LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Author: Guest Column

Wenstrup condemns actions of the “criminals” who broke into the U.S. Capitol

Dear Friends,

It was a tumultuous week for our nation. Yet, America has shown her resolve. It is critical that everyone – regardless of political party – work to lower the collective temperature of our political discourse. We must, as Ronald Reagan often said, disagree without being disagreeable. Before any political ideology or persuasion, we are first Americans.

Please join me in praying for our nation and those who lost their lives during the events that unfolded at the Capitol this past week.

I unequivocally condemn the actions of the criminals who broke into the U.S. Capitol, injured law enforcement, and tried to disrupt the constitutional process. No matter what flag one is carrying, people violating the law need to be held accountable. That is not who we are. That is not what this country stands for.

The peaceful transfer of power is enshrined in the fabric of our constitutional republic. It is part of what makes America the greatest country in the world. Without it, we are no better than the banana republics from which we seek to protect ourselves and our allies.

I believe there remain constitutional concerns and actual violations regarding election administration. Understandably, many Americans across the political spectrum have concerns about its fairness and accuracy. Unfairness on the part of the media and big tech only exacerbated these concerns, which have been arising over the last two decades.

I am deeply concerned about state officials making changes to their election laws without the consent of their state legislators. This concern has arisen in states won by each candidate.

That’s why I joined with 125 of my colleagues last month in signing the amicus brief that presented election irregularities and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on whether states should be held accountable to the Constitutional prescriptions. It is the body best suited to make that determination of constitutionality. Unfortunately, it refused to hear the case based on standing, though it never heard the arguments or struck down the merits of the questions. The Court has unfortunately left this issue unresolved.

Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution grants state legislatures sole authority to direct the manner for how its state’s Electors are appointed to the Electoral College. And yet, judges, governors, and other officials in certain states repeatedly made changes to election laws that circumvented the state legislatures.

The discrepancies in these states must be resolved, and the constitutional questions must be answered. Before the election, state legislatures should have exerted their constitutional role to either object to or codify election administration changes. They did not, and they still have not, sadly. The Supreme Court should have accepted the opportunity to hear and rule on this issue, which is why I joined the amicus brief asking the Court to take up the issue and rule definitively. They did not. Presidential campaigns with constitutional concerns should have brought those forth before Election Day. They did not. We as Congress should weigh these constitutional concerns alongside a state’s constitutional role in appointing and certifying their electors.

Two constitutional issues are hitting each other: The non-constitutionality of non-legislative changes to the election and the constitutionality of states choosing their own electors and certifying them.

Specifically, I joined the petition to object to Pennsylvania’s Electors because of clear discrepancies between Pennsylvania’s own state law and how its election was administered. These include judges unilaterally extending certain election deadlines, election officials not requiring signature checks on mail-in ballots, and inconsistent standards from county officials for “ballot curing.” I believe the changes these Pennsylvania officials made without the consent of their state legislators are unconstitutional. In addition, Pennsylvania’s law – Act 77, which expanded mail-in ballots – violates their own Constitution. These issues need to be heard and debated. Objections in the certification process are not unprecedented.

As I understand it, neither Article II nor the 12th Amendment grants Congress the power to overrule the states’ certification of their own Electors.Article II states, in part, “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors,” and the 12th Amendment states, in part, “The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; — The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President.” Historically, a reason the Electoral Counting Act of 1887 included the ability to object to a slate of electors came from the need to resolve disputes arising from when a single state certified multiple slates of electors. That has not happened in this case.

One may not like it right now amidst this election, but we would create a dangerous precedent and do harm to the institution of the Electoral College and election process. If either party were to gain a majority in both chambers of Congress, they could simply reject the will of the voters and select their own President.

This is not a decision I have arrived at lightly, and I understand and respect that many of my colleagues may have reached a different conclusion. Our discussions in the House were spirited and sincere, with both sides legitimately standing firmly on constitutional ground with competing interpretations.

The Electoral College is a critical component of our carefully balanced constitutional republic, and we must protect it. Let me be clear: the issues I’ve raised deal not with the institution of the Electoral College but only with how some states have run their elections and selected their Electors. Ultimately, the individual states should and must decide their Electors.

