Glass City Jungle

Bell releases list of transition team members…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 4:22 pm and is filed under Election 09, Media Release, The Mayor, Toledo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

22 Responses to “Bell releases list of transition team members…”

1
MrsPhoenix Says:

Paul Hubbard = excellent choice!
December 8th, 2009 at 5:49 pm

2
Brian Maxson Says:

So nice to see Patsy Scott’s name up there!
December 8th, 2009 at 8:35 pm

3
kateb Says:

Is that the same Dr. Lee who threatened to sue you, Lisa? The one who used to write for the Toledo Free Press but wasn’t giving accreditation for sources?
The one told you to take the story off this blog discussing that and when you didn’t said it was because he was Asian?
December 8th, 2009 at 8:54 pm

4
mindy Says:

Phil Barbosa is also an excellent choice! Happy to see that one!
mj
December 8th, 2009 at 8:56 pm

5
LisaRenee Says:

That is the same one Kate, which was a bit of a surprise to see him included. I was however happy to see Reverend Perryman and Hugh Grefe among those on the team. I’ll be cautiously optimistic as to the rest.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:02 pm

6
chas Says:

Well as for the big 3 suburbs in Lucas County, Mayor-elect Bell cast his lot with Maumee over Sylvania and Oregon. He selected Mayor Wagener over Oregon Mayor-Elect Mike Sefarian (who moderately supported Bell, but not as much as current Oregon Mayor Marge Brown) and Sylvania Township Trustee Chairwoman Carol Contrada (who along with most of the Sylvania area Democrats, supported Keith Wilkowski).
December 8th, 2009 at 10:31 pm

7
thisjustin Says:

We can only pray that this new group will bridge new alliances across Northwest area to bring a more cohesive stance to regional cooperation. It is long overdue. All of us must beat down the apathy and negatvity that has been the hallmark of our communities. Ending of the turf wars both regionally and within the city of Toledo must end now. Politicians and entrenched intrests will understand that it is no longer business as usual. The general public is better informed than they think and seem to be ready to challenge the status quo.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:52 pm

8
Sujay Says:

What’s with the owners of El Camino and Arnie’s??? WTF?? I know those places are what passes for culture with this guy, but puh-leeeese …. Marianee Ballas? She inherited a business that sells GM cars. Is this a joke??
December 9th, 2009 at 12:17 am

9
LisaRenee Says:

Well, they are business people so that would be my guess as to their selection.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:20 am

10
Mike Says:

Really…Marianne Ballas, secretary to George then his mistress of 14 years then the wife who screwed George’s children out of their rightful inheritance after he died.
Kovacik…one of the good ole boys…and one of hartung’s pimps.
Too bad. I thought better of bell.
Sad.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:28 am

11
Sujay Says:

Ms. Ballas is a businessperson by inheritance … doesn’t say that much for innovation or know-how.
Calling Jesus and the Arnie’s guy businesspeople is overdoing it a bit. The only real moneymakers in their enterprises are the owners themselves; all other jobs they produce are menial, minimum wage jobs, as opposed to real career jobs. These guys’ businesses aren’t going to propel Toeldo into the next level. Me thinks that they were selected not because they are “business people” (of whom there are literally thousands of others he could have chosen) but rather because he befriended them on his weekend frolics and they put up Bell supersigns.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:29 am

12
LisaRenee Says:

I’ll be cautiously optimistic as to the rest.
If I write it enough it may end up true.

December 9th, 2009 at 12:35 am

13
Not Again Says:

I think there are too many union types on there. Not a business friendly message at all, in my opinion.
December 9th, 2009 at 5:24 am

14
Rockets Man Says:

I respect people’s different opinions but Sujay, Mike & Not Again, are you guys for real?!?!?! Seriously, FOR REAL? You’re already displeased even before Mr. Bell gets into office? Good Lord! You are not going to see William Buffet, Angelina Jolie, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Oliver North on the transition team if your expectations are that different.
This is nothing more than a 31-member transition team to recommend and/or select the appropriate person(s) to Mr. Bell for each city departments and whatnot; the more diverse members the better IMHO.
Sujay, there are at least 12 business people on the list according to my count and who are “you” to call Marianne Ballas, Jesus Angel and Balsharan “Singh” Grewal not business-people? Your comment and attitude is the exact reason of why this city is perceived a non-friendly business community.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:43 am

15
zimmy Says:

#10 Mike Says:
“Really…Marianne Ballas, secretary to George then his mistress of 14 years then the wife who screwed George’s children out of their rightful inheritance after he died.”
i don’t know any of these people at all but it sounds as though george ballas made all of the decisions that lead to the current situation. ms. ballas has shown herself to be quite a savy business person in that we all have name and brand awareness. other than taylor, she seems to be on top of the game here in town.
this list means almost nothing other than to call attention to people who got him elected and are pals – nothing here to get upset about. when bell starts naming staff and working on budget and legislation, then we can assess his decision making.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:20 am

16
LisaRenee Says:

Zimmy, some of those on the list supported Wilkowksi, it’s not a list of just Bell supporters.
I slightly disagree with you as to the importance because who you pick as your transition team starts the tone. It is impossible in our divided community to make everyone happy, but it does appear at least that there are some on the list that people do agree should be there.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am

17
zimmy Says:

yes, you are correct about some wilkowski supporters being present – also important to rep certain group, the uaw for instance. no teachers union but mr ellis is great.
however, a committee of 31 is hardly productive. it’s a bit like turning a ship around in the maumee river. like you, i maintain optimism.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:49 am

18
Rub of the Green Says:

I think Jack Ford’s transition team was even larger.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:15 pm

