A A A A Search :
Toledo Talk  
• Council's shock 'n awe stance
• Charter school transforming Uptown
• Declining membership
• Disturbing Blade op-ed
From jr's workspace   

Toledo officials opposed to education

May 30, 2007 Toledo Blade story

Toledo City Council approved permits yesterday for two new downtown charter schools - but not by veto-proof majorities.

The two proposed schools are:

  • Imagine Schools, 1517 Madison Ave., the site of the former Zenobia Shrine. The school would open with 325 pupils in grades K-3. Imagine Schools is based in Arlington, Va.
  • Maritime Academy, 1000 Monroe St., a former Lucas County building. The school would relocate from a temporary site in the Warehouse District with 480 students in grades 5-12.

The permit for the former Zenobia Shrine drew a contingent of about 50 fez-wearing Shriners in support of a yes vote. The fraternal organization is moving to an undetermined suburban location, after 58 years downtown.

Martin Lahey, co-owner of Manhattan's Restaurant on Adams Street and a member of the board of the Uptown Association, also urged a yes vote, saying the school would contribute to a neighborhood feeling. "It's mixed use. It's Re-Urbanization 101," Mr. Lahey said. He said opposition to charter schools was behind some of the opposition to the permit.

Opponents said the Zenobia Shrine building, with its large parking lot and good condition, could have attracted a more appropriate use for the Uptown district if it had been marketed more publicly. The site is in the middle of a large so-called "entertainment district," which is eligible for extra liquor permits.

Some Toledo officials prefer more bars and restaurants over schools. And these are downtown schools, which could be a possible reason for some families to continue to live in Toledo instead of moving to the burbs. And maybe a reason to live close to downtown.

More from that May 30 Blade story:

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner could not be reached last night but said two weeks ago that the proposed school at 1517 Madison conflicts with the entertainment district and takes property off the tax rolls. Brian Schwartz, a mayoral spokesman, said last night that a veto "is something that is being considered and looked at."

Councilman Wilma Brown said downtown doesn't need "more children," and said that with each new charter school more money leaves Toledo. "The fezzes didn't faze me," she said.

District 4 Councilman Michael Ashford urged a yes vote for the 50 new white-collar jobs that will come with the school. "As a city council we shouldn't try to regulate private businesses. This can improve the whole area," Mr. Ashford.

Councilman Phil Copeland said he voted against the two schools because he decided to side with the traditional public schools, which have lost students and state funding to the charter schools.


Jun 9, 2007 Toledo Blade story

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner yesterday vetoed the special-use permits granted to two proposed downtown charter schools, saying the sites are inappropriate.

Carty, another Toledoan who is anti-education and opposed to school-choice. More from the Jun 9 story:

The veto drew strong opposition from the developer of one of the sites, the former Zenobia Shrine building at 1517 Madison Ave. The Maritime Academy of Toledo is seeking a permit for a building at 1000 Monroe St. and Imagine Schools, based in Arlington, Va., is seeking a permit for the Shrine building. City Council approved both zoning permits May 29, each by an 8-4 vote, one vote short of the nine needed to override a veto. Mr. Finkbeiner said putting schools at the two locations would conflict with the Toledo 20/20 Comprehensive Plan, which requires the area to be a mixed-use zone with an emphasis on entertainment.

Right, a sleazy place to visit but an undesirable place to live. The co-owner of Manhattan's restaurant said the schools are part of the "mixed use" re-urbanism.

Is this 20/20 plan the same tactic Carty used in his attempt to derail the Westgate redevelopment?

More from the Jun 9 story:

The two sites are better suited for businesses or offices that would not be exempt from property taxes, the mayor's memo to council said.

Downtown developer David Ball, who is brokering a sale from the Shriners to Imagine Schools, based in Arlington, Va., said the mayor is the only one to oppose the permit for the Zenobia Shrine building.

"I am absolutely shocked that the mayor did that. It certainly is not a good decision," Mr. Ball said. "We have not one neighbor in opposition to our school. The mix is legal and it fits well."

He said the Uptown Association has endorsed the school and that it was unanimously approved by the Toledo Plan Commission.

Carty, the tyrant. Dave Ball is the developer of the steam plant, and Carty not a fan of Mr. Ball.

Mr. Ball said the mayor seemed to be bowing to pressure from the Toledo Federation of Teachers, which represents Toledo Public Schools teachers. The public schools compete with charter schools for state funding and students. TFT President Francine Lawrence called council members to express her opposition on the day of council's vote, council members have said. She did not return a phone call yesterday seeking comment about the veto.