Where Do We Go from Here?

I pledge to work to ensure that these constitutional questions are answered ahead of the next election so that Americans can have faith in our republic as well as clarity as we work to protect the electoral college, our constitution, and our laws. America remains the greatest country in the world. However, we must settle these unresolved questions and restore faith in our election system if we are to live up to the legacy given to us by past generations and sustain the blessings of our liberties for future generations. I pledge to work to ensure these constitutional questions are answered ahead of the next election so Americans have clarity on and faith in our democracy and the integrity of the Electoral College and our Constitution is protected.

Our government – Congress, the courts, and the states – must work to reach agreed-upon answers to these questions to ensure future integrity of, and faith in, our elections. Ohio has stood as a model in election administration for the 2020 Presidential Election. We did things right.

I am going to fight to make sure the American people are never in this position again. I support efforts by Senator Tim Scott to establish an Election Integrity Commission to formally investigate the missteps from this election and provide guidance for future elections as both sides of the aisle should want clarity and certainty. Undoubtedly, more legislation to safeguard our Electoral College and elections will be needed to prevent future irregularities, discrepancies, and constitutional concerns. The American people deserve it.

We can and we must right these wrongs. Like the song “America the Beautiful” suggests, we ask that “God mend thine every flaw.”

PUBLISHERS NOTE:

President Donald Trump and his allies have baselessly claimed that there was rampant voter fraud in the 2020 Presidential election.

“There’s a great human capacity for inventing things that aren’t true about elections,” said Frank LaRose, a Republican who serves as Ohio’s secretary of state. “The conspiracy theories and rumors and all those things run rampant. For some reason, elections breed that type of mythology.”

Election officials in every state have not reported any major voting issues. Each of the 60 election related lawsuit filed, contesting election processes by either Trump or his supports all failed, and none have proven widespread problems.

Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Chris Krebs told 60 Minutes the election was “the most secure in American history.” Trump then fired him.

January 11, 2021
I hope Trump fulfills his words in two weeks by stepping aside

by Stefanie Badders Laufersweiler

When Colin Kaepernick knelt on a football field to call attention to disparate treatment and unnecessary deaths of blacks by some law enforcement, there was outrage, especially on social media, about the inappropriateness and disrespect in his protest.

When a Congressman and minister ended a prayer before Congress with “amen/awoman”, a playful pun meant as a nod to a record number of women (144) taking office in Congress this term, and to the first female House chaplain being appointed, there were cries that the “Radical Left” are ruining our country.

Yet when Americans stormed the Capitol yesterday, pushing past police and into Senate chambers and offices to disrupt the certification of election results with the intention of demanding that those results be overturned, there was largely silence from those so distraught by a knee and a pun.

“No More Bullshit” flags hung in my community, in many communities, for months prior to the election.

On numerous occasions before November, Trump claimed without evidence that widespread mail-in voting would mean a fraudulent election, and many times, including to a rally of supporters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in August, he said, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged.”

After Biden’s win was made official by Congress last night, Trump said he will leave office on Jan. 20, in the same breath that he again expressed that the election was stolen from him, despite any evidence.

I find it interesting that so many “Pray for our nation” signs suddenly went up after Biden won the election. Shouldn’t the praying have been happening for our nation all along—no matter the leader, or the election results?

Subtleties, after a while, take on all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

Our divisions are strong. We saw yesterday where unchecked words and actions over time can lead.

I hope Trump fulfills his words in two weeks by stepping aside for his successor. And I hope we’re learning how vital a role we ordinary citizens play in a transfer of power being peaceful, and a nation moving on, by our actions and words every day.

January 7, 2021
A special holiday message from Homes For Our Troops

Dear Loveland Magazine,

The Board of Directors and Staff at Homes For Our Troops want to express our profound appreciation for you during this season of gratitude. This year has been challenging for many Americans; we are incredibly grateful to have your unwavering support throughout it all.

