us your full ideas about what should be done about the roads.
Note: In the trustees' individual reports, Jason had mentioned reviewing our roads program.
Mr. Festa then proceeded to read from the Ohio Revised Code on harassment but without any clear, specific indication of what his remarks alluded to or what had prompted them.
Dave Pollard, 3692 S.R. 82. A couple of weeks ago I had occasion to go through Zanesville. The courthouse in Zanesville dates to 1879. It is one of the most imposing and elegant structures of its type I have ever seen. The Mercer, PA, courthouse comes close. In the courtyard [Zanesville] were VJ and VE Day plaques. At the far end of a little veterans' memorial park along the street were three infantrymen in bronze, made by a sculptor in town, and between them was the monument to men who had fallen in World War II. It was a cairn of WWII helmets in bronze and a little plaque on each helment of the name of each soldier.
There has been a suggestion that, because [our veterans'] memorial is going to be on public property, that the trustees might entertain other bids and designs so we can get the best bang for the buck.
Our courthouse in Ravenna can not hold a candle to the ones in Guernsey County and some of the other counties to the south.
Blogger's note: Two issues are involved here: that, depending on future trustees, the school might actually be sold or even torn down (two of the sorry fates of other vacated schools; see "Our School--A Jewel" in a previous post) and some previous debates about the design of a veterans' memorial for the little garden area on the west side of Center Road that the Garden Club plants and cares for.
No other public comment. Minutes are available on request from Marie Stehli, the official source of such information for the township.
Terri Vechery reported that the committee (Terri and John Vechery, Sue Skrovan, Carole Pollard, Roger Hurd, Dave Pollard, Carol Srajer) had met and continued to discuss what kinds of information to have at the Open House and how to present it most effectively. Terri asked if the trustees had considered a date for the Open House.
Mark: We have not yet considered that.
Public Comment: Carol Srajer, Carole Pollard, Dawn Pechman, John Festa, Dave Pollard
Carol Srajer, Winchell Road. The substance of her remarks was this: I don't know why you want those jobs, but God bless you. Without coming to these meetings a person doesn't know how much work you do--all of the meetings you attend, the training you guys go through. I want you to know that I appreciate you.
Carole Pollard, Allyn Road: What I want to talk about tonight is just a little bit about what it means to be human. To me, two things distinguish us: first, through writing, we use our language to learn and improve over time. Although language can be twisted to many other uses, that is probably its noblest use.
Second, with language as the foundation, human beings create and use and respond to symbols. Like language, symbols can be used for ugly purposes. The swastika of Nazi Germany is an example. But symbols call us to rise to our highest stature and aspiration: Lady Liberty's torch; our flag; and beautiful public buildings like the township school, for just a few examples.
Before going further, I want to preempt sneers that you can't eat a symbol. True. You can't eat pride or greed or hatred, either. But those feelings, which drive many, create nothing admirable, improve nothing, and inspire not one person to his or her higher self.
However, sitting right here, in this small old building, we are in the presence of two symbols of human aspiration and striving for nobility--the church next door, and the school just north of us.
In 1912, the township school was an investment in the future of the township by investing in the knowledge and skills of its children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Education was the means to prosperity. I learned to read and write in that school, and my whole life since then has grown from that.
When the trustees bought back our school in 2004, they renewed the township's investment in the future. Now, on the verge of becoming the center of Mantua Township's government, the building symbolizes a third element of human life, which supports all the rest: the rule of law.
So what I want to say, to the fiscal officer and trustees who had the vision and the stamina to shepherd this project for the township despite skepticism and abuse, is "Thank you."
Note: Sometimes my public comments are ad lib, sometimes from notes. If it is important to build a logical progression and effective examples, I write out my remarks. My remarks in this meeting were written out, and printed here as written.
However, a few things were dropped in as seemed appropriate: that the indignation following an incident of flag-burning attests to the importance of symbols; that Steve Oros would have been proud of what has been done on the school to move it so close now to occupancy and use; and that Marie and Vic are the threads of continuity in this project.
Also, I asked Mark about whether an uninterruptable power supply for the control system on the furnace would be feasible. The short answer: nothing much can really be done to protect against power surges.
Dawn Pechman, 3218 S.R. 82: It is people that make any kind of society. We are just a small township and what is important is participating in our government. We need to be sure that we get records. People need to know what is going on. Trustees need to know that they can ask for help. I offered to help on the garden.
