Gloria Ferris

The following email message came from our friend Rick Nicholson on lower Denison, near the Brooklyn Centre Burying Grounds, or Denison Cemetery. We plan on being there:

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL CONCERNED. SEE YOU MEMORIAL DAY.

THANKS RICK

BROOKLYN CENTRE

MEMORIAL DAY

CEREMONY

JOIN US FOR A SERVICE AT THE HISTORIC BROOKLYN CENTRE BURYING GROUND, ALSO KNOWN AS DENISON CEMETERY. TO HONOR OUR MILITARY VETERANS.

11:00 AM, MONDAY

MAY 31ST 2010

MEET AT THE BURYING GROUNDS LOCATED ON GARDEN AVENUE, NORTH OF DENISON AND EAST OF PEARL ON GARDEN AVE BEHIND ALDI’S

THIS CEMETERY HAD ITS FIRST BURIAL IN 1823 AND WAS DEEDED BROOKLYN CENTRE BURING GROUNDS IN 1835. MANY WAR VETERANS, STARTING WITH THE "REVOLUTIONARY WAR", ARE BURIED IN THIS LOCAL HISTORIC CEMETERY.

ALL WELCOME TO CONTRIBUTE. PLEASE CALL RICK NICHOLSON AT 216 398 1494 TO SCHEDULE ANY COMMENTS YOU WISH TO MAKE. MUSIC WILL BE PERFORMED BY JOY AND DOC.

Here’s a new online presence from our friend Frank Mestnik over at Liberty News, covering local events in Brooklyn, Old Brooklyn, and now Brooklyn Centre. See the May issue for the picture of our West 39th Street “forest trail in the city,” a really neat picture of the stone wall apprentice artisans, my article “ReImaging Cleveland,” and the ad for the June 13th Riverside Cemetery tour. This newspaper is fun, and now online.  We also ordered mail delivery using the convenience of PayPal.

 

May paper available

Update- The May paper was printed 4/29, to the USPS 4/30, public area distribution began 4/30, and is available in the download section as of 5/1. The next issue will be available for the first week in June.

The new website is up and mostly functional. I expect to see a few crashes and coding clashes, so please post in the support forum with any functionality that does not appear to be working properly. I’ll try to address those items as quickly as I can. Also, kindly post any improvements in functionality you would like to see. I would like to start integrating and modifying while it’s new.

Majority of the site features requires you to be logged in. This is to help prevent spam and site security. To create an account, click on the "Social" tab. Please note- there are privacy setting under profile options.

Classifieds - residential classifieds are free and should be working properly.

Forum – There’s only a few forum categories for the launch, and will add more as needed/requested.

Blog – This should be working properly.

Mail Delivery – Online payment system to have Liberty News delivered to your home or business. Please note, if your mailing address is different than your billing address, please specify that under "Special Instructions" while on the PayPal link.

Content – You’re seeing the basic shell of the website. Content will be added as time goes on. I don’t anticipate having many of the same items on both the website and printed paper. Articles which were in the paper that do appear online may have additional content added, photos, downloadable attachments, etc.

Planned – Chat feature under the profile options, a few other options/features, better submission form for paper mail delivery (there isn’t one), a lot of window dressing.

I expect it to take a little time to have everything close to where I would like it, so I thank you ahead of time for the patience. It’s my hope the site can fill a few communication voids in the community within a month. Thanks – Frank Mestnik

libertyohio.com

At Monday’s City of Cleveland Council meeting, Councilman Brancatelli, Cummins, and Kelley submitted emergency  Resolution 375-10 opposing the above referenced application.

The resolution was read three times, and then,  council voted.  It passed with all eighteen members present voting “yea”.  Councilman Cummins verified that this mining permit application does have a connection to Bradley Road landfill.  Councilman Brancatelli confirmed that information on TY Inc. has been difficult to obtain at this point.

Several people have submitted letters of objection.  Chris Trepal, executive director of Earth Day Coalition notified me her letter of objection has been mailed.  Robyn Sandys, executive director of Old Brooklyn CDC emailed me to tell me that OBCDC would be formally objecting.  I learned today that the objection was unanimously approved at last night’s board meeting.