Please know, because of your dedication to our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives, there are over 300 severely injured post-9/11 Veterans who are celebrating the holidays safely in their specially adapted custom homes today. Having an accessible and comfortable environment is critical for severely injured Veterans, especially when “home” is the safest place to be.

We hope you are taking the time to pause and enjoy the season safely with loved ones. We look forward to celebrating more accomplishments with you in 2021.

Happy Holidays.

Love,

Your HFOT Family.

December 25, 2020
The Stress of Covid-19 and its Impact on Relationships

by Tonya Schaeffer

The stress and strain of Covid-19 has impacted families on so many levels this year. As you know, sheltering in place or quarantine has placed us all with family members or significant others more so than ever before. At times, it is nice to have the comfort and support during difficult times, but often the stress and close quarters increase the likelihood of arguments and confrontations.

A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that relationships exposed to high stress for long periods of time become strained. The study recommends that each person identify ways to successfully manage stress. One of my first questions in a counseling session with a client is, “how are you taking care of yourself or how do you currently manage stress?” More often than not I get a blank stare.

Some things to consider trying in order to decrease the stress on your relationships include the following:

√ Ask for what you need. This may sound simple, but I promise you it is not easy for many people. This shouldn’t be done in a demanding way, but in a direct, honest way. If your family member continues to do something you’ve asked them to stop doing, try approaching them in a non-confrontational manner without the use of blame or a harsh tone.

√ Really listen to your family. This is not just hearing the words coming out of their mouth; this is putting aside blame, judgement, and negativity. Try listening to them with respect, calm, and patience. Reflect back to the person what you heard them say. At first, it may seem odd or uncomfortable to reflect back. But, over time it can cut down on miscommunication and hopefully improve relationships. Over half of my sessions are spent helping each person to identify what the other person actually said—not what we think they heard.

√ When things between families get fueled by anger, it is extremely important to take time to calm down. It is imperative to identify when you are feeling stressed or irritated. When we are hurt or angry, it is normal to revert to less healthy ways of coping and expressing our emotions. You might lose your temper, use a rude tone of voice or snapping insults. Try to take some deep breaths and tell the person that you need time to calm down. Create a plan with the other person(s) to talk again once everyone is calm. People often believe things have to be addressed right in the moment, however, that isn’t always the case—especially if the disagreement is spiraling out of control.

√ Remember, it is imperative you take time to care for yourself. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, exercising, eating well, and limiting alcohol. Take breaks away from your family if possible. Go outside, take a walk, call a supportive friend, or listen to music. Distraction can be very effective during times of stress. During these uncertain times, try to focus on setting limits on alcohol, unhealthy eating habits, and gambling.

These are unprecedented times. As humans, we often take our frustration out on the ones we love. It’s more important than ever to express gratitude and thanks to the ones we love. We are all going through this together. None of us know the full impact of what this year has pressed upon us yet. We only have what is right in front of us now.

So practice grace, and try to calm yourself when you feel the stress beginning to rise. Most of all, don’t take your loved ones for granted. This pandemic will pass, even though it may not feel like there is an end in sight right now. But, hopefully we can all try to find a silver lining in this past year.

December 23, 2020
Sherrod Brown: Trick after trick to pay people less

“If even a global pandemic will not get corporations to rethink their exploitative business model, it’s time to stop letting them run the economy.”

By: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown

In the early months of this pandemic, as businesses and feel-good news stories hailed America’s workers as the heroes of our time, I published an open letter to America’s corporate leaders, imploring them to live up to their ad campaigns and invest in the workers who make their businesses successful. I wrote: If you truly believe that workers are essential to your companies, then treat them that way.

All that has changed are that corporate profits have gone up.

Since then, CEOs have not been beating down my door to discuss renewed efforts to invest in their workers. It has been six months, and all that has changed are that corporate profits have gone up, hazard pay has disappeared, and more workers have died. Since the pandemic started, hundreds of thousands of American workers have died of COVID-19 after contracting the virus on the job.

