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Independence isn't only question
(by Barbara Christian - July 28, 2010)
WINDOW ON MAIN STREET, BY BARBARA CHRISTIAN
Independence isn't only question
Now we have gone and done it -- riled a reader to the point of him or her lodging breathless accusations of wrongdoing by our village leaders.
Unfortunately, these seem to have been fueled by a recent column on Chagrin Falls Village's proposed new police station, questioning officials' use of the word "independent." The point we were trying to make was that use of the word in the phrase "independent studies" was inaccurate.
Our argument is that the studies can't be independent if they are done by those already under contract to the village, like the village engineer and the police station's architect. Please bear with us here.
According to Merriam Webster, among the definitions for the word "independent" are, "not subject to control by others," and, "not affiliated with a larger controlling unit."
Now, had the reader's letter been signed, we would not be bothering you with this. We would have simply called this person to discuss his or her fears. Among them is that Chagrin Falls government is as "corrupt" as Cuyahoga County and that Mayor Tom Brick is akin to Commissioner Jimmy Dimora.
But since our paranoid sulfur smeller did not sign the letter, we are forced to communicate here.
The other reason is in self defense. If our letter writer is out there writing to us, then he or she is probably spreading "corruption" charges as if it were the gospel according to Window on Main Street. Since we never said anything about corruption, we feel obligated to "refudiate" it.
The following features statements from the unsigned letter followed by our clarification.
Anonymous: "To know what is going on, I talk to my neighbors, local merchants, other parents from my children's school."
That is fine. Just keep in mind that the information may be fraught with rumors and misinformation. The following statement proves the point.
Anonymous: "A neighbor told me the firm they are using is one they used during the street makeover."
The streetscape project was guided by EG&G Inc. landscape design architects, based in Akron. Horne and King, of Columbus, the current police station architectural firm, was not involved in streetscape.
Anonymous: "If what you printed about paying off handpicked cronies and others involved is true, it is your duty to expose the facts and figures. Go for it girl."
First, I don't get paid enough. Second, rules of responsible journalism and threat of slander or libel suits prevent us from saying the village's legal contracts are payoffs and consultants "handpicked cronies."
Anonymous: "I don't know how you got your information, but keep on digging. This may be just the tip of the iceberg."
Not much digging at all. Was just sitting there in a public Village Council meeting one night when the mayor announced the "independent studies" thing.
Anonymous "When is the next time we can vote to throw out the dishonest people who run the town?"
All seven two-year council seats and the mayor's four year-term are up for election in November 2011. You might consider running. Nominating petitions will be available from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections sometime next winter.
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