The Mayor

Yesterday after I received the media release announcing that Jim or James Moody (his name is used as both) was running for Toledo Mayor I did what I normally do, researched public records. While I am a blogger and not a journalist, I emailed Mr. Moody last night to ask him a few questions concerning the material that I found that I wanted more information on, I was trying to give him the opportunity to respond so that what I wrote would be as accurate as possible. One of the main areas of concern was related to where does Jim Moody live?

Yesterday after I received the media release announcing that Jim or James Moody (his name is used as both) was running for Toledo Mayor I did what I normally do, researched public records. While I am a blogger and not a journalist, I emailed Mr. Moody last night to ask him a few questions concerning the material that I found that I wanted more information on, I was trying to give him the opportunity to respond so that what I wrote would be as accurate as possible. One of the main areas of concern was related to where does Jim Moody live?

This in via email from the Keith Wilkowski for Mayor campaign, a speech given today at Al Smith’s Place, Toledo, Ohio:
KEITH WILKOWSKI’S STATEMENT RESPONDING TO TOLEDO MAYOR CARTY FINKBEINER’S 2009 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS,
JANUARY 5, 2009
Today, Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner delivered his 2009 State of the City address. I’m here to discuss my thoughts on the state of the city as we enter the fourth year of the Finkbeiner administration.

State of the City 2009: “TRANSFORMING TOLEDO TOGETHER!”
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner’s 2009 State of the City Address will boldly declare Toledo is now America’s most progressive and innovative alternative energy center — and how we will further this transformation in 2009.
Here it is, thanks to the Toledo Free Press:
STATE OF THE CITY — 2009 MAYOR CARTY FINKBEINER
Monday, January 5, 2009

This in via email from the Jim Moody for Mayor campaign:
The Moody for Mayor campaign committee officially will open its new headquarters and will move into 5166 Monroe Street, Suite 306, Toledo, this Wednesday, January 7th.
Candidate Jim Moody will be making his official announcement for Mayor on January 13th, 2009
“This is an important step on offering Toledoans a serious and successful campaign,” said Moody.

According to Moody, more than 50 volunteers have already signed up to assist with the campaign.

I had a hard time getting the line from the song from the Wizard of Oz, “if I were King of the Forest” out of my head when I look at this week’s theme which is mentioned in the cover story about a local girl, Emerald Woodberry, who recently was awarded a $200,000 scholarship to the University of Notre Dame through the QuestBridge National College Match program.

The Top Local News Stories of 2008 are the focus of “This Strikes Us” in the most recent edition of the Sojourner’s Truth. I recommend reading the reasoning behind each selection, here’s the basics, I’ve added a few words where necessary…

This in via email from the Keith Wilkowski for Mayor campaign:

Wilkowski Announces Toledo Economic Recovery Council Blue-ribbon economic team to advise Democratic mayoral candidate on job creation, revitalization strategies

Toledo, OH – Democrat Keith Wilkowski today introduces the Toledo Economic Recovery Council, a blue-ribbon panel that will advise the
2009 Toledo mayoral candidate on strategies to guide the city’s turnaround.

Fox Toledo reported this earlier today, stating:
TOLEDO - The Finkbeiner administration announced late Tuesday that a week-long furlough for all non-safety service employees will go into effect Friday, Feb. 13.
Jason Webber, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner’s spokesman, said all layoff and recall procedures relating to the Glass City’s union contracts “will be scrupulously followed.”

No return date has been announced.

Sometimes, I get the chance to become involved in projects that I would never have been able to be even a small part of had I not started blogging, this edition of the Toledo Free Press is one of those times. As you can see by the cover that has a picture of Randy Sparks, the main focus of this issue is a the journey to create a moment of musical history. Songs in the Key of Toledo.

Last night about 8:15 p.m. I got a phone call telling me about what at the time was thought to be one lone Toledo City Garbage truck, who was not running what appeared to be a regular route but went to one specific house on Ketner Street. At the time that seemed rather odd, it then seemed even a bit odder after reading WTVG this morning:

The Mayor had a press conference earlier today, I was told this was announced then:
Fox Toledo, WTOL and the Blade had coverage:

Ninety-one couples have taken advantage of the Domestic Partner Registry passed by City Council last year that went into affect a year ago today as reported in the Blade article, Dozens sign Toledo’s domestic partner registry.

Marianne Ballas was on Conklin & Company on WTVG as the first guest to talk about how the financial troubles facing the Big Three had affected car dealers. She felt the restructuring will work because GM has new patents, new technology ready to go to market, all they need is the money and then we will see a new GM. Because of the financial market, the credit crunch everything stalled.

As I was reading the article from earlier today, Panel sees proposal for police, fire class some of the information involves other areas we have discussed here, such as the proposed plan Councilman Joe McNamara has made to the formulation of how the 3/4 Income tax is spent, and there’s been past discussion in making it permanent, as well as raising it to 1%. Yet this part of the article caught my attention:

This in via email from the Keith Wilkowski for Toledo Mayor campaign:

I don’t have the final numbers for the vote taken by AFSCME Local 7 beyond knowing that the contract was rejected and a strike could be authorized with ten day’s notice with these details:

The Blade reported today on some of what happened at last night’s Council meeting. One item on the agenda that has gotten quite a bit of discussion here is the Ottawa River Dredging project. Councilwoman Lindsay’s Webb resolution to Support Ottawa River Navigational Dredging Project that would have asked for the $1.35 million to be saved did not pass, Councilman Joe McNamara’s amendment to that resolution to ask for $100,000 to be held for the project did pass.

This in via email:
Wilkowski To Announce 2009 Plans Tomorrow
Democrat who led local Obama effort will discuss Toledo’s economy and mayoral election in video statement

I did not attend tonight’s I was watching my youngest daughter perform a musical program at her school. However, tonight was the first and Fox Toledo’s Shaun Hegarty was there:

Another front page story in the Blade today is Businessmen defend efforts to oust mayor. We’ve discussed this story here quite a bit since the initial announcement, but what is new is the possible cost to oust the Mayor for three months:

The focus of This Strikes Us in this week’s Sojourner’s Truth is the Take Back Toledo group and the Automaker’s bailout. The editorial opinion of the Truth seems to be that the Mayor should have not responded the way he did with a press conference:

It’s too early to state for certain but it appears the immediate reaction from the Union Leaders upon receiving the Mayor’s request is not overwhelmingly in support. It’s stated that the City would save three million dollars in 2009 if the unions agree to the 3% pension rollback.
Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association, said the request was unlikely to be approved.

Absent City Council figuring out a way to add the police class that actually stays funded, as opposed to last year when there was a great deal of discussion and even drama related to an addition of a police and fire class for 2008 that was supposed to take place then was canceled, one of the main concerns for most residents is how will this impact them.

Toledo City Council Zoning and Planning Committee voted to back the proposed site for the Pull-A-Part auto salvage location on Westwood, according to WNWO. This is the third location the business has sought, it’s known that the Mayor is in support of the business being able to purchase the property and start operation there. A full City Council vote is expected, I’ll update as to when it is placed on the agenda.