Even as small businesses have shuttered in communities all over the country, profits for the largest retail companies have soared during the pandemic. Workers’ pay, predictably, has not. The Brookings Institution studied the 13 biggest retailers in the country and found that their earnings have shot up 39% compared with last year, and stock prices are up 33%. But wages have only gone up by about $1 an hour.

Trick after trick to pay people less

Amazon’s quarterly profits increased by close to a staggering 200%. Yet it rolled back its still-meager $2-per-hour raise in June, and announced a one-time bonus of just $300 per worker. Yes, you read that correctly — not $3,000, but $300, from a company that brought in $280 billion in revenue last year.

The company also has no plans to change its broader business model built on exploiting workers, largely workers of color and women, and busting unions. Amazon makes ample use of contractors, including what it calls “Amazon Flex” drivers — and as with other “gig economy” jobs, “flex” is just corporate PR speak for denying workers their rights as employees.

Of course Amazon is far from alone in its treatment of workers, nor is this problem new. For decades, corporations have used trick after trick to pay workers less and deny them health care, retirement savings, paid leave and basic job security. We’ve seen the results of this corporate business model that treats workers as expendable: Profits go up, CEO pay soars, and stock buybacks explode. And the middle class shrinks.

Profits go up, CEO pay soars, and stock buybacks explode. And the middle class shrinks.

If even a global pandemic, where America’s workers have been on the front lines, will not get corporations to rethink their exploitative business model, it’s time to stop letting them run the economy. They had their chance. They failed. If corporate America won’t deliver for its workers, then government and unions must.

In this presidential election, American voters made it clear they’ve had enough of the current system, where Wall Street runs the show. Joe Biden ran a campaign appealing directly to what he called the backbone of our country: hardworking people who get their money from a paycheck, not the stock market. And he won a commanding victory — over 81 million Americans gave him a 7-million-vote margin, more votes than any other presidential candidate in U.S. history, and a mandate for change.

It’s time for us to deliver results.

An economy that reflects our values

We can’t go back to business as usual before the pandemic, when it wasn’t working for a whole lot of people. If we are to build back better, we must create a new system centered on the dignity of work.

In my open letter in June, I laid out actions corporations could take on their own, like raising base pay to $15 an hour. Since many of them refuse, we must raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Workers are still not safe on the job, so President-elect Biden must immediately issue an OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard forcing corporations to protect their workers from contracting or spreading the virus in the workplace and strengthen overall enforcement, so workers don’t have to worry about getting injured or becoming ill just for doing their job.

Many companies still deny their employees paid sick days, even during a pandemic.

Many companies still deny their employees paid sick days, even during a pandemic, so we must pass a national paid family leave plan. Corporations are expanding rather than ending the exploitative “independent contractor” business model, so we must use the law to make them treat their workers as the true employees that they are. Corporations continue to coerce workers out of forming unions, so we must pass the PRO Act to guarantee workers a voice in their workplace.

We can deliver on every measure of economic security I outlined in June, with or without corporate CEOs’ blessing. The economy isn’t physics — it’s not governed by scientific laws outside our control. It’s made up of people making choices about our values and what kind of society we want to live in.

We have the power to change how the economy works, so it rewards work instead of greed. We can create more jobs at middle class wages. We can give people power over their lives and schedules. We can expand economic security and opportunity for everyone. Americans voted for this change, and we will not wait for corporations to reform themselves on their own. They never have. They never will. It’s up to the rest of us create a country where all work has dignity.

December 19, 2020
Where was commitment when 73% to 81% of animals entering the shelter left through the back door in a body bag?

by Rick Barron

The “commitment” to no-kill that has been repeated from the Clermont County Commissioners Office is likely more a political statement than one of care and concern for the animals in their care. Where was their commitment in 2012 and before when 73% to 81% of animals entering the shelter left through the back door in a body bag?

The transition to no-kill in Clermont that started in 2013 was done through the leadership of a few concerned citizens, hundreds of volunteers and a selection process tainted with political undertones. Residents and their animals suffered through three years of pseudo no-kill from 2015 through 2017 as the County’s choice for Animal Services reported good performance while providing poor care for the animals. Anyone walking into that shelter could smell how poorly the animals in their care were being cared for, but that’s all the County’s “commitment” would fund.

