I thought I'd start a new thread about this, now that the election's over and we've started speculating about what a Jackson administration will look like.

Here's a bit from today's PD. I'm thrilled that Triozzi is mentioned so prominently -- I've been hopefully speculating that he'll play a big role on Jackson's staff considering how buddy-buddy they appeared in the weeks leading up to the election. I don't think he'd make a good chief-of-staff, though -- he's not a particularly electrifying public speaker.

 

Who will be on Frank's team?

Monday, November 14, 2005

Michael K. McIntyre

Plain Dealer Columnist

 

Jockeying and speculation has begun about who will form Mayor-elect Frank Jackson's administrative team at Cleveland City Hall.

 

Former mayoral contender Robert Triozzi, who swung his support to Jackson, has impressed the Jackson camp.

 

Others on the radar screen: former staffers of Mayor Michael R. White, including Bill Denihan and lawyer Ken Silliman; City Council Clerk Valerie McCall, CMHA Deputy Executive Director Natoya Walker, State Sen. Dan Brady, Councilman Jay Westbrook and Councilwoman Emily Lipovan Holan, who supported Jackson and was defeated.

 

Others on the radar screen: former staffers of Mayor Michael R. White

 

Like the airport director who did not know anything about airports, or the finance director who did not know anything about arithmetic

Punch,

 

I think that things didn't out of hand in the White Administration until the third and final term.  White started out with some very competent people (although not all), and then lost many of them as he became more controlling over the 12 years he remained at City Hall.  I think two of the people they mention, Denihan and Silliman, were and continue to be very competent. 

 

Remember, we've gotten over the election and have now become enthusiastic Jackson supporters!  But you're right, we shouldn't settle for a second coming of the White Administration, we need to get some fresh faces and new ideas at City Hall.

It just seems to me that the political machine was really at play in this election, now everyone is going to get thier patronage.  Political allies first, Cleveland second.

Roldo isn't brain-dead, and his accomplishments as a journalist when he was in his prime are to be admired. The problem is - decades later, his muckraking journalism (which was once relevant and needed) hasn't changed - Cleveland has. Cleveland isn't at that low point any more, so he has to resort to commentary that is so typical of what I call 'native negativity'. It's as though he's entitled to make comments that most people would find slanderous simply because he's a relic of Cleveland's regrettable history. What's worse is that there are a few people who take him as seriously as he takes himself.

 

What I find more disturbing about Roldo isn't that he's so bitter and irrelevant - it's that the proprietors of 'Cool Cleveland' - people who purport to have Cleveland's best interests at heart, give him a podium and by doing so - give a stamp of approval for his venom. They may as well say that he speaks for the next group of leaders - fortunately he doesn't. For all her faults, Jane Campbell has made City Hall a place that functions, and functions with clean books.

 

One of Roldo's most famous moments was being tossed out of a meeting by none other than George Forbes. I'd like to see George brush up on his skills once more.

a relic of Cleveland's regrettable history

 

I like that, MayDay, and it needs to be kept at the ready for additional usage!

Ken Silliman was named Frank Jackson's chief of staff today.

Thanks for the update, Ewoops! I think Silliman will make a very capable chief of staff -- though he's not nearly as charismatic as Chris Ronayne.

true on the charisma, but that may just be a first impression...  he's got respect all around and will surely gain Frank some additional support.  kudos on this appointment Mr. Jackson!

Tell me about this guy.  I know not everyone involved with White was a crony, but they were certainly the majority of his staff.

From the 12/22/05 PD:

 

 

All of Cleveland is on the A-list at Frank Jackson's inaugural

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Susan Vinella

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Mayor-elect Frank Jackson is throwing a party, and everyone is invited.

 

Jackson, who will be sworn in as Cleveland's 56th mayor Jan. 2, will hold his inaugural party Saturday, Jan.7 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The event is free, as are the food and entertainment, but admission is limited to 5,000. There will be a cash bar.

 

The theme is "Celebrate Cleveland," and the event will feature music by local groups and youth bands. The festivities start at 6 p.m. and last until midnight.

