Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Clarify my message

I guess after I read my posting this morning I wanted to clarify that I am staying on council because WE have all of this work to do.

Brian Wisniewski has been rock solid in his support of issues in front of us. He was instrumental in the sewer plant expansion. Without Brian we may very have been building that monster of a sewer plant today.

Both Heidi and Brian have stood strong in some very difficult times over the last year or so.

What I want to make crystal clear here is that I believe we have four people that are a razor thin margin on our current council. If the community wants to expedite the processes then we need more people working on council and for the good of the city. I do not believe all seven members of our current council have the good of the city in mind in their efforts. I do believe we have a solid four votes. We need to open up that margin to ensure we can implement our programs in the future.

Clearly my goal is to form a city council that represents the citizens of Pickerington not some special outside interest groups.

If anyone would like to explore the idea of running for city council then please call me I am in the book. Broad community support is very important if the welfare of our community. That support includes citizens willing to serve. I will tell you up front it is hard and it is time consuming. Your reward will be in a great future community that we all can be proud of and a wonderful place to live and raise our children. If we as a community become complacent then outside forces will retake our city and our only recourse then is to complain.

Clarify my Message

I believe that Heidi and Brian have done superb jobs on City Council, I strongly endorse Mitch's reelection, and I know that Jeff Fix, who has been working against uncontrolled, unplanned residential growth in this community for years, will make an excellent addition to
Council.

Response

Brian and Ted,

Sorry if I seemed to bait you into a response. Let me try to address your issues as best I can. I have reviewed your voting records. Matter of fact, I keep abreast of all meeting minutes as soon as they?’re posted. I thank you for what you?’re doing. My wild card analogy was towards candidate support, not what you stand for. My cousin is very involved in county politics and I can tell you that the candidate you mentioned not having toes to the old regime does indeed still have them. He has aspirations higher than serving the citizens of Pickerington and this is just a stepping stone for him. I just worry that any council supporters of his are being used as part of a bigger play. Take a look at his campaign literature from the parade. He states he has a plan to control growth. What is wrong with your plan? Is it not good enough for him? It is good enough for me and those I have spoken with. Why is he now ready to roll out his own plan? How will it conflict with your plans?

I intend supporting O?’Brien too. I think he has proven himself as not only being a team player, but by not being afraid to make the big decisions and this charter change issue has also shown his willingness to reach some agreement on issues across philosophical lines. I think he is a leader and not a follower.

The 4-3 split demonstrates precisely who is on the side of the residents and who is not. We need this division to come to more of a 5-2, 6-1 or 7-0 number. I also agree with not needing yes men (women) to just vote with the gang. You can have a 7-0 majority and still have constructive differences that benefit all. I think that the 4-3 we?’re currently being shown is not strong enough. That is why I am encouraging people to get in the game and make a difference. I think that is what Ted is illustrating is his posting.

Brian, I apologize if I offended. I appreciate you and what you do. I also appreciate what you give to the community. Willingness to serve is what sets people apart. As long as they are willing to serve the people, like your four, and not themselves and their masters. I don?’t see the candidate you mentioned as being on your team. You may not feel he is on the opposing team, but you can bank on him not being on yours. I know that for sure. He has his own agenda.

Having talked to O?’Brien recently at a social gathering, I can see the commitment in his eyes and hear it in his words of conviction. He definitely needs another term. I think he has an out-of-the-box thought process that is only now beginning to show. Look there for the future.

Physical constraints do not allow me to enter the race myself. However I will make every attempt to stay informed and I will call anyone out on something that looks wrong. I fully realize how much is at stake in this election. Your election had a lot at stake too but this one is phase two of the overall changes that are required. It is as, or maybe more important.


By Grouchy Old Fart

Shooting at everyone

GOF:

I received a copy of the flyer that Jeff Fix handed out during the fourth of July Parade. In the past, I have known and read some of the material that Jeff has written including at one time the PATA newsletters. That flyer was not his finest work.

He basically infers that he has issues with every single person on council. He says he has issues with Parker, Wright, and Sabatino and then goes on to introduce his own plan to deal with our community's problems. Apparently Jeff is not happy with the other four either.

The 2003 council did pass a housing moratorium and it was challenge by the BIA because it was not backed up by any type of study nor was there any evidence to support the moratorium. So after months of court battles the current council was able to remove itself for that law suit.

I believe there is a strong desire on the part of the current council to NOT get bogged down with legal challenges from the BIA and to prevent that; they have been paying for some work by outside consultants to offer that proof to backup any plan or program that they want to adopt. In short, they want defensible plans.

Now Mr. Fix is wanting to offer his own plan with apparently no study data nor expert advice to back up in court what he is proposing. This is problematic for me to see someone now want to step in and change the course of action that was initiated in January of 2004. Stay the Course!!

I believe in the posting above from Hackworth those growth plans are beginning to materialize. As I recall, the city just settled the last BIA law suit in March or so. Why would they be so foolish to adopt yet another plan that the BIA would take them to task again?

I think generally Mr. Fix has the good of the community at heart. However he many times speaks before thinking and he takes on more than he should. I believe the hectic pace he sets for himself is a character flaw on Jeff's part.

With that said, I doubt very seriously that Hackworth and the rest of this council would abandon the money they have already spent on studies to look at Jeff's ''NEW PLAN''.

With what little I know of what's cooking at City Hall I am excited that we are about to embark on a new journey that slows our growth and improves our quality of life in Pickerington.

Jeff Fix in his initial campaign flyer is simply trying too hard. What is needed on the Pickerington City Council is good and honest people that have the interests of the community at heart not these outside interests like the BIA.

Jeff re-write the piece. You ain't going anywhere with your plan.










By Battle scared