Rick Barron

Clermont Animal CARE has been a breath of fresh air for residents, their lost and homeless animals AND the Clermont County Commissioners (stop by the shelter and smell for yourself). We’ve enjoyed the services of a nationally recognized group of committed animal advocates who’ve worked tirelessly while being significantly underpaid based on the County’s “commitment”.

It’s time for our County to step up, put their money where their mouth is and fund the level of service that’s required. Let’s keep the compassionate care givers at Clermont Animal CARE and pay they a living wage, with benefits. Not replace them with County employees who’ll never get the education or training to save 98% (Clermont CARE’s save rate) of our lost and homeless pets (the County’s budget has $0 for doing so), nor get the support from our “committed” County leadership for doing so.

For background read: Clermont unable to negotiate contract for animal shelter

December 18, 2020
Bless and God be with all the Sandy Hook families today

by Stefanie Badders Laufersweiler

Eight years ago on this day, while the Sandy Hook shooting was happening, I helped my daughter Amy and her third-grade classmates build gingerbread houses in the school cafeteria.

Then two years later it was my son Paul’s turn to build gingerbread houses with his fellow students, and once again I headed in to help.

It was a difficult drive to school as I recalled how the day had unfolded two years earlier — joyful memories of Amy and her friends playfully constructing with candy and icing, juxtaposed with devastating images of tearful Sandy Hook parents, clutching school portraits of their lost first graders.

I had my own first grader at the time, and after that horrible event, I often thought about how it might feel to have Paul all of a sudden ripped from our lives. I wondered if maybe I should’ve sat this one out. But as I and the other moms laid out the piles of candy and graham crackers (a fine substitute for gingerbread), and watched Paul’s class bounce into the room and begin their very important work of making the most delicious homes out of M&Ms and candy canes, I couldn’t help but smile and be amazed by their creativity.

Sad thoughts quickly gave way to Twizzlers that needed refilling, walls that needed frosting reinforcement, and toothy grins that needed photographing.

I walked out of the cafeteria still heartbroken for the Sandy Hook parents whose struggle to move on will be lifelong, but so grateful for the healing that children bring for all of us.

Not just our own children, but the children we come into contact with.

When our tendency is to get stuck in the past or become overwhelmed by thoughts of the future, children snap us back into the present. They remind us how very important “now” is.

The two weeks ahead will be busy for all of us. As we enter the holiday whirlwind, I hope we allow the kids in our lives to show us how to appreciate and cherish the moment, each moment, as it happens.

December 14, 2020
Robert Newman: Eviction courts are terrifying, heartbreaking places now

by Robert Newman

The most terrifying places these days are the eviction courts in Hamilton and Butler counties.

Go see them in the Butler County Government Building in Hamilton, and in Jail Building (Justice Center), Room B, 1000 Sycamore St. in Cincinnati. You will see, as I did, single mothers of small children pleading vainly for more time to find another place to stay, only to hear the magistrate issue a writ of possession enabling the marshals to put the families on the street in three or four days. The mother’s head sinks. She is hurried away from the podium by the deputy as the next case is called.

Some tenants present the court with the Centers for Disease Control eviction moratorium declaration, which purports to postpone evictions until Dec. 31. If the tenant does not send the landlord a copy of the declaration, it is considered invalid, and the eviction proceeds.

Some tenants have sought rent assistance, but the government agency refused to provide it because the landlord is requiring late fees in addition to the rent. And the eviction proceeds. Many tenants are finding out that there is no more rent assistance.

Nearly all of the evictions are for nonpayment of rent, and the pleas of tenants that partial payments of rent be accepted are declined by the landlords. The evictions proceed.

There are few lawyers representing tenants. The Legal Aid lawyers are overwhelmed, and there are few private lawyers volunteering for The Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor. A tenant going to eviction court without a lawyer is doomed.

Come the new year in January, and there will be a disaster for tenants. Governments must act now. The CDC temporary moratorium must be continued. Congress must provide additional rent assistance. The city of Cincinnati, commendably, has provided additional funding to Legal Aid to provide more tenants with lawyers. Butler County should do the same.