At this point, not much is known about the details of the application or the ramifications of what such a permit would have to the community.  Many city departments are compiling data, city council has objected and asked for answers, OBCDC is gathering information, and most importantly, private citizens are aware and asking questions.    

until March 31, 2010 when the time for public comment is closed on Mineral Mining Permit Application #10428 which would allow strip mining for sand and clay  between Sky Lane and Bradley Road.

Here is the letter I sent to the Chief of Mineral Resources at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.  Feel free to use it in its entirity adding your own concerns, use parts of it our write you own letter.  Just WRITE!

March 22, 2010

Chief John Husted

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Mineral Resources Management

2045 Morse Road, Building H3

Columbus, OH 43229-6693

Dear Mr. Husted:

I object to the application #10428 Request for Mineral Mining between Sky Lane and Bradley Road in the City of Cleveland. My reasons include but are not limited to the following:

Effect of Strip Mining on Neighborhood: How will the strip mining affect residents of Sky Lane and Bradley Roads? How much noise, dust and traffic will be created? Can the infrastructure handle the strain of heavy machinery and trucks? What impact will this have on property values and even the ability to sell at all? How far into the neighborhood will this effect reach?
Effect on Watershed: Will the ecosystems of two creeks be compromised?  What will ensure that they are not?   What is the Ohio EPA’s position on covering over streams?

Effect on Air Quality: What particulate matter will be added to the atmosphere?

Effect on Community: Will this set a precedent for other vacant land within the city limits of Cleveland? What rights do the City of Cleveland and its citizens have in such a matter?

Need for Transparency: What is Ty Inc. and what assurance do we have that the corporation has the expertise to take on this undertaking? Who will the partners be in this operation? How will the public be assured that they will not be burdened with a failed enterprise? What will the transparency of such a major undertaking be? Will all contracts be approved in the light of day? What assurances will the public have that the corporation and partners are financially able to underwrite the endeavor?

I request a public hearing to be held so that the residential neighbors in this area as well as their fellow Clevelanders can ask questions and speak to the impact the awarding of a 15 year permit for mineral mining would have on our city and the community of Old Brooklyn.

Sincerely,

Today’s Cleveland City Council Meeting is of major importance for those community members who are lobbying for pedestrian and bicicyle access on the planned Innerbelt bridge. Rally at 6:30 on steps of City Hall.

During the City Council Meeting which starts a 7 pm Councilman Brancatelli will be introducing a  formal objection to introucing mineral mining with Old Brooklyn.

It would probably depend on your viewpoint.  I would say that the residents on Sky Lane and near Bradley Road would be very interested in Mineral Mining Permit #10428.  The public notice for this application was placed in the Plain Dealer beginning in February.  I went on line to www.Cleveland.com to find one of the public notices by scanning the classifieds but gave it up as a futile endeavor.  The public notices are included with the classifieds and not searchable as far as I could tell.

I decided to call the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to ask for a copy of the permit application.  The very helpful state employee told me that the original application could have been revised several times so that the one he had available to send might not have up-to-the-minute information. He said he would answer my questions if he could.

Who applied for the permit?   Ty Inc. out of Independence Ohio

Where were the public notices advertised? They advertised in the Plain Dealer that they would be mining for sand and clay.

He suggested that he tell me what they planned to do.  They will be using heavy equipment to extract the sand and clay.  This will be open pit mining .  In an open pit mining situation,the site must be reclaimed.  They plan to use the soil and restore the site to a condition as close to original as possible.

 What is the time frame? It is a fifteen year permit.

How do they plan to reclaim the site?  It will be an open, vegetative site with a big pond.  He told me it actually would be a water impoundment feature.  He began to explain what water impoundment is. I asked him if it was like  water impoundment used when strip mining for coal.  The answer was: yes.  He then went on to tell me that the contouring  would be a 3/1slope and rolled erosion webbing around the water impoundment would be used. 

How large of an area are we talking about?  He said well, it is pretty large.  8 and 1/2 acres.  They intend to mine 30,000 tons of clay and soil and expect to reach gray silt at 12 ft with an ending depth of 24 feet  with the average being 20 feet.  The area is along Sky Lane and Bradley Road.

