Community Events: Holiday Fun!

The Willoughby Kiwanis Club will host a Spaghetti Dinner at 5PM this Thursday 12/5 in the bottom floor of City Hall. At 7PM Willoughby will hold its 40th tree lighting ceremony. Call 440-942-4200 for details.

Madison will host Christmas in the Park this Thursday 12/5 from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Call 440-428-7526 for details.

Lunch with Santa at Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, 5750 South Madison Road (Route 528), Madison; Enjoy holiday games, a food buffet and a visit with Santa; each child gets a gift. Event starts at 11:00 AM. Call 440-298-9838 for details.

HOLIDAY FESTIVAL, YMCA Outdoor Family Center, 4540 River Road, Perry; Festival features our Annual Craft Show, Holiday entertainment, luminaries, hayrides, crafts and a special visit from Santa. $5.00 optional activity fee includes hayrides, cookie decorating, craft and the opportunity for a picture with Santa. 12 PM- 6:00 PM. Call 440-259-2724 for details.

Fellowship United Church of Christ will host a living Nativity Scene from 6 PM - 8PM Friday 12/6. This is a great events for the kids; they can feed the livestock. Complimentary refreshments are provided. For more info call 440-944-7240.

Fairport Lighthouse & Museum will open for FREE from 10 AM - 4 PM this Saturday 12/7. Call 440-354-4825 for details.

A Breakfast with Santa Claus will be hosted in the Willoughby Hills Community Center on Saturday 12/10 from 8:30 AM - 12 PM. The Breakfast costs $1 for Children, and $5 for adults. Call 440-954-8075 for details.

WILDWOOD SINGERS HOLIDAY PERFORMANCE, Mentor Senior Center, 8484 Munson Road, Mentor; Come and enjoy many of your favorite holiday songs – no tickets needed! The Wildwood Singers are directed by David Debick; Sponsored by the City of Mentor's Wildwood Cultural Center, the Community Arts Commission, and the Wildwood Singers. 7:30pm-8:30pm. Call 440-974-5735 for details.

Lake County Budget Woes

The Lake County Commisioners have gone from one extreme to the other on our budget.

Back in mid october the News-Herald ran an article mentioning that the County Commissioners asked department heads for ideas to save money. The Commissioners also instituted a "soft hire" freeze. The article linked here says that the LAke County 2010 budget is $61 million dollars down from $63 million this year.

There was no impending doom in this article.

Then...last week came...and, your faithful blog discussed an article detailing how Sheriff Dan Dunlap had to slash $900, 000 from the county budget; a jail will be closing, 13 employees laid off, and security at the county court house badly downsized. See the News-Herald article here.

HOW DO WE GO FROM LOOKING FOR COST CUTTING IDEAS AND A "SOFT HIRE" FREEZE TO MILLION DOLLAR CUTS AND LAYOFFS---WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS????

NO NEWS, NO DISCUSSION, NO NOTHN'!

Can we Afford Higher Utility Costs Now?

Many in Lake County are serviced by First Energy. Even in communities that participate in the popular NOPEC program still have their electricity delivered by First Energy and billed by them.

Not too long ago the State of Ohio passed legislation that allowed for competition in the utilities market. The North East Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) ensued as not-for-profit lobby force that negotiated betters rates with outside suppliers for participating communities. The result: 12% discount on electricity in NOPEC communities.

However, the State Legislature passed a law last year that required utilities to reduce sales, reduce output, use re-newable sources for generating power, etc.

The result was First Energy trying to charge you $21 for two light bulbs! A firestorm ensued!

First Energy is back at it again, and is asking for more time to craft a similar plan. The Plain Dealer covers it here.

There is a push to implement "smart grid" technologies that will help us reduce utility costs in the midst of all this legislation. For instance, the "smart grid" technology would internet based communications to communicate with the energy grid about your energy consumption.

No problem. Technology is great, so is the internet! We could all try to use our resource better. But, using less should not cost us more.

Can Lake County Residents afford higher utility rates in the face of all the tax levies and decreasing wages?

What do you think?

Living High off the Hog: Willoughby

Times are tough. Belts are tightening. Projects put on hold. You have heard it all.

Not in Willoughby, though!

The City of Willoughby is renovating City Hall and offices at cost of $2.2 million dollars. The News-Herald covers this very well, here, and gets comments from Mayor Dave Anderson.

Earlier this month we told you about the raises handed out in Willoughby too. At the end of this article the News-Herald tells us that Mayor Anderson is getting a raise of 7% in 2011.

It seems the Willoughby-Eastlake schools don't feel the pinch everyone has...or the Library either! Both the schools and the Library got the levies they asked for. Click this News-Herald link to find out how much the schools and library are getting this year from you.

Willoughby is doing well in tough times!

1. School levy passes at a cost of about $99 per $100, 000 of valuation,

2. library levy passes at a cost of about $33 per $100, 000 of valuation,

3. the Willoughby Mayor is getting a 7% raise,

4. the Willoughby City Hall is getting renovated for $2.2 million.

Painesville Power Plant gets a BAILOUT

The local fishwrap has a story today about a $3.74 million grant given to Painsville in order to help its city-run power plant comply with House Bill 221.

This grant to the Painesville power plant is a bail out due to the Ohio Legislature's meddling in power production and utilities.

Ohio House Bill 221 is the wrong-headed attempt by State lawmakers to force utilities into using more so-called green power and green sources for power generation.

Sure, we at this blog love technology; internet, computers, smart phones, high definition televisions...you name it! All these things require electricity to work! All the homes and offices that these devices require gas to heat them!

You get the drift!

However, everything the Government gets involved in ends up screwed up! Take Ohio's attempts via House Bill 221 to get people to conserve electricity.