More emergency housing aid must be provided short term. And longer term, Congress and the Biden administration has to dramatically increase the funding for Section 8 vouchers, which enable tenants to pay 30% of their income for rent and enables them to seek housing on the private market – the landlord receiving the balance of the rent from the government. According to the 2019 American Housing Survey, more than half of all renters are paying 30% or more of their income on rent. These families are constantly living on the brink of eviction.

Now is the time for Sen. Rob Portman, Representatives Steve Chabot, Warren Davidson and Brad Wenstrup to come to the aid of their countrymen and women. First, come to eviction court and see firsthand what is happening.

It will break your heart.

December 10, 2020
An open letter to the ENTIRE Loveland City School District Community

This last year has been filled with divisiveness within our community. Clearly the failed levy issues from last November and this past March fractured trust and created a confidence challenge to the leadership of the School District and Board of Education. We accept responsibility for putting an ultimately massively unpopular proposal up for vote. In retrospect, we realize our vision for our schools went well beyond what the community desired and we clearly misread the public. What began as an honorable intent to build new facilities and programs that would elevate the educational experience for our children regrettably resulted in creating division and controversy for the community in the process.

On the heels of failed levy propositions, the Covid crisis struck and challenged once again the cohesiveness of our community. The Board & the Administration are striving to find the right solution for our children and their families in these unprecedented times. Schools across the country are operating on a myriad of models and everyone is learning how to deal with the virus as we gain experience. We are trying to operate in the most responsible manner we can determine and be flexible enough to deal with changes in the virus’s impact as we and the nation, continue to understand the nature of the threat.

As is the essence of how our country works, voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on Board members at future elections. We accept that. It is both important and fair to realize that these past levy decisions were ultimately made by the Board. The duties of the Superintendent and Treasurer are multifaceted and, as employees of the Board, they execute the decisions of the Board as well as exercise leadership roles in the vision and operation of our schools.

We recently announced we would begin the normal process of meeting to review the performance and employment contract renewals for our Superintendent and Treasurer. Shortly following that announcement, online discussions began. We respect the public’s right to voice opinion on the decision to renew these employment agreements. We intend to listen carefully to all input, but we urge civility and basic human respect if you elect to provide perspective. The Board began this activity by aligning all parties on the process on Thursday, November 6 in preparation for contract renewal decisions which are due by March 1, 2021.

As a Board, we have received significant feedback from the community. As a result, we are continuing to take steps to improve fiscal controls to help delay the need for new levies. We are also striving to create a new level of transparency into the workings of the District.

All of this is a focused attempt to heal the division within the community and restore us to a level of shared support for our schools, helping them deliver on the promise of an excellent education for every child in our care.

We believe that our focus has to be preparing our children for their futures through schools that provide the best educational experience we can design and deliver – guided by our shared values and within our available resources. Each one of us is committed to these principles as we continue to navigate the challenges before us. We urge everyone, regardless of what has happened in the past, to share in that commitment. We hope that this common goal will serve as the pathway to healing our community.

Respectfully,
The Loveland City School District Board of Education

Dr. Kathryn Lorenz, Board President

Ms. Michele Pettit, Board Vice President

Mrs. Eileen Washburn, Board Member

Mr. Kevin Dougherty, Board Member

Dr. Eric Schwetschenau, Board Member

November 13, 2020
Juliet Tissot: Take the time to think about how devastating the current leadership has been to the standing of LCSD
by Juliet Tissot

On Thursday, November 5^th, the Loveland City School board will go into executive session to discuss the evaluations of the Superintendent and Treasurer of the school district. The evaluation process needs to be completed before discussion of contract renewal can take place. The contracts for both the Superintendent and Treasurer are up for renewal in 2021. The board is required to notify the two employees of their intent to renew in March. When evaluations are done and contracts are considered for renewal there are many factors that come into play. Renewal should not be automatic. The board must consider the quality of work done by the individuals until the time of consideration for renewal, the progress (or lack thereof) of the district since time of hire, the ability of the individuals to carry out the requirements of their position, and the competence level of the individuals going forward. In other words, how well have the individuals performed in their positions so far and what do we predict their level of success to be moving forward.

