A candidate for Mayor News and Views

By Jerald Robertson

I served on the Hamilton County committee looking at illegal dumping and littering. Littering is especially difficult to eliminate because it is many people being messy. You can reduce the problem by education, clean-ups and law enforcement.

Cleaning up public areas of Elmwood Place is simple. You go out and pick it up. You cut the weeds. On private property you enforce the property maintenance codes. I was on the Council that passed that ordinance. As Mayor I will see that it is enforced vigorously. The Maintenance man will spend the first hour of his day picking up trash, not taking his usual coffee break.

A SAFE COMMUNITY When I was elected to Council in 1992, I looked at our police department and saw a problem. Retaining experienced officers was going to be very difficult. I suggested a plan at that time but nothing was done with it. So now I am not surprised that we only have two full time officers. When I returned to Council in 2002, I again presented my ideas for retaining good officers. Once more nothing was done.

Chief Pat Olvey and Officer Paul Corbiel have resigned from the department. They were replaced with auxiliaries. These were our two most experienced men. Why did they leave? We need full time officers not rooky auxiliaries. We need a plan that works and it should include moving the Department into the Town Hall.

Our Fire Department has been reorganized again. It does not need reorganizing; it needs a new realistic approach.

Chief Jerry Jones in 1994 told me that volunteer fire departments were history because of regulations and a declining interest by young men to do it. Jerry was right and I wondered at the time, if there is handwriting on the wall, why is it not heeded. The people we have elected to office haven't understood its meaning.

In 1976 a tornado hit the Village. I was here to see the Fire Department do an outstanding job of cleaning up. In 1993 there was a big wind storm. This time both the Police and Fire Departments didn't appear to know what to do. If we had a catastrophe now what would we get in the way of response. Not much!

Hurricane Katrina showed what happens when the government doesn't execute properly in an emergency. I assure you correcting the Village's current inability to respond will have top priority with me and there will be action on it. I will reopen recent discussions with nearby communities to supply or supplement our services.

A WELL MANAGED COMMUNITY Three years ago I proposed changing the rules of Council. The rules were written in 1985 so as to give the Mayor better control. As Mayor I will not be interested in controlling Council but getting them to do their proper job of representing you. That's the way it should work. No wonder our Council has been dysfunctional. We need people there with better understanding.

I have already started to correct that problem by asking Brad Bell and John Meirose to be candidates for Council. They both are better educated and have more management experience than the present gang all put together. It is now your job to elect them.

There are no management guidelines for the Village. There are no written personnel manuals. Well ran organizations have these things. The lack of them shows a need for improving Village management methods.

I have the training that is needed here. I got it working for major corporations. So has John Meirose. The Village needs our experience.

In 2002 I proposed enacting a personnel manual supplied by the State. I left before I could get it accepted. A first priority when I am elected is to resubmit that to Council for their appraisal, ideas and approval.

I will expect Village employees to earn their pay and be decent representatives of our community. If not they will not be around very long. In return for good performance they will be treated right with their security a top priority.

I serve on the CCR Transportation Committee that is looking at future needs. The planning addresses the flight from the older communities such as ours. At a recent meeting I said "Tell me about it. I can walk out on my front porch and see six house for sale signs". There are currently over 30 houses in town with signs up. Elmwood Place has a problem. We are not alone in this. Other communities in our area have the same problem. The difference however between them and us is that they are doing something about it.

Greenhills is buying up poor property and rehabbing it. Norwood rather than go bankrupt went out and brought in new businesses. Both have plans for doing this. Where is the Elmwood plan? There is none!

If I am Mayor, there will be a plan. It will be a plan of action. It will be your plan because I will ask you what you want for our community. I will form a Council of Village Elders to solicit that opinion. In addition there will be town meetings so everyone has an opportunity to express their thoughts.

We must restore the sense of community we are losing. To do that we must be proud of our town and that's hard to do when it is looking run down.

We must feel that it is safe. That means decent police protection and a reliable Life Squad. These things require good management planning and supervision. I will deliver these things. That's how I made my living in industry.

If the people in office could correct these problems, we would not have them. We do not need more promises. We need delivery on solutions. You need public servants who reply to your requests in a polite and professional way.

NO EMPTY PROMISES My slogan, you see, is not an empty one. It points to what I think we all want.I use the word community in its full sense + a unified body of individuals; people with common interests living in a particular area; neighborhood; a joint ownership; fellowship; a joining together in a result of having principle-centered leadership.

Good leadership leads. It does not dictate. It gets us from where we are to where we want to go. As your Mayor I will ask you "Where do you want our community to go. I will listen to you". When, if ever, has current Village elected officials asked you that? When have they ever asked themselves that?

I am looking to a better future for our town. Help me make it happen by giving me the chance to make it happen. Let us together make Elmwood Place a clean, safe, well managed community + one to be proud of and feel safe in.

I ask for your vote.

A campaign flier distributed by the candidate, not Village employees.