 

More at

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1135254622141370.xml&coll=2

 

LOVE, PASSION & PRAGMATISM

 

Spotlight will disperse the fog around Jackson

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Joe Frolik

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Perhaps the only spontaneous moment of last year's mayoral cam paign came during the City Club of Cleveland's Nov. 1 debate.

 

After a questioner accused Frank Jackson of indifference toward a deadly wave of youth violence in his neighborhood, Jackson stared back at the man and in a voice equally icy and edgy declared, "You don't know me."

 

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

 

From the 1/3/06 PD:

 

 

Jackson preaches theme of unity in first address

Cleveland must become 'one city,' Jackson says

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Susan Vinella

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

During his campaign for Cleveland mayor, Frank Jackson said that if he didn't restore hope to the ailing city within 200 days of taking office, he would consider himself a failure.

 

In his inauguration speech Monday, Cleveland's 56th mayor began his effort to lift up a city that suffers from poverty, job losses and racial division.

 

More at

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1136280934145161.xml&coll=2

 

I am liking Jackson a lot better after the campaign than during it.  He has made some good cabinet choices, and he genuinely seems to get regionalism and how important the concept is to our future.

X,

 

I agree with you. 

From the 1/8/06 PD:

 

 

Jackson hosts inauguration ball true to his low-key demeanor

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Mark Naymik

Plain Dealer Politics Writer

 

Frank Jackson, Cleveland's 56th mayor, celebrated his inauguration Saturday night without the black-tie partisanship that typically marks such affairs in the stratified world of politics.

 

At his free inaugural ball, promoted by Jackson as a "come as you are" party, the city's power brokers, who wrote checks to him during the campaign from the comfort of their suburban homes, waited in line to greet the new mayor with people who waited in line to vote for him Nov. 8.

 

More at

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1136712959173020.xml&coll=2

 

I thought that this was interesting. I give him a lot of credit for trying to make a difference in our neighborhoods.

 

Jackson takes part in prostitution sting

Friday, January 13, 2006

Joe Guillen

Plain Dealer Reporter

Mayor Frank Jackson joined Cleveland police Thursday night on an undercover prostitution sting.

 

Female officers posed as prostitutes on Lorain Avenue near West 65th Street. Other 2nd District officers waited in a nearby parking lot for the signal to make arrests.

 

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

I saw a bit about this on the tv news last night. They were delayed in setting up the sting because the undercover cops kept on being offered drugs by local entrepreneurs. At least we have a one-stop shop for all our vices.

From cleveland.com

 

Mayor Jackson names team to revive Cleveland

 

1:24 p.m.

 

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson named a team of people Wednesday to revive the fortunes of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, including the city's first-ever chief of regional economic development.

Go Frank!

I love the sounds of Montgomery. Native Clevelanders who return home after years living elsewhere are among the city's most dogged boosters. ;)

Here's the final article. Portland and Milwaukee are two cities with many parallels to Cleveland (scale, history) and we can learn a lot from both. I'm very impressed by these nominations. If I get a minute, I'll try to dig up more info on Montgomery's and Reilly's accomplishments.

 

Cleveland's development team in place

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Susan Vinella

Plain Dealer Reporter

Mayor Frank Jackson introduced his economic development leadership team on Wednesday and it features new faces from Portland, Ore., and Milwaukee.

 

Michael J. Montgomery will lead the team in the new position of chief of regional economic development. He comes to Cleveland from Portland, where for the past year he had managed an effort to revitalize the Willamette and Columbia river districts.

 

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

Go Frank!

I love the sounds of Montgomery. Native Clevelanders who return home after years living elsewhere are among the city's most dogged boosters. ;)

 

I agree.  Lets hope they will invite/lobby african american, latin, asian, gay & lesbian & women's business to the area.  conventions, conference, marketing/advertising tie's, start up loans, relocation plans, etc...