19
LisaRenee Says:

Carty’s the last time, via the Blade, I count 20 if my math is right this morning:
The co-chairmen are Dennis Duffy, president of the Northwest Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council; Mr. Ludeman, a Republican city councilman; Tom Palmer, chairman of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority board of directors; Kathy Steingraber, executive director of the Toledo Warehouse District Association, and Myron Stewart, editor of the Toledo Journal weekly newspaper.
The committee includes Teresa Graven, who was the campaign office manager; Perlean Griffin, who was director of affirmative action in his administration; lawyer Robert Kaplan; Bill Lichtenwald, president of Teamsters Local 20; businessman Bob Moore; former University of Toledo football coach Jack Murphy; Jonathan Orser, a recent unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Perrysburg; Allison Perz, executive director of the Toledo-based Ohio Council of Community Schools; mortgage broker Norm Rapino; campaign aide Bob Reinbolt; professional photographer Al Smith; insurance agency owner Maria Rodriguez-Winter; lawyer Richard Mitchell, former president of the Northwest Ohio Black Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Wilkowski, a lawyer.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pm

20
LisaRenee Says:

From the Blade archives via the Toledo-Lucas County Library, Sunday, December 9, 2001:
Toledo Mayor-elect Jack Ford has named additional people to participate on committees working to aid his transition into office in three weeks.
Lawyer Cherrefe Kadri will join the public safety, law, and criminal justice committee.
Sylvia Muniz-Mutchler, a local Hispanic activist, has been assigned to the personnel and staff committee.
Ray Boezi, project manager for the Toledo Cultural Arts Center, has been added to the environment, public utilities, and land use planning committee.
Joel Lipman, an English professor at the University of Toledo, will join the education, youth, natural resources, and the arts committee.
Mr. Ford named several people to an economic and community development and high-technology committee, to be led by Bob Sullivan, chief executive officer of Fifth Third Bank, and Charles Welch, a principal of Welch Communications.
Also serving on the committee will be Betsy Brady, vice president of Plastic Technologies, Inc.; Ron Thompson, CEO of Midwest Stamping; Kathy Crabtree, owner of Health Services Connections; Ken Dobson, director of community and economic development for UT; Pete Gozza, president of Downtown Toledo, Inc.; insurance agent Vince Davis; Karen Ashford, CEO of the Northwest Ohio Black Chamber of Commerce; Olivia Holden, director of minority business services for the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce; and Lloyd Mahaffey, director of the United Auto Workers’ Toledo-based western Ohio regional office.
Mr. Ford has named more than 65 people to study city operations and suggest improvements.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:25 pm

21
LisaRenee Says:

There doesn’t seem to be a complete list but, there were quite a few articles mentioning individuals and one earlier story from the Blade archives on December 7, 2001:
Also on the committee are Lisa Canales-Flores, a member of the Lucas County educational service center board; Dr. Helen Cooks of the University of Toledo; retired Judge Andy Devine; Ford campaign worker Kelly Frye; Marge Holt of Connecting Point, Inc., a mental health counseling service; Collette Jacobs, publisher of The City Paper; social worker Traci Jadlos; Fran Lawrence, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers; Bob Savage, Jr., of Savage Consulting; arts advocate Rory Shanley-Brown; the Rev. John Williams of the Eastern Star Baptist Church, and Chuck Oswald, owner of the Appliance Center.
* Environment, public utilities, and land-use planning, led by Steve Katich, district director for U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), and Candace Baldwin, director of the Erie Street Market.
Other members of the committee include Bill Rudolph, a principal of Rudolph/Libbe, Inc.; Sylvester Gould of Gould Development Co.; Steve Herwat, director of the Toledo-Lucas County plan commissions; Dave Huey, president of Buckeye CableSystem, and Jim Larson and Dr. Brian Randolph, both of UT.
* Finance, budget, management, and organizational planning, led by Dr. Clint Longnecker of UT, and Holly Bristol, an executive at ProMedica Healthsystem.
The committee includes lawyer Fritz Byers; Dr. Lynn Bachelor, Dr. Paul Kozlowski, and Joyce Chapple, all of UT, and James Haudan of Root Learning, Inc.
* Housing, neighborhoods, health, and community relations, led by Jackie Martin of the Lucas County mental health board, and Jim Hoffman, an executive at KeyBank.
Also on the committee are James Caldwell of the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank; dentist Joseph Hampton; labor leader Ron Stormer; community activist Howard Cross; Lee Dunn of Charter One Bank; Hugh Grefe, director of Local Initiatives Support Corp.; Doni Miller, chief executive officer of the Cordelia Martin Health Center; Barbara Rudnecki of UT; community activist Ben Tallerico, and Deb Barnett, an executive at Huntington Bank.
* Personnel and staff, led by Yolanda Jackson of KeyBank, and Bruce Rumpf, a principal of Rumpf Development Corp.
Others on the committee include lawyers Tom Palmer and Keith Wilkowski, and Gretchen DeBaker, proprietor of Sufficient Grounds coffee shops.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

22
Sujay Says:

Rockets Man (#14) – I’ve been displeased about Bell ever since November 3rd. We’ve basically got a cult of personality with no ideas or vision who it seems intends to delegate everything when he takes office.
My criticisms of Marianee Ballas, Jesus and the Arnie’s guy is on solid ground. Ballas inherited a business, as opposed to establishing and running one. Jesus and the Arnie’s guy have produced only minimum wage jobs except, of course, for themselves. Not exactly what we need at this critical juncture. I might have done something like – maybe, just maybe – brought on board more alternative energy, sorar and biotech people. You know – people whose businesses actually employ high paid educated types.
But like Lisa Renee said (#12), I will be cautiously optomistic as to the rest of the list (well, most of them)
December 9th, 2009 at 9:50 pm