Archive for October, 2017
Lorain’s housing- the owners of the dirty diaper- PT1
Come into my parlor said the FLY to the SPIDER – Lorain being the name of the FLY and the SPIDER -???)
Notorious Opponents of Exactitude
I am not an inspector, I am not a builder, I am not a politician , I am not a legal eagle , ( although in some cases around this “wonderland” the eagle fails to fly )I admit I have no qualifications what so ever pertaining to “housing” I am however an “expert taxpayer”. I didn’t come down with yesterday’s shower and I am not a complete fool.
I have written about housing in this city for years on various blogs, been picked up by national and local media- brought situations to the fore- and still the same behaviours when it comes to “predatory property LLC’s “continue …
Back to Lorain City Hall on October 19th and the Demolition Board of Appeals – ( why ? when I said I was done!) because the icon house of thousands of my words and documentation was on the list. 1348 West Erie
In 2012 I wrote about this house situated in one of the better areas and also along the main thoroughfare into what is called “Lorain’s downtown, business , entertainment, waterfront, social service and law offices abound District“-
In 2012, as I wrote about this home, we thought the house was one of the oldest , historically speaking in Lorain according to Ohio Historic Inventory
only to do some detective work to see the original house on that site was destroyed by the 1924 Lorain Tornado . After the tornado a home was built over the original foundation – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/lorains-history-mystery-the-wurmser-house-a-tale-of-two-houses/
It wasn’t another tornado causing this home to be on the demo list.There is a blockage in the bowels of the building housing and planning system and Lorain’s right to decent housing .
The system is clogged, broken and the cause of a lot of Lorain’s housing ills
Cartoon Source – Sannimas – https//www.sswm.com
So who or what Lorain City / Lorain County Dept is helping to fill the dirty diaper of decay , to bugger up the system causing the foul stench to permeate Lorain’s older neighborhoods , streets and if something is smelling in Denmark
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”
it is positively putrid ( in my opinion) in Lorain!
The social media will have discussions of conspiracy, kickbacks and anecdotal evidence- to be fair that has happened – ( William Desvari Chief Building Inspector under Mayor Craig Foltin) comes to mind .. Those decisions made during that time have resurfaced just a few weeks ago
The mere fact reports stated from the Chronicle Telegram Newspaper that earlier in another administration ( Foltin) “inspections were “case closed” by an administration that was “landlord friendly” on this building.
http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/2017/08/07/Section-of-Broadway-remains-closed-until-Thistle-Building-is-razed.html
http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20120427/NEWS/304279955 The date on that particular article was around the same time the 1348 House documentation was starting to be written.
Even before that 2012 article the rot was setting in , the “waste product “of”friendly inspections” brokehomes started to clog the flow. Yes we did have the issues of fraud etc in the Building Dept.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/lorains_chief_building_officia.html
Desvari was placed on paid administrative leave in February while police investigated accusations of accusations of dereliction of duty, conflict of interest and issuing improper building permits against him. He was hired in 2003 for the $63,000-a-year job.
In 2004, he was charged with falsifying his job application for not disclosing felony convictions of fraud, forgery, theft and passing bad checks, all from Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court between 1987 and 1990.
And the tale continued http://www.chroniclet.com/news/2012/08/06/Former-Lorain-official-dies-while-awaiting-trial.html
You see it wasn’t that he was a fraud and a thief – known to have issues, criminal charges and legal issues but the fact that HE WAS HIRED by the Foltin Admin in the first place is my issue . And WHY when the initial reports of his “iffy ” resume reached us through the media – where was our outrage -why didn’t we use our collective voices to say NO! this isn’t right?
Did not Mayor Foltin, at the time, do due diligence he was and is a very intelligent person, you mean to say he did not check the on line university for the degree of Billy Boy was well pretty much non existent. Well the diaper may not have been full but it was fast becoming smelly. There were certainly enough red flags back then but it seems the Foltin Administration REPUBLICAN- 2000-2008 were red / green color blind.