Imagine Schools' facility would open with 25 employees and eventually grow to 75. It plans an investment of about $5 million, Mr. Ball said. Mr. Ball said the city is courting a lawsuit from the Shriners, who will argue that the city's rejection of the permit was not based on land-use reasons.

"The city is going to be sued if City Council lets this happen," Mr. Ball said.

Wow, what a shock. Another lawsuit against Carty. Well, against the city but caused by Carty. How many would this be during his terms as emperor of Toledo?

Council President Rob Ludeman said he hopes at least one of the four dissenting councilmen will support the permit - and thus enable a veto override - on Tuesday. He said opposition to charter schools, which was cited by one councilman, is not a valid reason to defeat the permit. He also said personality differences cannot influence land-use issues. The mayor's law department has sued Mr. Ball over the delayed redevelopment of the former Toledo Edison Steam Plant next to Promenade Park.

Council's shock 'n awe stance

On Tue afternoon, Jun 12, 2007, Toledo City Council voted 9-2 to overturn Czarty's veto, and Yosemite Sam Czarty had a verbal stomping fit over Council's decision. Poor Czarty. The maniacal tyrant didn't get his way this time.

I'm surprised by Council's vote. Not only did I think Council wouldn't generate enough votes for the veto, I thought maybe more of Council would side with Czarty. Nine votes were needed to override the veto. Szollosi was absent from the meeting.

Poor Francine Lawrence. I wonder if the Fezzes gave Wilma a hat?


Jun 13, 2007 Toledo Blade story :

Toledo City Council yesterday voted to override Mayor Carty Finkbeiner's vetoes of two charter-school permits, to the disappointment of a Toledo teachers' union that opposes charter schools. Dozens of members of the Zenobia Shrine and their spouses, many wearing the fez hats of their organization, joined with representatives of the Uptown Association and other business groups to show their support for the permits.

Manos Paschalis, owner of Manos Greek Restaurant, which is near the Zenobia Shrine, said the schools will contribute to an emerging neighborhood that will bring families back to the downtown, if only for the school.

But the move disappointed Francine Lawrence, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers, who said it undermines public school teachers and students. She showed up with a group of about 10 teachers to voice their opposition, although just as the vote was concluding. She criticized council President Rob Ludeman for not honoring a request to delay the vote until 5 p.m. The vote was the first item on council's agenda, about
4:20 p.m.

"[Mr. Ludeman] used his authority as council president to advance it [on the agenda]. He sold out public schools," Mrs. Lawrence said.

Note the rampant ignorance running through TPS with Francine's comment. Ludeman sold out the public schools, eh?

Let's look at the report card :

The 2002 report card showed TPS met 5 of 27 academic standards.
2003 = 6 of 22
2004 = 7 of 18
2005 = 4 of 23
2006 = 6 of 25

How is Ludeman responsible for those failing numbers? How many millions of dollars over how many decades have been poured into TPS? If Francine was as focused on improving the educational process as she is with wielding whatever political power she thinks she has, TPS and the public would be better off.

More from the Jun 13 Blade story :

Mr. Ludeman said he was handed a memo from the mayor at 4:12 p.m. asking him to delay the vote so the teachers could "hear the discussion." Mr. Ludeman said that wasn't fair to the 200 or so supporters of the permit who showed up on time. He said council always handles veto overrides as the first item on the agenda. Calling himself one of council's staunchest supporters of public schools, Mr. Ludeman said opposition to charter schools is not a justifiable reason to approve or reject a zoning permit.

Slam by Ludeman. Finally, Ludeman and the other eight who voted against Czarty grew a spine and realized that Czarty does not rule Toledo. Copeland and Brown continue to exhibit their Czarty lapdog ways.

More from the story :

Mr. Finkbeiner scolded council for its override, saying the buildings are better suited for commercial use, and that schools would harm the budding Uptown entertainment district. He also claimed that council rushed the vote and "should be embarrassed by the disrespect they showed" the Toledo teachers.

The flaming arrogance Czarty possess is mind boggling. He's convinced that only he has the answers to every issue. Again, note how the people living and working in the Uptown were for the charter schools. How dare Czarty presume to know more than the Uptown citizens.

The sad but not surprising part about this is clown Czarty over the past couple of days has been belittling the Shriners for allegedly "sprinting" out of Toledo. But the Shriners are moving to a suburb. The Shriners are still in REGION. The abuse and disrespect directed at the Shriners by Czarty and Wilma Brown is appalling and embarrassing to Toledo. Czarty gives another black eye to Toledo. Once again, Czarty is hurting Toledo's image.

The Shriners help children. Well, that explains it. Wilma Brown dislikes children. From the May 30, 2007 Blade story mentioned above:

Councilman Wilma Brown said downtown doesn't need "more children," ...