The last thing he told me is VERY IMPORTANT.  The DEADLINE for public comment is March 31st. Here is the address to send letters with questions, concerns, and a request for a public hearing to:

Chief John Husted
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Mineral Resources Management
2045 Morse Road,  Building H3
Columbus, OH 43229-6693

So here are some questions :

How will the strip mining effect residents of Sky Lane and Bradley Roads?
Will the ecosystems of two creeks be compromised?  What will ensure that they are not? 
What particulate matter will be added to the atmosphere?
What will be the effect on the water table and the watershed?
If this permit is granted, will this set a precedent for other vacant land within the city limits of Cleveland?What is the assurance that Ty inc. has the expertise for such an undertaking?

Is the EPA involved in the vetting of this application? Where and when do they step in?

What rights does the city of Cleveland and its citizens have in such a matter?

I talked to Councilman Brancatelli who has objected to the application. Monday, March 22 Councilman Brancatelli will formally oppose this application at the City Council meeting so that the City Law Department can take the objection forward.  Councilman Brancatelli has also requested a public hearing but does not know when and where it will be held  yet.

I do know from my talk with the state employee that a public hearing is usually held within two weeks after the deadline date.  In this case, March 31.  he said that the downside to a public meeting is that sometimes not all people are able to speak because of time constraints.  He said that letters of objection sent until March 31will be considered and that these letters should be sent.  he said the best way to be heard is to write a letter with concerns  and request a public hearing so that a lot of questions can be answered beforehand and included in information at the public hearing.

There are two things we can do:

1. WRITE a letter of Objection that requests a public hearing to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources 
2. ATTEND Monday’s City Council meeting and support Councilman Brancatelli.

Is this newsworthy? I believe it is.  Every resident of the city of Cleveland and beyond should  know about this mineral mining rights application that would approve mining within city limits. But how will they know?  I  am pushing this information out to as many people as possible.  If you agree, take the time to write a letter requesting a public hearing. Send the information to others who you think will want to support Councilman Brancatelli’s efforts. Find out as much as you can about this latest assault on the residents of Sky Lane and Cleveland.   

Well, not really, but The Cleveland Geological Society, one of the associated societies of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History,  is going to tell you why there is something shaky going on in NEO. The Society’s monthly meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm in Classroom A on C Floor at the Museum.

The talk at the February 17 meeting will be:

"There’s Something Shaky About this Place

and,  We Have the Data to Prove It"

This will be about the 100 plus year history of seismology in Cleveland, the museum’s part in that history, and the Ohio Seismic Network (OhioSeis). A tour of the museum’s seismic observatory will follow this talk.
http://tinyurl.com/yggz4c2

CGS Program Chair.
Douglas Dunn
Assistant, Invertebrate Paleontology
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
1 Wade Oval Dr.
Cleveland, Oh. 44106-1767
1.216.231.4600 x 3240
1.800.317.9155 x 3240
1.216.231.5919 CMNH fax
CMNH Invertebrate Paleontology website entry point:
http://tinyurl.com/yhm8jek
Search our collection database:
http://www.s15276997.onlinehome-server.com/DefaultWebSearch/advanced.jsp

The kickoff rally for the health and human services Renewal Levy will be12:30 pm at MetroHealth today.  This is a renewal and will not raise taxes but will continue services at  the  current level.  This levy is essential for people who need the miraculous services of MetroHealth (me),  the Alcohol and Mental Health Board,  reentry programs,children’s services, and too many others to name here  

Being a child of the Sixties, I have aged with this Hubert Humphrey quote in my mind :

“It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

and  The Golden Rule: 

¹²So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

   I believe all religions  have a form of  The Golden Rule , and therefore, religious or not, we should be able to come together to support  our brothers and sisters that need us myself included.

I will be watching to see which county council candidates rise to the occasion and support a large chunk of the core mission of county government, not with words but with action.

Last week I posted about our friend and neighbor’s Valentine’s Weekend Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters at his store mlangclothing&cocktails.