Jason got called on the carpet. As far as records, Marie, there have been two meetings. I would like to get those records. (Note: this got clarified after the meeting. Four sets of minutes had been reviewed, corrected, and approved. When Marie asked Dawn about that, Dawn said that she wanted them all.)
I would like to say that if you are going to keep me from speaking, my rights were violated. I think now is a good ttime to move forward and see if we can get them[?] together.
Mark Hall: Is that it?
Dawn: I was hoping to get a response from the trustees.
Note: There were no responses. Dawn was complaining about the fact that at the March 17 meeting, she was not allowed to speak because of her behavior at the March 3 meeting.
Here is what Robert's Rules of Order has to say on that subject:
" PROTECTION FROM ANNOYANCE BY NONMEMBERS IN A MEETING; REMOVAL OF AN OFFENDER FROM THE HALL. Any nonmembers allowed in the hall during a meeting, as guests of the organization, have no rights with reference to the proceedings (p. 625). An assembly has the right to protect itself from annoyance by nonmembers, and its full authority in this regard. . .
can be exercised by the chair acting alone. The chair has the power to require nonmembers to leave the hall, or to order their removal, at any time during the meeting, and the nonmembers have no right of appeal from such an order of the presiding officer." Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. 10th edition. Perseus Publishing, p. 628.
Blogger's note: As I understand it, government bodies are required to be a bit more permissive than described above, and apparently, the more local the body, the more it is required to be permissive. However, if you ever hear broadcasts of Congressional proceedings, occasionally a protester shouts something from the gallery--and is promptly removed. There have been a number of times in Mantua Township Trustees meetings that one might have wished that the Trustees had such powers, because of disruptive conduct and bullying remarks to the trustees.
The whole question of freedom of expression is worth a separate future post.
John Festa, 11915 Chamberlin Road. I am interested in your ideas about the roads [to Jason]. As a trustee that is one of your obligations. Maybe next time you should give us your full ideas about what should be done about the roads.
Note: In the trustees' individual reports, Jason had mentioned reviewing our roads program.
Mr. Festa then proceeded to read from the Ohio Revised Code on harassment but without any clear, specific indication of what his remarks alluded to or what had prompted them.
Dave Pollard, 3692 S.R. 82. A couple of weeks ago I had occasion to go through Zanesville. The courthouse in Zanesville dates to 1879. It is one of the most imposing and elegant structures of its type I have ever seen. The Mercer, PA, courthouse comes close. In the courtyard [Zanesville] were VJ and VE Day plaques. At the far end of a little veterans' memorial park along the street were three infantrymen in bronze, made by a sculptor in town, and between them was the monument to men who had fallen in World War II. It was a cairn of WWII helmets in bronze and a little plaque on each helment of the name of each soldier.
There has been a suggestion that, because [our veterans'] memorial is going to be on public property, that the trustees might entertain other bids and designs so we can get the best bang for the buck.
Our courthouse in Ravenna can not hold a candle to the ones in Guernsey County and some of the other counties to the south.
Blogger's note: Two issues are involved here: that, depending on future trustees, the school might actually be sold or even torn down (two of the sorry fates of other vacated schools; see "Our School--A Jewel" in a previous post) and some previous debates about the design of a veterans' memorial for the little garden area on the west side of Center Road that the Garden Club plants and cares for.
No other public comment. Minutes are available on request from Marie Stehli, the official source of such information for the township.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Limerick 4/10/11
Lawrie Lightsout missed "no engine brake" sign
In place since 2010, month nine.
For 5 months, the sign he ignored,
Tried to get huffy with trustee board, (3/13/11)
Botched his attempt trustees to malign.
Copyright 2011, Dave Pollard
In place since 2010, month nine.
For 5 months, the sign he ignored,
Tried to get huffy with trustee board, (3/13/11)
Botched his attempt trustees to malign.
Copyright 2011, Dave Pollard
Monday, April 11, 2011
Our School--A Jewel
On Saturday, April 9, Sue Skrovan and I set off to visit village and township halls and old schools in the county, gathering information for the Open House (date TBA, but we're moving towards it).
We saw many, although not all, and we came home sobered, thoughtful, touched, and sometimes saddened.
We're glad we went, because now we understand what the Mantua Township Trustees and Fiscal Officer (Victor Grimm, Connie Leedom, Steve Oros, Marie Stehli) set in motion in 2004 by purchasing the Center School.
What they did was give the residents of the township a vision rooted in our past and reaching into our future.
We came back knowing that what we have, thanks to them, is a jewel, something that we saw NOWHERE else in our travels.