Of course we also had issues with the next administration this time DEMOCRAT- 2008-2012 Mayor Krasienko – and that is still on going – a Safety Service Director – Robert Gilchrist ( also a resume that had flags) who was less than desirable and one of whose participation in the loan program is still under investigation by the FBI- Photo source Gilchrist’s Mug shot ( but I ask you who is really the “mug” in all this????
Of course the whole 5th floor of city hall was also now starting to reek from the odours as to those in charge- we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Sandy Prudoff – controversial head of Community Development for many , many years ……… http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2012/06/sanford_prudoff_former_lorain.html
Sanford Prudoff, former Lorain official, pleads guilty to conspiracy; will testify against Anthony O. Calabrese III
found also to be entangled with Attorney Calabrese who worked for the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
This law firm was brought into the city also under the Foltin administration (according to Lorain City documentation)
http://www.morningjournal.com/article/mj/20131118/NEWS/131119348
Cleveland law firm to pay Lorain $3 million (with video)
http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2013/11/anthony_o_calabreses_former_la.html
You can see why people in chat rooms and face book pages call out corruption and kickbacks no matter who is in city hall or on city council . The smell of those involved hasn’t gone away and lingers on those who now work in the city environment and I can see the diaper being filled .
The smell oozing through the political cracks did start to attract attention and although we can “hopefully” eventually catch those that add to our decaying housing, decaying building who are found to be crooks -gaining money and power through nefarious means –they are the least of our worries .
No, it is my opinion what is happening now to fill the diaper , which is causing the blockage in the “system” of decent housing is far more dangerous- yes money and a lot of it is involved , but LEGALLY – which is even more horrendous than all the fraudsters we have had though the years. WE ARE INVITING THEM IN TO THIS COMMUNITY – we are the little fly inviting in the great big money grabbing salivating spider and its enablers!
TO BE CONTINUED ……………..
Money where your mouth Is – Part 7
Part One- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-one/
Part Two- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/06/17/money-where-your-mouth-is-the-process-part-two/
Part Three- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/10/17/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-3/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-4/
Part Five – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-5/
Part Six- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-six/
It was just over a year ago when we were working to create a garden from the muck and mire lot next door. We could have just taken down the large dangerous tree and mowed grass.
However, for many years I had had to block views from that lot- when it held one of the “rentals” of Lorain and finally the vacant lot of “long grass and critters – of both two legged and 4 legged kind.
Apart from the fact, I had made promises to the City of Lorain , we would make the lot desirable and would enhance the ambiance, stop the 4th street cut though from the alley and parking of marine and construction vehicles and accumulate trash, I needed to be able to find at least a little joy in looking out of my windows. I no longer wanted to shudder at the construction parking lot and marinas we had put up with for many months, the tenants from hell in the little brown house as it slowly deteriorated. I wanted a little peace and not angst . Part 1 through 6 will tell you of that journey.
We were almost finished with the hardscape and clearing of lower lot in July of last year (2016)when illness struck and the 2nd phase of the lot behind the fence had to take a step back.
Lower front 2016
and then same time 2017
The illness held up Phase 2 for at least two months. There we were with dump trucks full of in fill dirt needing to be moved and levelled, 9 trees- fruit and evergreen -to be planted and Lilly pond to be dug. What a mess we were in.
Also when we took down that very large tree so close to our house we realized that side of the house needed to be painted ( well Klinar of the Building Dept. didn’t have to tell me that I could see it.) This meant more expense as the whole house need to be painted.
I can’t say I didn’t have two willing helpers whilst their “Poo Bah” was in hospital – they worked that dirt….
They more than made up for the weed letter from the City of Lorain and Building Dept. complained to by the “King of Construstruction” ( which of course turned out to be Swiss Chard, Morning Glories and Mint on my property poking through the fence in the alley .
One thing leads to another, apart from educating the city inspectors as to what is a weed and what is food we then had to stop put screening around the chain link fence to contain the garden and plant tall “ornamental grasses “ to stop prying “alley commandos” from their vigilante inspection process”
The offending weeds ( spot the weeds in the fence ??)
and the same view after the screen of prying eyes fame
More expense and time and effort.