Guess what the utilities did?! The local electric utility decided it was pass out two compact fluorescent bulbs at a cost of almost $22. Last time I checked six bulbs could be bought for $12 at Lowe's.

The extra cost was due to the revenue that the utility would lose due to less demand.

So, the tax payers make-up the utilities' difference...now we give $3.74 million to the Painsville power plant?

Every time the government does something it costs us money!

Thanks a lot Painsville! We are bailing out your power plant...that's what this boils down to!

Sad day in Lake County: Layoffs

It is with a heavy heart that I share the linked News-Herald story, here. Sheriff Dan Dunlap had to cut $1 million from the department's $15 million budget.

Here is what the News-Herald had to say about what was cut:

The sheriff's office already has planned measures that will cut about $900,000 from its budget. They include closing the minimum security jail in Painesville Township, laying off 13 full-time corrections officers, one part-time officer, one full-time clerk and one part-time clerk. The office is eliminating the Road Patrol K-9 Program and closing the front door security post at the Lake County Court of Common Pleas. A deputy who is retiring also will not be replaced.

Sheriff Dunlap made a good point in the article:

Sheriff Daniel Dunlap explained that the cuts are painful, unwanted but unavoidable. It would be impossible to cut more than $1 million from a $15 million budget without cutting staff.

This point is a good one, but the reality is sad.

However, with the County Commissioners already setting the stage for a sales tax increase, the City of Mentor contemplating higher income taxes and/or property taxes, higher taxes in Willoughby (school and library levy), Willoughby Hills (road levy renewal, school levy, library levy), ..., sigh.

LAyoffs in the county and higher taxes; what are elected officials in these communities thinking?

Better yet, what are the voters thinking allowing elected officials to raise the taxes?

FLASH: LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO CERTIFY VOTES AT 6PM ON 11/24/09; SOME UPDATED RESULTS AVAILABLE

UPDATE 9:09 AM: SOME ELECTION RESULTS ARE DISCUSSED IN THE LINKED NEWS-HERALD ARTICLE, BUT NOTHING IS OFFICIAL YET.

ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE BILL MARGALIS HAS DEFEATED GORDON LEVAR BY 33 VOTES...TOO SMALL OF A MARGIN FOR RECOUNT.

AT 6PM ON 11/24 THE LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS WILL CERTIFY THE NOVEMBER 3RD GENERAL ELECTION.

IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE BOARD' 6PM MEETING A PRESS RELEASE WILL BE ISSUED.

CHECK THE LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE FOR RESULTS AROUND MEETING TIME.

DID GORDON LEVAR OVERTAKE BILL MARGALIS? WILL THERE BE A RECOUNT?

Mentor hits the Airwaves

The City of Mentor will start, or has recently started broadcasting on 1620 AM. This is the only system (i.e. city operated) of its kind.

The station is NOT THE ONLY LAKE COUNTY BASED RADIO STATION.

THERE IS THE EXCELLENT 1330 AM WELW: WWW.WELW.COM.

I briefly remembered the linked story from the November 2nd News-Herlad. The project did not seem to cost too much $$$$ to start-up:

City Council approved purchasing the $43,936 radio system in July and plans were to be on air within a month. However, it was postponed because of a delay in receiving some of the equipment needed to relocate where the system would be mounted. Another $1,300 was needed to cover the cost of the additional equipment.

The article goes on to state that $20, 000 is Federal Homeland Security $$$$ was used.

My first reaction was: "...radio...? isn't that dying?" I thought a bit longer. What happens in the event of emergency? No internet. No T.V.

Battery powered or solar powered radio.

Noy a bad idea Mentor.

What the Heck is Up in Wickliffe?

What the heck is going on in Wickliffe?!? We have been reading this on going saga for months!

We want to hear from you the loyal readership about what is going on in the Wickliffe schools.

Over the week-end y the News-Herald ran a story about the embattled Wickliffe High School Principal and her struggles with the School Board and Superintendent, here.

A lot of stories have been written about Vicki Wheatley and her suspension from active duty as principal of Wickliffe High School. Now, from what we can piece together Ms. Wheatley has been accused by the Superintendent of allowing students to register for two classes at the same time in extenuating circumstances (e.g. needing to graduate). Furthermore, Ms. Wheately is accused of allowing hall monitors to oversee classes when a substitute could have been used, and asking teachers to teach past their certifications.

Yawn. Not much going here in our opinion.

Did we miss something?????

Feel free to comment and fill us in.

LAst but not least...if Ms. Wheatley did nothing wrong...why has the Wickliffe School Board offered her three different settlement packages? If Ms. Wheatley is wrong why not just go to court if she sued?

Seems like the board may have something to hide!

Hey Lake County: the taxes are coming, the taxes are coming!

A News-Herald article by John Arthur Hutchinson describes the wailing and gnashing of teeth by Lake County administrators about declining sales tax revenue. Read here.

Here is a snippet from the article:

Lake County commissioners weren't pleased Tuesday to learn that sales tax collections for August were down 11.5 percent when compared with August 2008. The data reflect a time when the federal Cash for Clunkers auto program was in full swing.

Even with the Federal Government's attempt to stimulate spending, we were still short! The article states that Lake County is projected to receive $ 1.17 million in sales tax proceeds, which is down $153, 230 from last year.

Wow! That is all the sales tax revenue decreased? I thought it would have been much worse.

Can you believe Commissioner Ray Sines skepticism about the sales tax figures?

I bet the sales tax are not going to get better in communities saddled with increased taxation due to new levies. Furthermore, can you imagine what will happen if a large chunk of the county (e.g. Mentor) is socked with a property tax or income tax increase.

Sadly, the commissioners appear to be setting the stage for tragedy: a tax increase in Lake County.