To the Citizens of Cleveland

Members of Cleveland City Council,

Mayor Frank Jackson.

This letter is to let everyone know that I have not dropped off the edge of the earth as some wondered. I have been busy fulfilling other commitments. But I am back ready to find ways to break through the silence, from politicians who feel citizens have no right to question their work schedule or work ethic because it's no concern the publics. The next open letter will follow soon and further explain…

Why Ward 14 Councilman Brian Cummings received the Rotten Tomato Award for the year 2010.

Council members, who remained silent to the four questions citizens asked using this WebSite as a vehicle in getting the word out, did not expect to be overlooked in return. But the silence does not stop the probe; it just slows down the answers, if not from Council members then from the public in various ways. I will direct my responses to four questions Cummins did not answer, but he is only one among the majority of leaders who may feel they are above reproach in answering concerns from citizens. Please note, my responses should not be considered echoes from the public but my own opinions. And as always, I welcome his comments to be shared with readers of this WebSite. My word is not the last, just the beginning.

I received memos asking why I do not expend my writings to county and state governments. I have not done so because writing about local government infractions is just as depressing as the struggles advocates experience in putting democracy back at the top of priority lists in government circles. Finding ways to eliminate some of the struggles too many citizens experience, is where the focus, my focus needs to stay.

However, I will stray a little in my next open letter and focus attention on the new Cuyahoga County government. And no, I am not optimistic about the "new" charter of procedures and rules that will not have much guidance among the elected politico veterans in changing behavior practices that have been "the talk of the town" among citizens for years. They (not all) will continue to find loopholes until caught up in careless moves that will bring them down. I am hoping to be wrong on this point. I have no problems with the charter content, just the actions of politicians who act on the cliché, "Rules are made to be broken". And they already had been a few weeks ago, before the new government became official this month.

It seems the spirit of Christmas past, had touched the hearts of the power elite at the Plain Dealer. They presented a series of articles that focused attention on man’s humanity to mankind, but I felt they did not go far enough. The articles centered attention on citizens they felt deserved the title, " Community Hereos 2010". What a change, from reading about, who did what to who, bank robbers, murders, and so on which gives the Cleveland community a bad focus. So it was with great pleasure to read about the "Heroes" that may be living just around the corner.

However absent from the list are the "Heroes" of social justice among citizens working to bring it about in every Cleveland ward. Politicians (not all) often view these people as antagonists, trouble makers to be ignored and hopefully become so discouraged from the back turning, they retreat into self and curse the system forevermore. Every once in a while, I read about one of these "Heroes" in the PD…in articles after their deaths and wonder why…why didn’t the PD focus on their community passions while they where alive. What an insult to these citizens who was motivated to step forth and try to do what politicians should should have been doing years ago. WHY?

The PD " Community Heroes 2010" articles encouraged me to fill in the gap. And center attention on citizens who are not discouraged by political indifferences. And is holding on to their passions concerning civic issues that need attention and assistance from others in the community in bringing change about for the betterment to all citizens.

It is hard to pinpoint one out of so many citizens working on civic issues, but like the Rotten Tomato Award given to Cummins, other politicians deserve the same. I do not wish to slight any citizen working on issues in the struggle to raise the banner of democracy higher in City Hall.

My choice for " Community Hero 2010" involved in civic affairs is Guy Templeton Black, a Tremont resident involved in working on community changes that enhances living conditions for all citizens in Tremont. I am requesting the PD to write an article about Black’s involvement in the community struggle to become a beacon (Tremont) for democracy.

The PD has received copies of all my articles and open letters. Hay guy’s, it’s not about me, it’s all about Guy Templeton Black, a citizen that may be on Councilman Joe Cimperman’s list of what…antagonists prodding him into producing fruitful works for Tremont residents. 

Leonard Hough