 

These five areas cleveland is lacking, which translates into lost $$$$ as many regular people think we don't care about or are not supportive in MAINTAINING & recruiting these types of businesses - and their patrons - who flushed with cash!

Good job Frank!

It seems thus far Frank Jackson's been proving me wrong. Let's hope he keeps it up.

Frank Jackson has been proving me wrong too. I thought he would be kind of lame duck mayor who didn't have the ability or willingness to transform the city as an attractive place for business. So far, he seems to be doing well at making it known that economic development and regionalism are important issues, and he wants to make these things a reality.

The idea of cuddling with a prostitute is really funny to me.

 

New city official jailed in 1999

Was arrested in soliciting case

 

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

 

Susan Vinella

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Cleveland's new chief of regional economic development resigned from a previous top job in the city of Oakland, Calif., after he was charged with soliciting a police decoy posing as a prostitute.

That is really funny. Everything about the story made me laugh, even the reference to Plain Dealer's finding out about the matter via google.

I ain't laughing. The PD scooped me. My story in tomorrow's paper about Montgomery deals only with how he might help the metro area. I guess I'll just have to keep on living with writing more constructive articles.

Didn't you know that paying for a bj 7 years ago is more important that one's plans for regional economic development?  The Public needs to know, dammit!

the real story is he "paid"...who pays for BJs these days?  or is that just a straight thing?  :?  :-)

" Montgomery, then 51, told police that he only wanted the woman to hold him and did not ask for sex."

 

I just wish people like this would stop trying the "I didn't inhale" approach. It makes it so much worse when they try to clean it up - just say "it was a poor lapse in judgement and I've moved on" and drop it. This might not be such a terrible thing though - you just KNOW people are going to keep an eye on him.

" Montgomery, then 51, told police that he only wanted the woman to hold him and did not ask for sex."

 

I just wish people like this would stop trying the "I didn't inhale" approach. It makes it so much worse when they try to clean it up - just say "it was a poor lapse in judgement and I've moved on" and drop it. This might not be such a terrible thing though - you just KNOW people are going to keep an eye on him.

 

I agree.  but lets be "really real".  Why not just man-up and say, "I was horny and trying to get my freak on."  That's the real deal!

^Because saying something like that would scare the "boring white people".

^Because saying something like that would scare the "boring white people".

 

I'm glad YOU said that!

That is really funny. Everything about the story made me laugh, even the reference to Plain Dealer's finding out about the matter via google.

 

I thought every background search began with google.

Ooops!

_________________

 

Jackson official loses job offer

 

3:25 p.m.

 

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson withdrew his $150,000-a-year job offer from Michael Montgomery Monday, after a search firm that helped select Montgomery accused him of lying about a 1999 arrest involving prostitution.

 

Jackson announced Monday that he was withdrawing the job offer because of the "candidate's breach of the standards of full disclosure that the Mayor expects from all his Cabinet officials."

 

Montgomery, who was to be the city's first director of regional economic development, lied when he told the search firm that he had informed Jackson of the 1999 arrest, the firm said in a statement Friday.

 

Montgomery was arrested in a prostitution sting after offering a police decoy $10 for oral sex. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disturbing the peace, spent two days in jail and was sentenced to two years of probation. Three years ago, he was permitted to withdraw his plea, and the case was dismissed.

 

........

^Trust me, this is for the best.

^Trust me, this is for the best.

 

Why do you say that??

 

I think that if the mayor didn't withdraw the  offer this "error in judgement" would be hanging over his head.

 

I do argree with this statement, "candidate's breach of the standards of full disclosure that the Mayor expects from all his Cabinet officials."  The guy should have been straight up from jump.

 

My question is....why is the city of Cleveland using MY TAX DOLLARS to pay a search firm in BEACHWOOD??

^I agree with the first few things you said. He's not using your tax dollars though, the Cleveland Foundation paid for the searches.  He's using some of his capital with that organization, however, to hire a firm in Beachwood.  An incompetent one at that.  I can't elaborate on the trust me comment above, but trust me.

What are you guy’s views on him? Do you think a lot of his current success was in part by Campbell?  Is Cleveland currently in good hands?