Czarty should have praised the Shriners for all they have done over the past 100 years. Czarty should have named a street after the Shriners like Czarty did recently for former fire chief Mike Bell. Czarty should have wished the Shriners well in their new location and thanked them for continuing to serve Northwest Ohio. That's right. The Shriners serve the northwest Ohio region not just Toledo.

And that partially explains Czarty's absurd attitude right now about the Shriners. Czarty and other Toledo-based officials are only concerned with Toledo. That's why other communities don't trust Toledo when a Toledo-based official starts clamoring about unigov or regionalism.

I believe that Toledo-based public officials view unigov or regionalism as how can other communities serve Toledo, instead of how all communities together can help the region.

Plenty of vacant buildings already exist in downtown Toledo for Czarty to use for entertainment or office space. Someone should inventory the number of vacant downtown Toledo buildings and ask Czarty why so many vacant buildings exist?

Two years ago, the Westgate property owner decides to redevelop her property, and Czarty tries to prevent it from happening. And now this. Why does the tyrant try to stop real projects from happening?

Charter school transforming Uptown

Jun 18, 2007 Blade story titled Charter school hopes to transform Uptown

As an “entertainment district,” the Uptown area of Toledo so far leaves a lot to be desired. A few restaurants and bars dot the urban landscape, especially on Adams Street. Just as common are weedy asphalt lots and half-empty or shuttered buildings.

But Marlene Mills, the principal of the new school that will occupy what is arguably the center of the entertainment district, sees it primarily as a neighborhood. “Look at all the apartments around here. The Greenbelt [Place Apartments] is loaded with the kids. The Hillcrest [Apartments] has a lot of kids,” Mrs. Mills said.

Those are her future clients. She said there are families with children living in Uptown Arts, Woodruff Village, Beacon Place, and the Riverfront Apartments downtown. Nearby business owners agreed with Mrs. Mills and turned out in force at a Toledo City Council meeting on Tuesday to urge councilmen to approve a permit for the school.

The council meeting drew Shriners wearing fez hats. The debate also attracted the support of the Uptown Association and the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, which agreed with granting the permit. Opposing the permit was the Toledo Federation of Teachers’ union and the mayor, providing an opportunity for the former political opponents to join forces. “I have never been lobbied as hard on any issue as I was on this one,” said Councilman Betty Shultz, who voted for the permit.

The mayor argued that Uptown is the wrong location for children and that the building will go off the property tax rolls. “I don’t think that’s where charter schools or any schools belong,” Mr. Finkbeiner said.

What happened to the idea of building neighborhoods? Some people don't want their neighborhood to consist of only bars and restaurants.

Imagine will not be the first school in the Uptown entertainment district. The charter school will be only one block from the Toledo School for the Arts, which sought and obtained a rezoning in 2004. That application was approved unanimously by City Council and signed by then-Mayor Jack Ford. That charter school is sponsored by the Toledo Board of Education.

Critics have warned that the school will cast a wet blanket on the nascent Uptown entertainment district. One voiced fear that the school would object if the Hillcrest Apartments were to seek a liquor permit for a bar or restaurant. Mrs. Mills said it is unlikely the school would object. “We’ll occupy mostly during the day. Those will be evening kinds of establishments,” she said.

Madison Avenue and 16th Street is virtually the center of the 230-acre entertainment district approved in 2005 for the Uptown area that stretches all the way from the central business district to Collingwood Boulevard. The district allows 15 extra liquor permits above the citywide quota, but so far only one permit has been requested, and it was issued to Wesley’s, 1201 Adams St.

The district encompasses apartment buildings, commercial buildings, empty lots, auto repair shops, bars and restaurants, social service agencies, the Toledo Club, the Cherry Street Mission, the former Mercy Hospital which now houses three Toledo Board of Education charter schools, and Mercy College of Northwest Ohio. Owners of the nearby Manos and Manhattan’s restaurants are eager to see the school come in. They say it will bring taxpaying customers into the community.

Martin Lahey, co-owner of Manhattan’s Restaurant at 1516 Adams, envisions new clientele for his restaurant and a nearby dry-cleaner. He said the Uptown Association sees the entire area as a “village,” with Monroe and Adams streets as the “entertainment” spines, and with residential and business projects sprouting along the streets in between.

I put more trust in the people who live and work in Uptown than in the mayor who is blatantly playing politics.

Mrs. Mills, a former superintendent of Mason Consolidated Schools in Erie, Mich., and a recent unsuccessful candidate for Toledo Public Schools superintendent, said occupancy of the building might have to wait until 2008 because of the delay in getting the permit approved. If that happens, the school would open in a temporary facility for 2007-08, she said.

