Ciotola packs Library Board with his own recruits

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

February 7, 2010

Ciotola packs Library Board with his own recruits

New mayor starts term with closed-door decision

 "...nearly all of the residents who were interested submitted their [Library Board of Trustees] applications by the deadline published by the city -- except for the three who were actually appointed, all of whom prepared their applications nearly two months late and within a few days of each other."

During his effort to censor gay periodicals in the Upper Arlington Public Library in 2005, then UA Council member Tim Rankin said,

"If we have to put people on this [Library] board who reflect the values of the community, we'll do that."

According to a story in the February 4th, 2010 edition of ThisWeek [PDF] [JPG], it would seem that UA's new mayor, Frank Ciotola, has made good on Rankin's threat.

Within a few days of being elected Council President, Ciotola made it one of his first acts to appoint three hand-picked recruits to the Library Board. All 3 appointees:

• delivered their applications directly to the current Council President, Frank Ciotola, not to the City Clerks Office (source: UA Clerk's Office)
• submitted applications a month and a half after the posted November 16, 2009 deadline
• completed their applications within 4 days of each other on Jan 6, 8 and 9th, 2010

Ciotola's appointees to the Library Board of Trustee had a fast track outside the normal process, which typically includes a review of applicants with other Council members.

The rest of the story is continued here, including

• Ciotola: "I wish the deadline had not been published"
• Democrats need not apply
• Who are the new appointees?
• The two Trustees who voted against censorship were passed over

2010: Fire in the belly

Now that the holidays are over and you are diligently working on losing weight, giving up cigarettes, or saving money, it is time to look forward.

Politically, 2010 is a big year. Local, state, and national elections will be fiercely fought. Every vote will count.

Upper Arlington Progressive Action expects to be in the midst of all this action, and we need you to be, too.

You may have had some disappointment during the first year of President Obama's tenure, but keep in mind the country's overall progress. As Slate analyst Jacob Weisberg tells us in "Obama's Brilliant First Year," Obama has "accomplished more than any first-year president since Franklin Roosevelt."

But he can't fulfill the rest of his campaign promises without our enthusiastic support this year --- and in 2012.

There is a new word going around the talk shows: intensity. Pundits are saying voters don't have the same enthusiasm this year. Let's prove them wrong. Add another new year's resolution to your list: I will be intense. Your goal will be to become an activist to further progressive goals at all levels.

We're organizing opportunities for you to help elect or re-elect good candidates, plus support legislation for progressive causes. We need all of you to help with events, communications, research and spirit!

Stay tuned for opportunities. And let us know what you are interested in.

We have a fire in our belly. Do you?

Obama and GOP in rare face-to-face encounter

Watch this genuine - and remarkable - conversation between Obama and Republicans at their retreat - transparently on CSPAN.

Obama is at best in this session. Andrew Sullivan says:

He is best at defusing conflict; he is superb at engaging civilly with his opponents. It's part of his legacy - I remember how many conservatives respected him at the Harvard Law Review. But he needs to do more of this, even though he may get nothing in return. Why? Because unless the tone changes, unless the pure obstructionism and left-right ding-dong cycle stops, we are on a fast track to catastrophe. 

The full transcript here. Full video here and Q&A here.