tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258766317116489243.post4986563906417190140..comments2023-06-25T05:20:07.108-07:00Comments on The Lynch Pen: Cervenik's Profile in Courage Warrants Admiration and SupportDavid Lynchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16930324512803045032noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258766317116489243.post-89101443240873401482011-10-31T07:44:56.591-07:002011-10-31T07:44:56.591-07:00Mr. Lynch, interesting article. Perhaps you have b...Mr. Lynch, interesting article. Perhaps you have been out of the political arena too long. You seem to have forgotten that elected officials serve the people.<br /><br />With regards to Providence, Mayor Cervenik's decision to ignore the voters' will might be viewed by some as arrogance. Others might wonder how throwing out a vote over the threat of a lawsuit exhibits good leadership. As an added perk to Providence, since 2008, thanks to former county auditor Frank Russo, Providence has enjoyed tax-exempt status on the church parcel. Yet no building permit has been pulled - a pre-requisite for tax exemption. This has cost the City and Schools tens of thousands of dollars in lost legitimate revenue.<br /><br />As to Chief Repicky, some might think Mayor Cervenik's decision to keep Chief Repicky on with full salary/benefits in spite of the 95% No Confidence vote and now the OAPC negative outlook smacks more of disdain for the residents of Euclid. But perhaps as in the case of Providence, the Mayor buckled for fear of a lawsuit. When he fired former Fire Chief Dworning, that decision cost the City close to $1 million.<br /><br />It's quite possible that the Mayor's policy of 'out of sight, out of mind' is not courageous at all. Given that this policy has cost residents so much, some might view his decisions not as 'courageous', but as cowardice.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02493305093907650723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258766317116489243.post-28152205341056413512011-10-30T17:54:21.418-07:002011-10-30T17:54:21.418-07:00Mr. Lynch I agree with you and will continue to su...Mr. Lynch I agree with you and will continue to support Mayor Cervenik. I also support your son Scott and will be voting for him. <br />K. GormanCLevelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07586654158636130433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258766317116489243.post-25180445667145149442011-10-30T10:12:43.284-07:002011-10-30T10:12:43.284-07:00Mr. Lynch:
You speak of being in the arena. Well...Mr. Lynch:<br /><br />You speak of being in the arena. Well sir, I have been in the arena, sat on council while the issue of Providence Baptist Church was being discussed.<br /><br />I don't recall seeing you there, sir. But, since you want to go back to those times, and claim this was a high point of Mayor Cervenik's term as Mayor, that is shows how courageous he was, well, you are overlooking a few things.<br /><br />A true leader would have spoke out forcefully and clearly that we, as the Euclid community would not allow this matter to become a racial matter. That the items before council would be handled as they should be: as zoning matters.<br /><br />If you would have been there, sir, you would have heard the very legitimate questions raised<br />by Euclid Citizens and, the answers provided by<br />the Church. Once the vote was taken, and the zoning changed approved, Euclid Citizens as per their rights granted in our Charter placed the measure on the ballot.<br /><br />And, what did our Mayor say about all of this?<br />He stated in both the Plain Dealer and the Sun Journal that if you opposed this project, you are a racist.<br /><br />Was that courageous, Mr. Lynch, as you claim, or<br />was that simply craven political posturing? Since I know something of bigotry in this City I can tell you, since I live in that arena, that <br />the bigots in Euclid are far outnumbered by folks with good common sense. The very same folks that have voted in the past overwhelmingly<br />for Melody Stewart and Lance Mason.<br /><br />I wrote to the Mayor about his comments in the PD during that time. He claimed he was misquoted<br />and that he understood that not all Providence opponents were racist. I have that e-mail somewhere in the archives. Yet, he made the same charge again in the Sun Journal. <br /><br />As a side note, as of today, almost 7 years after those days, Providence has not built one thing up at Hillandale. The structure built by<br />American Church Builders at 156th and Lakeshore was demolished. So, perhaps all those people that raised questions, and voted against the plans were right to question. They did their jobs as citizens, Mr. Lynch and deserved better than to be smeared as racists by the Mayor. <br /><br />Mucking around in the very worst style of racial politics is not courageous, Mr. Lynch, it is disgusting.<br /><br />You also claim that Mr. Cervenik's handling of<br />Chief Repicky is another example of courageous leadership.<br /><br />Again, your facts are faulty, because, you sir, are not in the arena.<br /><br />If you were, you clearly know that no action was contemplated against Chief Repicky until after the FOP of this City took action by attending Council meetings. It was their condemnation of Chief Repicky that forced the Mayor's hand. Or, perhaps it was the statement of Claire Blakely<br />condemning the Mayor of this City for the handling of her father's death.<br /><br />Or, perhaps Mr. Lynch you approve of what the Mayor did: directly linking Det. Sgt. Kevin Blakely directly to the Sherrif's Department investigation. <br /><br />For an officer that served this City for 28 years, did not Officer Blakely, one day after his death deserve better than to be tossed to the wolves of media speculation? You sir, as an attorney should realize that Officer Blakely deserves that presumption of innocence even in death until any investigation was completed.<br /><br />Was that courage on the Mayor's part? Or cowardice? Or was he simply protecting his friend, the Chief?<br /><br />I can tell you from being in the arena, it was not until FOP members met with members of council that he decided to ease the Chief out.<br /><br />So, the Mayor should be credited with good handwriting reading, as anyone could see that Jim Repicky lost the confidence of the EPD.<br /><br />And, I can give you many more instances from inside the arena, sir, where the Mayor's behavior was less than courageous. <br /><br />Mr. Lynch, clearly I was wrong about you, and, certainly, I was mistaken in supporting you past campaigns. For clearly, you do not no the difference between real courage, and, political posturing.Daryl Langmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12537287047143339213noreply@blogger.com