Imagine Schools plans to open with about 350 children in kindergarten through third grade, and then add a grade level each year up to eighth grade. Eventually, the school would have about 700 pupils. Mrs. Mills said Imagine Schools plans to spend about $5 million renovating the interior. The school will emphasize math, science, and technology.

Math, science, and technology, no wonder mayor Czarty was opposed to this. Every TPS school should emphasize math, science, and technology along with the arts.

Declining membership

Jun 14, 2007 Toledo Blade story

Declining memberships of Toledo's Masonic organizations has them looking for smaller, more cost-efficient facilities, which has led at least one group to leave the city and has upset Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner.

The concept of "cost-efficient" is lost on politicos like the upset Carty.

Another Masonic group is said to be leaving the city is the Scottish Rite, which operates out of the Masonic Complex on Heatherdowns Boulevard. [T]he group is considering a move to a smaller facility because there is not the same need. In the past, 10 Masonic lodges held their meetings in the Heatherdowns building, but that number in recent years has dwindled to three. As a result, the center will be closed to meetings of the lodges and other organizations starting in September. He said most of the lodge groups have combined with others over time and already found other meeting locations.

More from Carty about the Shriners moving to smaller digs and an educational org moving downtown.

"It's a bad decision, no question about it," the mayor said of the council's 9-2 override vote. He said schools do not belong in the neighborhood and the community will lose property taxes on both buildings. Mr. Finkbeiner also rejected arguments that the schools will bring new jobs into downtown, saying each new charter school job is a job lost from Toledo Public Schools. "No one [from the Shrine] contacted me and asked me if I could be of assistance in any way," he said. "They're bailing on Toledo and [Tuesday] my councilman helped them bail."

Carty exhibits a problematic Toledo-centric or Toledo-first-and-to-hell-with-all-other-communities attitude that is common among many Toledo public officials and is detrimental to the region The Shriners are remaining in the region, and they will still serve the region, but that's not good enough for the likes of Carty.

Disturbing Blade op-ed

Jun 19, 2007 Blade op-ed by a nameless writer that's titled The Masons flee once more. I love it when "real" media people whine about bloggers who write behind an alias while these same media people never address the issue of nameless, newspaper op-ed writers who produce idiotic columns like this Blade op-ed.

First, the last two paragraphs from the Blade op-ed that contains some magnanimous rabbit droppings:

Our feelings have nothing to do with the good works of the Masons and their remaining lodges, especially on behalf of young burn victims. For all of that, they deserve public gratitude.

But their commendable deeds are compromised by yet another decision that reaffirms a history and a pattern of resistance to the welfare of a community which has supported for so long their humanitarian efforts.

The problem here, once again, is the Toledo-centric attitude by the op-ed writer. To the Masons, "community" means the region. To the op-ed writer, "community" only means Toledo. More from the op-ed drivel:

THE announced departure of the Masonic organization from the Zenobia Shrine location it has occupied for nearly six decades on Madison Avenue is not the first time the Masons have decided to abandon the heart of the city. Many Toledoans will recall that the Masons left their downtown temple at Michigan and Adams streets and opened a new Masonic complex in 1969.

Many Toledoans will recall a move made in 1969? Since most newspaper readers are over the age of 50 or 60, I guess this ridiculous opening by the op-ed writer has some relevance. To anyone under the age of 40, who cares? And who cares now about a decision made by the Masons in 1969? Hell, we've got stupid decisions from local officials being made this week, this month, and this year that deserve far more attention than something done by the Masons in 1969.

More from the op-ed:

It was a move opposed by this newspaper as far back as 1965.

Live theater is one of those cultural amenities that define a community, and it belongs downtown. But live theater effectively died in downtown Toledo when the Masons moved out instead of building their auditorium where it could have anchored a civic resurgence.

Saving, restoring, and reopening the Valentine Theatre years later, a project embraced by local government with some reluctance only after intense pressure by The Blade’s editorial voice, has brought live professional performances back downtown, though in a much smaller venue.

I've had enjoyable times attending plays at the Village Players theatre in West Toledo, and that's not "downtown." I'd say that in the 21st century with all the entertainment options available, just having live theatre available anywhere is something to marvel at. It doesn't have to be "downtown" to be successful.

More from the op-ed:

Now the Masons intend to make their abandonment of downtown Toledo complete by relocating what remains of their operations at the Zenobia Shrine to an as yet undisclosed location in Perrysburg Township.

It's almost as if the Blade is trying to blame the Masons for the decline of downtown Toledo. The Blade is probably jealous that it cannot move to Wood County.

created by jr on Jun 12, 2007 at 10:51:37 am
updated by jr on Jun 19, 2007 at 05:57:32 pm     Comments: 0

print      source      versions      backlinks