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Health & Fitness

Do Your Rights to Vote Need Clarity? The CRC, Mayor, and Law Director will decide March31st

Charter Review Commission, Mayor, and Law Director Want to Clarify Your Right to Vote on Charter Issue(s) at March 31st Meeting.

     The March 10, 2014 meeting of the Twinsburg Charter Review Commission video(s) is available at www.activecitizensoftwinsburg.com . The meeting was attended by the following Charter Review Commission members, as appointed in Resolution 4-2014 approved by City Council: Russ Sypen, 9005 Birchwood Drive, Chairman; Dean Martin, 10127 Luman Lane, Vice-Chairman; Twila Jones, 1821 Parker Lane; Dave Albright, 9606 Windsor Way; Doug Detwiler, 9349 Wallingford Drive; Drew Romito, 2854 Alling Drive; Genevieve Spera, 2874 Mathers Way; Jay Magnes, 10172 Timothy Lane; and Kimberly Monachino, 2345 Sandalwood Court. Also attending were Mayor Procop and Finance Director Howse.

     The City Law Director, David Maistros was not in attendance again, as observed by Loren Sengstock during the meeting, the Law Director had only attended one of the last five meetings since February 4, 2014. Mr. Sengstock reminded the commission that they were fully within their rights to request an independent legal counsel. Given the absence of the Law Director it would be advantageous to have another opinion regarding the City Charter, since it represents the marching orders of the people upon our government.

     This meeting was a review of the ideas, concerns, and recommendation(s) of the City Administration, Twinsburg resident(s), Loren Sengstock, Sally Gaydosh, and Peter Metropulos, and from the commission members themselves. The items discussed will be put into a list and discussed in greater detail at the March 31, 2014 meeting at 7:00 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall. This will be a meeting that the citizens should attend and listen attentively because what the commission will consider and decide in favor of, will be formalized into legislation for the voter’s consideration later this fall. If you consider the importance of our City Charter and that it impacts directly how our government serves us. Get involved by attending this critical meeting on March 31, 2014; a few hours seems a reasonable investment for our future. By attending one meeting ever five years when compared to what so many have given for our freedom, should not be too much to expect? Remember that ‘Freedom isn’t Free’, it has been paid for in sacrifice and blood by over one million Americans.

     The Charter Article 7A.01 which allows the voters to approve zoning changes, districts, land uses, etc was a topic of discussion with clarity the objective according to the commission as they are awaiting the Law Director’s written opinion on how to change this section of the Charter. As you will recall, this section of the Charter has been the focus of multiple court cases over the last ten or more years with Sally Gaydosh, carrying the legal and financial costs thereof to fight victoriously for our right to vote. The current Mayor and Council according to the court cases lost have refused the voters of Twinsburg our right to vote multiple times over the last decade! When they put ‘rain barrels’ on the ballot and blame the Charter 7A.01, that only exaggerates their ignorance of what the difference between zoning and subdivision regulations are! Are they  misleading or being mislead by poor decision making abilities?  In either case the voters of Twinsburg need a change of leadership if Twinsburg is to remain Twinsburg. Mr. Sengstock strongly encouraged the commission members to exercise great caution in putting any of our rights to vote regarding the future of our community in harm’s way. No one wants to have a big box store or 100’ building in their neighborhood or maybe you do, but I don’t and I am not going to give in easily to forgoing my right to vote on these issues. Looks like the Mayor, City Council, Law Director, and Director of Economic Development appear to be at it again trying to gather more power in our Charter for themselves. The watch dogs are keeping any eye on every move they consider when touching our Charter and we will make sure the Voters know too! In my opinion , Charter Section 7A.01 has served the citizens for many, many years, and represents a major reason Twinsburg is the community it is today. So watch carefully for the political maneuvering and demagoguery of the City leadership! There is something more than clarity at work here in my opinion.

     Mr. Sengstock also requested that the commission review what exactly has gone on regarding Section 10.01 Amending the Charter and why the language changed from 2009 to 2012 from ‘shall’ to ‘may’, one being mandatory and the other elective. There is a big difference in a word and just who changed it? When I read the word “identical” it means exactly the same , not different, so what the heck is going on here? Somebody should be made accountable for this kind of tom foolery, as my father use to say. The citizens of Twinsburg had better start paying attention to what their elected representatives are doing and soon, you know that Sally Gaydosh and Loren Sengstock are not spring chickens and you will not always have these dedicated citizens watch dogging the local politicians!

Enough for now, but don’t forget to check out the videos at www.activecitizensoftwinsburg.com for the latest meetings of the Charter Review Commission and see your government in action. Remember that it takes more than political demagoguery to keep Twinsburg the community we all love; it takes honesty, truth, transparency, and accountability!

     If you have any questions you can contact me at citizenauditorohio@yahoo.com and I will do my best to answer your question(s) or point you in the right direction to getting them answered.
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