Mayor backs off promise for Ward 11 rec center

Polensek-Campbell talks no longer in play

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Susan Vinella

Plain Dealer Reporter

A month before the 2005 election, then-Mayor Jane Campbell gave Councilman Mike Polensek and his North Collinwood neighborhood what they had wanted for years: a promise to build a recreation center in their community.

 

Two weeks later, Polensek endorsed Campbell, in part because she delivered on the center.

 

Today, she is gone from office - defeated by rival Frank Jackson - and so is the promise of a new recreation center on Lake Shore Boulevard near Humphrey Field. Gone, too, is nearly $1 million in taxpayer money the city spent to buy a former Big Lots building to house the center.

 

 

........

pd:

 

Cleveland seems to have misplaced its mayor

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Dick Feagler

Plain Dealer Columnist

 

Most people from the suburbs don't go downtown anymore, unless they have to. An Indians game or a Cavs game lures them. Otherwise, they'd rather avoid it. They think the city is full of thugs.

 

Can the mayor, wherever he is, change that impression?

 

Not this summer. Because, in the shrinking city of Cleveland, this has become the summer of death.

 

I'm sure the mayor reads the papers. I would assume - perhaps a rash assumption - that he also reads the editorial page and the columns.

 

If he does, he knows he's in charge of a city where lawlessness makes constant front-page headlines. He may not be able to cure that. But at least he ought to address it.

 

So why isn't he? Where is he?

 

...........

 

To reach Dick Feagler

 

[email protected], 216-999-5757

What are thoughts on Jackson from current Clevelanders? It seems as though he's genuinely trying to bring progress to many areas of the city, which is much needed, and much of which hasn't truly happened for years now aside from very superficial attempts (in my opinion, anyway). But it seems that lots of people are concerned with his lack of public appearances. What I want to know is, though, how is he DOING as a mayor on improving the city? Is he doing all he can right now, and is he doing it well?

The way I see it was he was elected because he was so "private" and not in the news like Campbell.  I honestly think he has no chance, no matter what he does.  The media doesn't like him, which will equate to tons of purely negative press coverage, which equals the people won't like him.  For some reason in Cleveland, if the results aren't instant, they get frustrated and want change.  See any sports team in the city, it is the same mentality.  They just don't trust the leadership to lead even though WE elect them.  Cleveland, the county, whatever, It is confusing. 

 

For the record, I am indifferent to him and the only reason I am some what informed on the workings and happenings of this city is because of this site.  Every Clevelander should be required to spend at least 8 hours studying UO. 

I agree with everything you just said, jar. I just wanted to see if there was something I was missing on the local level.

Dick Feagler really pisses me off with his ex-urb knowledge of the current city.  That means inaccurate knowledge.

One thing Jackson has done well - and it ties in with his low profile is that he's 1. kept up the housecleaning that Campbell accomplished, and 2. gotten out of the way when he's needed to. I'd say that even with things like the residency law, the morale of city workers may not be perfect but it's a far cry better than it was under Mike White. It wouldn't hurt him to have a higher profile, particularly with anti-crime initiatives. However, I think people tend to forget that the last time we had a mayor with a high profile, we were left with books that were a mess; finances that were in the sh!tter; but oh gee golly - we got a big new stadium built for the Browns! I would rather have a mild-mannered Jackson any day over the draconian White adminstration which did far more to damage the city (in so many ways) even though people could say more development happened on White's watch.

I'm not interested in development if foundational things aren't happening. I'm glad he's concerned with crime, schools, jobs, etc AND development. It seems like he's really trying to be well-rounded. There's room for improvement, but I definitely applaud his efforts.

has anyone written letters to dick feagler about how ignorant he sounds?

He's been around for years. I'm sure he's gotten a letter or two. :)

 

Never hurts to add to the bunch, though. Maybe it can be a collaborative effort. :)

 

"Dick Feagler. You're a f*cking dumbass.

 

Signed, your buddies at UrbanOhio."