[ back ]
Partnerships have pros and cons
(by Dave Lange - December 07, 2011)
COUNTY LINE, BY DAVE LANGE
Partnerships have pros and cons
Dear County Line It seems to me that the 14-day jail sentence, $84,000 in restitution and five years of probation imposed by Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge David Matia on former government worker Dominic Bisesi for helping contractors rip off Solon taxpayers for $2.4 million is mighty soft on crime.
I appreciate the efforts by Mayor Susan A. Drucker, who said she inherited this "mess" when she took office two years ago, for doing everything possible to get the money back from the crooks, as well as from the insurance and bonding companies that are trying to weasel out of their responsibilities. But what about the government officials we trusted to keep an eye on our money while slipshod paving jobs were being done?
-- Rip Lee Rhoades, Solon
Dear Rip Lee I also wish the courts would be tougher on such public-private partnerships in crime.
As for accountability, the conspiracy to cheat Solon taxpayers on street improvements dates back to 2004 and became public knowledge in early 2008. Before becoming mayor, Mrs. Drucker was appointed to City Council in March 2003 and became chairwoman of the finance committee in early 2007, so this "mess" was not entirely inherited. Kevin C. Patton, who was Solon's mayor while the swindle occurred, was elected last month to a seat on the Solon School Board. Evidently, the voters trust him with their school taxes.
Dear County Line I find it hard to believe that the Burton Fire Department is getting a slap on the wrist after installing a new roof on the fire station without first getting the required approval from the village's historic district architectural review board.
A taxpayer-supported public entity like the fire department should follow the rules. A private business wouldn't get away with that.
-- Libby Terrion, Burton
Dear Libby You may find it interesting to know that a popular restaurant in South Russell received approval from the village's planning commission last month for a roof that was built over its outdoor patio some time ago without first obtaining the proper permits.
Perhaps such permissiveness is a public-private partnership.
Dear County Line Can you believe that the Kenston Board of Education has been struggling with state and federal bureaucrats for darn near five years now in a long-drawn-out effort to put up a government-funded wind turbine on campus to generate electricity, and it's still not up? But a private company went to the school board last month and said it could have a wind turbine up and running and saving the district money by March 1.
This should leave no doubt in anybody's mind that private industry works better and more efficiently than our bumbling government.
-- Anna G. Greene, Bainbridge
Dear Anna My answer is blowing in the wind. But the main difference appears to be that rules for federal funding require an American-built wind turbine, while the private company would buy one in Europe and lease it to Kenston's taxpayers. If green energy is the wave of the future, America needs a better public-private partnership than "drill, baby, drill."
[ back ]