This week I am posting a bit more about the event and some of the artists whose work is for sale at Mike’s store.  Three of the artists like Mike are neighbors as well as friends and the fourth artist is a gal who has worked with us in the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood at some of our events.  All four women are incredibly talented and produce quality pieces again and again.

Deby Cowdin. You can see examples of Deby’s work at her website from the blue bag. The Civic Innovation Lab recently awarded Deby and her partners one of their grants to use in promoting the recyclable aspect of the artwork she produces and promotes at her gallery/studio.

Denise Donaldson. Denise is planning a very special necklace set for Valentine’s Day.  It will be displayed on Saturday, and as with all her pieces, she will make only one.  She uses mostly semi-precious stones, the more unusual the better. She does her own designing and welcomes custom orders.

Sharon Martyn. Sharon’s stained glass  designs are original and unique and the glass is hand cut and hand ground.. Her handmade wire work adds flow and beauty to each piece she crafts.  The addition of crystals  to her sun catchers adds a dimension of light and sparkle not often seen.  Sharon has created fan lights, fireplace panels and other custom windows for our neighbors. The pieces shown here are her donations to Mike’s raffle to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters.  The heart on the left is light pink and the one on the right is dark purple.

Marge Pauls.  Marge creates original artwork that appeals to the romantic in each of us.  She paints fairies, angels, society moguls and a myriad of other subjects. She incorporates pen and ink in her work which gives it a sharpness and edge that adds “pop” to her work.  Her artwork is available as prints, matted or unmatted, and as note cards. We eagerly await her yearly Christmas card and the party invitation for New Year Eve’s because it will be a new, never seen mpauls original.  She also crafts unique jewelry which will also be at mlangclothing&cocktails. 

Mike tells me that the raffle this weekend will include theater and sporting event  tickets. There may be restaurant gift cards and Mike has thrown in a few items from the store as well.  Besides, the custom shirt deal for a $49 donation BBBS, there will be a pair of $95 pants raffled.   Did I say  that there is no minimum donation? Come buy raffle tickets, donate and get a shirt, buy a few drinks, and sample a few of the appetizers from area restaurants.

This post began as a comment to one of Roldo’s posts over on RealNEO. Roldo always makes me think  and I thank him for that and for bringing Jump Start to mind. And may I say that I am quite proud of Ronn Richard and The Cleveland Foundation’s Board of Trustees willing to question how thinks are shaping up over there at The Fund For Economic Future.  When will the powers that be see that asking questions is not a threat, it is “the Socratic Method”.

First, It is interesting to note that The Cleveland Foundation is taking heat because they are no longer in lock step with how the Fund for our Economic Future is headed. It appears that FFEF straying from its mission helped Cleveland Foundation revisit its own and find that they themselves were straying.  I found it amusing that The Plain Dealer jumped on The Foundation just as it has bloggers, public officials, businesspeople and others who are not in lock step with the GCP.

Let’s follow the money– the Third Frontier Funds are fronted by Ohio taxpayers.  Fund for Economic Future receives funds and distributes said funds to Jump Start, Nortech, MAGNET, TEAMNEO ETC. Jump Start for example chooses a start up to fund after friends, family, credit cards and savings of entrepreneur are exhausted and the future of the dream and local employees are at risk.  Here is where Norm’s point of equity shares come into play.  Jump Start funds company to get it over the  hump. When start up moves to Early Stage. At this point, Jump Start steps back because company should be sustainable.  If not, company dies or if the company is sustainable but needs an influx of capital to expand and grow venture capitalists agree to fund for equity shares.  Company soon is no longer the entrepreneur’s. Many say that not all entrepreneurs are meant to be CEOs, and this is true butventure capitalists do not always have a community in mind. To them, a company that served a community can move elsewhere because human capital is everywhere.  not so, with an entrepreneur who built a company in a specific geographic area.

I have three questions: Why are taxpayer’s now fronting funds that venture capitalists once provided?  With the FFEF now branching out into Effective Government Now are we tying government and economic development together, and should we? Are Ohio texpayers facing undue  risk by underwriting eonomic ventures?

I know that this is a rather simplified version of how I perceive the taxpayers in our state again taking the risk for the private sector. I am a believer in balance, and when I see and read about these issues I see something that is very off kilter.