Juliet Tissot is a District resident and lives in Miami Trails

Loveland City School District is in trouble. Over the last year or two it has seen drastic decreases in revenue, severe cuts to staff and the elimination of much needed services to the students. What can these changes in the skeletal structure of the school district be attributed to? I would argue the blame lays at the feet of those in charge. Two levies were attempted to be passed under the leadership of the current superintendent. They both went down in flames as the community rallied vehemently against them. Why was there so much opposition if Loveland has a track record of passing levies before now? Some might say the opposition was based solely on the size of the levy. I challenge that even if that were true for the first levy, it does not explain the strong opposition to the second levy. The fact is, the current administration witnessed the massive defeat of both levies because lies, half-truths and misinformation were uncovered en masse during the levy campaign. So much so that the community no longer trusts the leadership with their hard earned tax dollars. Is it wise to renew the contracts of those not trusted by the very people you will have to approach for money again in the future? I would argue it is not.

One of the new board members asked me to compile a list of the lies, half-truths and misinformation presented by the administration during those levy campaigns and the work yielded a list of twenty four such lies/half-truths. You will see the most important ones itemized below. After reading through them, ask yourself if the people who presided over such failures would be rehired in the private sector. Should tax payer money not be treated with as much care and respect as private money? If these people still have not earned the respect and trust of the community, what is the fate of the school district if left in their hands during another levy campaign?
1. One of the most repeated statements made by the administration during the two levy campaigns was that the “need is real and the time is now”. This referred to the current condition of the three buildings to be destroyed: LECC, LPS and LES. The verbiage in many glossy postcards, leaflets and communications with the community addressed the “infrastructure needs” of the buildings and stated how an architecture firm “confirmed the repair costs” the buildings required. A letter written to the community by Dr. Crouse herself addressed the need to “divert funds from the classroom so that [we] can make critical fixes in our schools”. In an office-hours meeting with several private citizens and top administrators the architect’s report was requested and it wasn’t until then that it was discovered no major repairs were needed to those buildings until 2028, per the architect. Why was the community never given this information, why was the need presented to be so urgent and what “critical fixes” was Dr. Crouse referring to when she claimed funds were being “diverted from the classroom”?
2. The amount of one line item in particular changed several times until the truth was finally discovered by private citizens. Initially a request was made for the estimated cost of the Fine Arts Center. In an email, Dr. Crouse responded with “the total estimated budget for the new theater and stage at LHS is $5,355,000”. No one questioned her answer as $5 million sounded sufficient for a new high school auditorium. Shortly after the $5 million answer was given a Loveland Magazine article was found that stated the new fine arts center would cost between $12 and $16 million. Since these numbers were so far off, a records request was made for a line item spreadsheet of all the new buildings to be constructed. Once that spreadsheet was received it was realized the true cost of the new Fine Arts Center would be $22,575,000. Why did it take so much work from taxpayers to get to the truth?
3. When discussing the millage amount to request for the second levy the amount needed if no cuts were made to expenses changed suddenly from one meeting to the next. At the 11/7 meeting Dr. Crouse asked Mr. Hawley, “what would the millage be to do nothing and replace the 6.95 mil” from the first levy? Mr. Hawley’s response was, “if it passed in November we would have had revenue in ’20 so that’s 3 years out. We would look at it being back on the ballot potentially in ’22. If we’re looking at March of ’20 then we’re looking at May of ’23 being back on the ballot potentially. So you have to add a year and then you lost a year of revenue but if you’re looking at NO REDUCTION IN EXPENDITURES JUST TO MAKE IT THAT FAR YOU’RE LOOKING AT 8.95 MILS.” Yet just days later in an ad hoc committee meeting Dr. Crouse said the new millage needed, if no reduction in expenditures was made, would be 9.95 mil. I thought perhaps she just misspoke so I asked her why that number changed from 8.95 mil to 9.95 mil, a $900,000 swing. She simply said, “the administrative team met the day after the levy defeat and decided on that number”, but Mr. Hawley is on the administrative team and he gave the 8.95 figure just two days earlier. Was this another lie to be able to syphon more money from taxpayers?