Most of the township and village halls are modest, functional frame buildings, some proudly dating to the 1800's, like ours. Almost none, including a new purpose-built structure, are in the centers of their communities.
The fate of the vacated schools saddened us. One site still has demolition equipment and some rubble on it. Those purchased by private owners are clearly not doing well. One has been vandalized. All of them are merely concrete or masonry boxes with windows.
By striking contrast, this is what we in Mantua Township have:
We have the oldest school building in the county, I believe. But that building, concrete from foundations to bell tower, was built on stable land. Nothing has shifted in a hundred years. We can expect it still to be sound in another hundred years.
We have a building that was immediately taken over by the trustees when it was vacated. Thus, it has been maintained for its whole life. It never fell into disrepair, although of course it needs attention.
We have a building which predates the soulless efficiency of the box. Its design traces back to the proportions of Greek temples and reminds us of the roots of our democracy.
We have a building clearly visible at the very center of the township. The area defined by the Civic Center on the south to the north edge of the school property recalls the commons of the New England villages where we were born as a nation. People identify it that way: "Oh, that pretty little New England commons." One other community wants to develop their own center to emulate ours.
We have a building of over 18,000 square feet which can house the township business and records offices; meeting space for trustees and zoning; assembly area for all sorts of larger gatherings, including emergency shelter; and education/day care for children. It has its own water and sewage systems. It is large enough to be able to fill future needs and growth.
No other township that Sue and I visited has all of that in one place, one building.
We are convinced of these things:
In the Center School, what we in Mantua Township have is a heart, geographically, functionally, and symbolically.
What we have is a treasure.
We saw many, although not all, and we came home sobered, thoughtful, touched, and sometimes saddened.
We're glad we went, because now we understand what the Mantua Township Trustees and Fiscal Officer (Victor Grimm, Connie Leedom, Steve Oros, Marie Stehli) set in motion in 2004 by purchasing the Center School.
What they did was give the residents of the township a vision rooted in our past and reaching into our future.
We came back knowing that what we have, thanks to them, is a jewel, something that we saw NOWHERE else in our travels.
Most of the township and village halls are modest, functional frame buildings, some proudly dating to the 1800's, like ours. Almost none, including a new purpose-built structure, are in the centers of their communities.
The fate of the vacated schools saddened us. One site still has demolition equipment and some rubble on it. Those purchased by private owners are clearly not doing well. One has been vandalized. All of them are merely concrete or masonry boxes with windows.
By striking contrast, this is what we in Mantua Township have:
We have the oldest school building in the county, I believe. But that building, concrete from foundations to bell tower, was built on stable land. Nothing has shifted in a hundred years. We can expect it still to be sound in another hundred years.
We have a building that was immediately taken over by the trustees when it was vacated. Thus, it has been maintained for its whole life. It never fell into disrepair, although of course it needs attention.
We have a building which predates the soulless efficiency of the box. Its design traces back to the proportions of Greek temples and reminds us of the roots of our democracy.
We have a building clearly visible at the very center of the township. The area defined by the Civic Center on the south to the north edge of the school property recalls the commons of the New England villages where we were born as a nation. People identify it that way: "Oh, that pretty little New England commons." One other community wants to develop their own center to emulate ours.
We have a building of over 18,000 square feet which can house the township business and records offices; meeting space for trustees and zoning; assembly area for all sorts of larger gatherings, including emergency shelter; and education/day care for children. It has its own water and sewage systems. It is large enough to be able to fill future needs and growth.
No other township that Sue and I visited has all of that in one place, one building.
We are convinced of these things:
In the Center School, what we in Mantua Township have is a heart, geographically, functionally, and symbolically.
What we have is a treasure.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
A Brief How-To
How to what?
How to access Portage County Court Records. If you already know how, then you can skip this post--unless my deathless prose has simply enchanted you. Moving right along. . . .
If the thought of looking at a record of someone else's life makes you uncomfortable, I understand completely.
I felt the same way, but in 2004 and 2005, records requests were being used to abuse the trustees--well, Vic Grimm and Steve Oros--and to burden Fiscal Officer Marie Stehli greatly. That gave me the resolve to check records. In addition to that, a number of us were extremely skeptical that Dawn Pechman, who ran for trustee in 2005, was really living where she said.
What the search of Ms. Pechman's court records revealed was, to use the cliche, jaw-dropping then, and even more so now.
The steps to access court records are below. Check your own, just to get the hang of it.
Check mine. You'll find 6 entries: one lawsuit (I fired a contractor); two fiduciary designations (as administrator for my parents' estates); and three speeding violations. Check for yourself, please, to be sure I'm being straight with you. Remember the -e on the end of my first name. Also, these records do not use a period after initials.
