Things don't look so good for those lovely residents in Maple Heights. Actually they look horrible.
Here's what's happening. Various residents in Maple Heights are exercising their employer/legal rights (asking for public records and public information), and it looks like they're being stonewalled by John Montello, the law director. Remember, Montello is the Mayor's guy (the chosen one) and we figure if the Mayor gets swept up in a scandal, so does the law director and vice versa.
We think (our opinion - feel free to disagree) this guys picks for negotiators for Maple Heights, is not helping the residents in Maple Heights. Not only that, but it appears too much (for us at least) of this guy's actions have been to the detriment of some of his employers (resident tax payers). His legal opinions (which he published) helped (we feel) disenfranchise his employers in district 5. According to what we read and heard, he drafted legislation (?) on behalf of Mayor Lansky, that took money away from certain residents in district's 3 and 5 (restricting them to only 20% of money set aside for them for damage done to their homes due to the railroad - to which they state they haven't received a dime yet). He allowed the Human Services director to dodge answering serious questions asked of her by one of her employers (a taxpayer), and now he's decided to block certain information that is crucial to determining if affirmative action agreements have been violated, or if the leadership in Maple Heights is "giving away the store" to people who don't live in Maple Heights.
Oh yeah, we've also been told he couldn't find any affirmative action agreements entered into by the city of Maple Heights [wonder if he billed them that $95 an hr - or is it more now?], even though he was able to find a 1924 case law (or was it Mr. Blair Melling) that led to the residents/voters/his employers in district 5 being eventually disenfranchised (our opinion), and possible intimidation of members of council (declaring a council seat vacant for any reason).
One of his employers/a resident found the chief negotiator of those affirmative action agreements, and he gave her copies of those agreements. So what's up with Montello? You were given a hint, but still couldn't locate those agreements?
There's a lot more to this story, and you can dig up our old posts on Maple Heights. Here's a bit of advice Montello and Mr. Mayor, ...
You don't want to do anything that even looks like/smells like you're trying to cover up wrong doing.
And FYI, we bet a lot of you are just itching to find out what other information we've uncovered about the city of Maple Heights.
Here's a small tidbit. We were told by a credible source that there were over 560 foreclosure filings in the city of Maple Heights in 2012 so far (in a city of about 23,100 residents), and that there are many houses vacant. It also appears that the population declined from about 26,000 to the now about 23,100 (according to 2010 census) during the current Mayor's term in office, and the school's student enrollment has also declined (see our other posts). Now before we allow these city employees to say that things are bad all over Ohio, Maple Heights is one of the worst in terms of home foreclosures, and the market values and assessed values of the homes in Maple Heights has declined significantly.
Here's a small tidbit. We were told by a credible source that there were over 560 foreclosure filings in the city of Maple Heights in 2012 so far (in a city of about 23,100 residents), and that there are many houses vacant. It also appears that the population declined from about 26,000 to the now about 23,100 (according to 2010 census) during the current Mayor's term in office, and the school's student enrollment has also declined (see our other posts). Now before we allow these city employees to say that things are bad all over Ohio, Maple Heights is one of the worst in terms of home foreclosures, and the market values and assessed values of the homes in Maple Heights has declined significantly.
A suggestion:
If any employee who works for Maple Heights government knows of a cover up, or any acts of wrong doing, or acts of racism by Maple Heights public employees, our suggestion is to come forward now. If there's a scandal coming, you don't want to be swept up in it.
Update 12/20/2012:
Mr. Blair Melling has decided to dip his toe .. wait ... no, dip his foot into the muck and mire in Maple Hts. Did Mr. Montello sick Mr. Melling on those poor folks in Maple Hts? Careful Mr. Melling, do you really want to get caught up in these murky waters? Just asking. [Re: Melling and Montello, click Here (about 10 paragraphs down) and Here. ] We'll keep you updated but it looks like besides issues stated on this post, constitutional issues also keep popping up.
This post is open to further editing if corrections or additions need to be made.
If any employee who works for Maple Heights government knows of a cover up, or any acts of wrong doing, or acts of racism by Maple Heights public employees, our suggestion is to come forward now. If there's a scandal coming, you don't want to be swept up in it.
Update 12/20/2012:
Mr. Blair Melling has decided to dip his toe .. wait ... no, dip his foot into the muck and mire in Maple Hts. Did Mr. Montello sick Mr. Melling on those poor folks in Maple Hts? Careful Mr. Melling, do you really want to get caught up in these murky waters? Just asking. [Re: Melling and Montello, click Here (about 10 paragraphs down) and Here. ] We'll keep you updated but it looks like besides issues stated on this post, constitutional issues also keep popping up.
This post is open to further editing if corrections or additions need to be made.
MAPLE HEIGHTS IN LOCKDOWN MODE August 10, 2012
How Little Old Ladies Got Thrown Under the Bus in Maple Heights March 20, 2012
And the Razzle Dazzle Continues in Maple Heights January 19, 2012
Who Does John Montello, Law Director for the City of Maple Heights Really Work For? December 29, 2011
The Boys Are Back in Maple Heights , November 9, 2011
and there is more
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