Loveland, Ohio – City Council met in a special session on Tuesday, February 16, specifically for members to submit nominations to fill Linda Cox’sĀ vacated council seat. Cox resigned, effective January 31.
Former council member, Paulette Leeper was nominated by Ted Phelps. She failed to receive the votes needed. Rob Weisgerber nominated former council member David Bednar, who also failed to receive a majority vote. Resident Skip Svetanics was nominated by KathyĀ Bailey, however, her choice also did not receive the necessary votes.
All three votes followed the same pattern;Ā KathyĀ Bailey,Ā Ted Phelps, andĀ Rob Weisgerber voting, “Yes” and Mayor Mark Fitzgerald, Vice-Mayor Angie Settell, and Pam Gross voting, “No.”
Three, 3-3 tie votes.
After Gross and Settell made no nominations, the meeting ended.
After 30-days, if the council cannot agree on a replacement, the Mayor can make a unilateral appointment.
Sure, Denny, send me your contact info and we can have a chat — [email protected]. I’m all about the truth. I have made some allegations in an effort to bring it out. All Mark needed to do was explain why he removed Donna Bednar and is blocking the Farmers Market. His explanations were not satisfactory as is obvious from how 2/3 of the community responded — the poll on here had it 2-1 in favor of keeping the FM here and the show of support at the meetings was at least 90 percent in favor.
Sure, I’m willing to listen because if anything I’m open minded.
Yeah, El, what is your real name … maybe it’s Mark Fitzgerald, seeing as how you know so much about these things? Of course, I have no idea, just putting this out there. It would be nice to know, so at least it will take the heat off Mark.
Hey Oz, it is a facilities STUDY ( you even say that) not a plan. You obviously didn’t read it. You still voted to spend $800K on the Cristman property. Perhaps you should have voted to use that money for infrastructure instead of wasting it on vacant property or overpriced downtown property. Your suggestion is now a cemetary, funny, an $800K cemetery, let’s call it Ozland. Thank goodness the voters are smarter than you.
There is an $8million dollar plan.
There is a MSP study – all 14 pages with prices. I made suggestions regarding the Christman property but was turned down. I believe it should be passive recreation and a cemetery. Lastly, El…I use my real name. How about disclosing yours?
As usual Mr. Osborne you don’t have your facts right. The Loveland Station property was purchased during your tenure on Council. You, Weisgerber, Carroll, Bednar, etc. decided to purchase property downtown at inflated prices. Not the current majority, they were left with voting on the crap sandwich you left them with so the city wouldn’t sink deeper in debt. In addition, it was also YOU who voted on the purchase of the $800k Cristman property that to this day is still vacant and cost the city $$$ everyday. Again, thank god the voters had enough sense not to put you back on council.
Again, your facts are wrong on the sidewalk program. It wasn’t created for ADA purposes. It was the brain child of Former City Manager Tom Carroll who was told by several council members – Cox and Elliott that the program was not financially viable but he and the other majority members at the time – Weisgerber, Zuch, Bednar and Leeper voted to continue to throw money down the proverbial rat hole. I’ll take Fitzgerald, Gross and Settell every day over the prior council members, you amongst them. At least they are trying to dig the city out of the hole you helped dig.
BTW – there are no plans for an $8M city hall property – again something you made up.
Oh Simon….just wait for the $115,000 parking signs and the $8 million dollar City Hall (which has very little plans for parking, and adds more retail in the downtown zone). This will make Loveland Station pale by comparison. By the way, the sidewalk program was done because of ADA compliance. I was not a fan of a tax increase. The historic downtown giveaway was done during the last two years – on the majority dime of Fitzgerald, Cox, Gross and Settell. So when will the streets be repaired? The curbs throughout the city look to be in bad shape. Perhaps council should be focusing on streets, infrastructure and debt reduction and not building a Taj Mahal.
Oh Jim D. What an astute observation regarding that benign ficus plant. That would be quite the change from the Weisgerber, Bednar, Osborne, Zuch, Leeper, Carroll meetings which were more reminiscent of Little Shop of Horrors’ resident devouring plant . Sidewalk program anyone? How about an income tax increase? Nah…..lets just give away our most valuable historic downtown to the lowest bidder, and put the city’s residents in debt for the next 50 years. Know it all fools they were.
Well Tom, if you’d get your head out of the clouds (or is that the sand?), and quit being so cozy with the Bednar clique, you might actually meet some others who could educate you on the recent history of Loveland politics. Compared to the Weisgerber-Bednar-Carroll cartel, this council majority is almost benign…..almost.
Sure, Denny, contact me at [email protected]. I only want to know the truth.
Well, Mr. Conqueror, your comment is pretty general for someone like me who’s not familiar with all that’s gone on here in Loveland since Mark was city manager. Why not write a full commentary to explain things in detail and educate people like me. What do you mean by “the old way of doing things” and exactly who are the new people and what are the new ideas you are talking about? And if the question is out there about revenge, why not let Mark answer it?
Really? The names submitted were not serious candidates – Leeper ( who chose not to run for re-election), Bednar ( who was defeated in his re-election), and the other dude who no one knows since he has never run for office or been involved in the community. I say THANK YOU to Fitzgerald, Gross & Settell for having enough sense to vote NO.
The only divide is the old Weisgerber way of doing things, cronyism, ( think FM and Bednar nomination) proposed tax increases and utility tax hikes or the new way of thinking that focuses on new people and new ideas regarding our growing city.
BTW – you don’t run for Mayor – you are elected amongst your peers. Revenge? After 16 years, Oh come on people, get with the program, take the tin foil off your noggin and stop looking for the black helicopters in the sky.
The ficus plant in the background would make a good City Council member. Council member ficus would convert the steady supply of BS into life-sustaining nutrients.
Seems we have a deep division in our City Council and the dark side has the edge because the mayor can appoint his lackey after 30 days. Totalitarianism is in our midst — you see the Loveland Magazine poll results about the FM, council members? Guess they don’t care about representing us. What can we as citizens do about it? I think this FM issue is going to galvanize the residents. It looks like Mark is going to be sorry he ran for mayor. I guess his need to take revenge for his removal as city manager in 2000 overrides his desire to be popular among the city’s residents. What I don’t understand is why Settell and Gross support this?