October 2016 found things getting better and the garden crew ( Gavin and Braedyn) were busy digging and the fruit trees were planted along with the layout for the “Lilly ponds”. The snows stopped work, but Spring found the need to put in a gravel parking spot and gravel along the alley – yet more money – but the fruit trees started to blossom, the Lilly ponds and dry stream bed feature brought flowers and smiles from behind the fence
Lilly pond and dry stream bed
Spring/Summer was busy this year peach blossoms in the mini orchard turned to peaches, apples, plums and cherries blossomed but another year is needed.
Scarecrows to guard the crops.
and planting to be done , ponds to be filled
Slowly the grass came in enough on the back lot-
then came the weed whacking and tidying
Sunflowers bloomed and sheds for tools put together
and the corn grew,
Lily pads and still ponds thrived the sunlight
Roses Lilacs and rhubarb…
And a Scotch Broom sweeps clean 😉
So here we are 18 months later $20,000 dollars poorer – this put up a fence and a mini orchard and just mow turned into something much , much more than envisioned. I am more relaxed and happy as I look out of the windows although the project that nearly killed the gardener…
but we have kept our word to the city administration and to ourselves remained true.
After Phase One we sent an update of the front lot project to the City Of Lorain- we had used 6 local businesses, 10 ( men employed by contractors) and spent $11,045.50
Phase Two , we used 5 local businesses , materials, labor etc came to another $8,935.00 and still climbing ….
The collage: Today Oct 2017:
Before
Soon the snow will fly and next spring , hopefully all being well, tweeking will be done and the gardens will continue to “bear fruit”. Some have mentioned we were stupid to put that amount of money into an empty lot in “Low rain” but this is our neighborhood, our home . We certainly can’t make a difference on other neighboring streets, or the “downtown” but we could make a difference on this old block, give the school kids and teachers a better view , show a little pride and put our money where my mouth is ! After all I can’t criticize unless I am prepared to do my bit to beautify this old neighborhood.
That Woman's Weblog 
Oct. 3rd – the NON Viking funeral – Chris Ritchey
I have been Roku jumping from one channel to another from histories to murders and the ongoing documentaries of “end of life rituals” from around the world.
End of Life rituals- those rituals to give the dead their honor and due and supposedly give those that mourn some comfort and an outlet for their grief. Those were denied to your family by Tim and Sue Lombardi and their collective family , their daughter Angela of the do over Chris and wedding ritual, the Vyka, Gott, Zaworski, and Gonzales and even the “man of God- Father Daniel Divas . They took any honoring of your name Ritchey and any of our end of life ritual away from your family.https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/a-memory-of-vipers-chris-ritchey/
They could not take everything though from your aged grandmother , your father , sister, nephew and brother in law. As I was told of Angela’s ( a complete misnomer in that name in my opinion ) decision to withhold you from us and to take you that burying place- not of your faith and a place so intensely disliked by you (after experiencing their ritual of one of their own at that cemetery) and denying the time and place or knowledge of their rites to us . I knew that at least we had to try and I had to try to give to you what I could – to send your body from this dimension with love. Did those cretins of the cremains honestly believe I would let you go without honoring you and being involved in your goodbye? You were and are MY son I gave you life , I loved you in life , in death and now.
As I read the words of denial penned by your “bride” – I remembered the Viking ship. The ship you had to make for a class at LCCC- the brief- a piece of work made with all natural materials sourced from your home – you sat and carved and cut from a log from the wood pile, tree branches from your tree planted as a child, a piece of deer skin found in the garage and scraped down for the sail and finally burning not painting the decoration to add to the dimension.
I knew that Viking Ship which I carried around to college visits when you were transferring from LCCC was the closest thing I could do to give to you to honor the bravery of your fight against that disgusting disease. Your Nana called you her Viking and you were a warrior, so brave, hiding from us your pain. Something to show our love as well- the little England bear purchased from Harrods by you for me when you were returning from soccer in Manchester. I carried that little bear with me in those first dreadful days after you died whilst meanness , selfishness and grief fragmented us beyond all being . It was still damp from my tears.
So as your last journey took you into the flames we did our best to honor you , love you and negate the poison and irreverence shown by others, the items of love from us all- those denied – were with you ……. we still miss you every day and love you more than ever…….
October 2, 2017 at 9:58 pm 2 comments