1. http://www.co.portage.oh.us/
Clicking on this should get you to the Portage County home page.
2. Go to the right sidebar and click on Court Records.
3. On the next page, click on Public Access Record Search. It's the first item on the page.
4. On the next page, Court View 2000, fill in the boxes for first and last name.
5. Click on Search, at the bottom of that page.
6. The next page will give a list of the court records for that name. You can click on a specific entry to see more, and the tabs above those records show what kinds of information you can see. Some are dry, and some are almost incomprehensible unless you're a lawyer.
If the records have been "imaged," there is a little camera icon next to an entry. You can click on that icon and see a photocopy of the forms and reports of what happened before the court actions. In many ways, those forms and reports tell the real story of a case. It's one thing to see "Eviction Notice." Seeing the form with "Squatter" written on it adds a whole other dimension.
"With all thy getting, get understanding." That quote used to be at the top of Forbes magazine's last page, headed "The Business of Living." ("Thoughts on the Businss of Living"? It's been a while.) It was a whole page of little gems like that. So--do it: Get understanding.
Knowledge and awareness are keystones to good decisions.
How to access Portage County Court Records. If you already know how, then you can skip this post--unless my deathless prose has simply enchanted you. Moving right along. . . .
If the thought of looking at a record of someone else's life makes you uncomfortable, I understand completely.
I felt the same way, but in 2004 and 2005, records requests were being used to abuse the trustees--well, Vic Grimm and Steve Oros--and to burden Fiscal Officer Marie Stehli greatly. That gave me the resolve to check records. In addition to that, a number of us were extremely skeptical that Dawn Pechman, who ran for trustee in 2005, was really living where she said.
What the search of Ms. Pechman's court records revealed was, to use the cliche, jaw-dropping then, and even more so now.
The steps to access court records are below. Check your own, just to get the hang of it.
Check mine. You'll find 6 entries: one lawsuit (I fired a contractor); two fiduciary designations (as administrator for my parents' estates); and three speeding violations. Check for yourself, please, to be sure I'm being straight with you. Remember the -e on the end of my first name. Also, these records do not use a period after initials.
1. http://www.co.portage.oh.us/
Clicking on this should get you to the Portage County home page.
2. Go to the right sidebar and click on Court Records.
3. On the next page, click on Public Access Record Search. It's the first item on the page.
4. On the next page, Court View 2000, fill in the boxes for first and last name.
5. Click on Search, at the bottom of that page.
6. The next page will give a list of the court records for that name. You can click on a specific entry to see more, and the tabs above those records show what kinds of information you can see. Some are dry, and some are almost incomprehensible unless you're a lawyer.
If the records have been "imaged," there is a little camera icon next to an entry. You can click on that icon and see a photocopy of the forms and reports of what happened before the court actions. In many ways, those forms and reports tell the real story of a case. It's one thing to see "Eviction Notice." Seeing the form with "Squatter" written on it adds a whole other dimension.
"With all thy getting, get understanding." That quote used to be at the top of Forbes magazine's last page, headed "The Business of Living." ("Thoughts on the Businss of Living"? It's been a while.) It was a whole page of little gems like that. So--do it: Get understanding.
Knowledge and awareness are keystones to good decisions.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Limerick 4/3/11
Senior trustees got verbally brutalized (2010)
'Til Lawrie Lightsout finally realized
That some residents give a hoot
So now his mouth he doesn't shoot
To demand comparing fruit to fruit.
Copyright 2011 Dave Pollard
Note: This one was prompted by the
repetition ad nauseam of "comparing
apples to apples" when a group of the
good ol' boys were disgruntled that one
of them didn't get some work from the
township--despite the fact that the bid
was over $300 higher than the business
that did get it.
A "gift box" made the point humorously
that in fact it's impossible to compare
apples to apples. Well, probably the
recipient wasn't amused. Pity.
'Til Lawrie Lightsout finally realized
That some residents give a hoot
So now his mouth he doesn't shoot
To demand comparing fruit to fruit.
Copyright 2011 Dave Pollard
Note: This one was prompted by the
repetition ad nauseam of "comparing
apples to apples" when a group of the
good ol' boys were disgruntled that one
of them didn't get some work from the
township--despite the fact that the bid
was over $300 higher than the business
that did get it.
A "gift box" made the point humorously
that in fact it's impossible to compare
apples to apples. Well, probably the
recipient wasn't amused. Pity.
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