4. There are four separate pieces of literature distributed by the administration that tout their ability to stretch the 2014 levy beyond it’s expected 3 year time frame thus proving just how fiscally responsible they are. Yet private citizens uncovered a Loveland Magazine article written by Henry Allen in which then Superintendent Chad Hilliker is quoted saying, “unlike previous three year levies, the 2014 levy is expected to last the school district FIVE years”. The current administration knew how long the 2014 levy was expected to last but yet had to mislead the community yet again to imply that because of their decisions the levy lasted as long as it did.
5. The administration used Franklin Local School District as an example of how long it would take to receive OFCC funding. Franklin Local would not get state funding until 2027. They told the public LCSD would have to wait longer than that. What the treasurer failed to mention is that Franklin’s master plan status is shown as “project closed” per the OFCC website. Franklin had a $146 M project that was funded in 2003. Franklin will not be funded again before other schools currently in the ELPP program (ie. LCSD).
6. In an effort to refute the claim that the Nov 19^th levy was the largest levy in Ohio’s history, the current administration used two levies from other school districts in the state of Ohio to compare to the one LCSD had on the ballot. The two levies they chose to highlight were in New Albany and Sheffield. Yet again they failed to provide the community with all the pertinent information. Both of their chosen levies were replacement levies. The 2009 New Albany 24.4 mil levy replaced a 20.7 mil levy from 2006-09 and the Sheffield levy was a replacement levy that did not raise taxes. Hardly an equal comparison to the levy they themselves put on the ballot that would shoot LCSD community members’ taxes through the roof. It took the diligent work of private citizens to once again uncover their lie/half truth and present the correct information to the community.
7. The administration as well as the past board president (in a FB post) used Sycamore’s levy as a comparison to LCSD’s claiming Sycamore would have their taxes raised $84 per $100,000 while Lovelanders would see a tax increase of $49 per $100,000. Yet again, the devil is in the details. The Sycamore levy did indeed raise taxes $84 per $100,000 but that was $84 PER YEAR while Loveland’s was $49 PER MONTH ($588 per year).
8. The community was told the Grail was giving LCSD a good deal on the land by going off an appraisal done many years earlier yet we obtained a copy of an appraisal done by Crown Appraisal Group April 17,2019 for the same amount.
9. The community was told repeatedly the Grailville land was not part of the ballot initiative although the ballot language had “land acquisition” added to it and the certificate from the board of election stated the land on which the schools were being built and the 4/2/19 board work meeting had the land included in the $165 million levy ask.
10. There were dueling stories about whether or not the decision to buy the Grailville land would be made before the results of the levy were realized. Two board members said the decision to buy the land will not be made until after the Nov. 5^th vote while a third board member said the land would be purchased the levy fails or not. All three of those statements are in writing.
11. The administration repeatedly talked about increasing enrollment and the need for larger buildings but then an email to the superintendent from Columbus shows that she reported to them an expected decrease in enrollment through 2023-24. Two different stories depending on the audience.
Some of the other lies, half-truths and misinformation peddled by this administration include things like what the community wanted or what the community was aware of but their claims were quickly debunked by looking at the results of their own Fallon Research survey. Many times the administration and then board president claimed the levy was not permanent but “continuous”. None of their glossy, expensive pieces of propaganda ever mentioned a portion of the levy would last 37 years and nothing will erase the video that the public was never supposed to see from taxpayers’ minds. The video where the superintendent and current board president, along with others, mocked the community and disrespected the very people who trusted them with their children and their money.

If you take the time to think about how devastating the current leadership has been to the standing of LCSD I wonder how anyone can justify renewing their contracts. Does the community trust them yet? Does the community forgive them yet? How will the community respond when this administration asks for more money and will this administration lie or twist the facts when they do it? Everyone can make up their own minds and when you do… email the board and let them know your thoughts.
November 4, 2020