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Councilman Larry Sykes
caucused briefly with Chairman Tyrone Riley at last week’s
City Council Zoning & Planning Committee meeting over
whether to allow activist Mike Ferner’s testimony to
continue.
“Let him speak! We
want to hear it,” voices rang throughout the packed city
council chambers.
Riley wavered,
wondering whether the topic of campaign donations was
relevant to the zoning change decision.
“With all respect,
chairman,” Ferner pleaded, “it’s called politics, and it
does seem to be relevant.”
“Go ahead, you may
proceed,” Riley ruled.
“From the last
couple elections from the building trades,” said Ferner,
Cecelia Adams, (received) $5,500, Matt Cherry $33,826,
Teresa Gabriel $8,050, Yvonne Harper $9,000, Rob Ludeman $0,
Tyrone Riley $11,500, Sandy Spang $2,000, Steve Steel
$9,700, Larry Sykes $500, Peter Ujvagi $6,656, Tom Waniewski
$2,000, Lindsay Webb $24,355, and our mayor, (received)
$60,090 plus $2,000 from Jerry Parker, Kroger attorney for
this project.”
Back to the drama in a
minute.
On Kroger:
The battle for zoning change
and planned development surrounding Kroger’s legitimate
business decision to relocate their own store practically
across the street has been contentious.
Yet, parking and parking lot
security at the existing store are woefully inadequate. Earl
Mack, former assistant director of Ohio Homeland Security,
however, doesn’t think security will be an issue at the new
store. “I am impressed with the security measures that they
(Kroger) did, so I think the plans should be approved,” he
spoke at the hearing.
Kroger, who recently received
an award for their nationwide diversity efforts, provided
the Zoning & Planning committee with major concessions and
changes to their first proposal, including allowing the
site’s beloved trees to remain. They also presented a plan
for controlled access to Notre Dame Academy and a preschool
on the grounds in order to maintain privacy.
Construction of the new store
will add 125 new employees in addition to all 150 employees
who will transfer from the old site. Existing employees will
keep all benefits and have their seniority transferred to
the new store, according to Justin Richmond, organizer for
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75. The new
construction will also require 110 skilled trades jobs to
construct. Currently, 61 percent of their managers in
training right now in Columbus are minorities, as is Mike
Davis, the Monroe Street store manager.
Now, returning to the drama,
what was Mike Ferner thinking? And did he truly understand
who he was talking to?
Women and Power:
For certain, Ferner could
stand to acquire “learning” on the topic of women and
power, particularly about the lioness paradigm. A lioness
is “an extremely independent, ambitious, driven woman who is
fierce and backs up what is hers and takes care of her own -
her friends and her family.”
There were at least four
lionesses on the dais at the committee hearing who ripped
Ferner apart and took home the bounty. Their responses to
his assertions were swift and merciless.
Lioness Yvonne Harper:
“I think it’s only fair when you mention my name and when
you go to the Board of Election you need to know that you
need to look at all the contributions. I just got elected
in May, I had to run and in September I had to run, and in
November I had to run, and I’m shocked when you say $9,000,
because I think that was my total altogether, that’s just
not building trades. I got other contributions. Why didn’t
you mention the $1, $2 donations? I walked door to door. I
don’t mind you saying what I received, but don’t stand here
before God and everybody, cause it’s misleading.”
Lioness Lindsay Webb:
“I’m surprised that he wouldn’t put on the record that I’m
married to somebody who works in the construction trade, and
so when I lay my head on the pillow at night, I talk to a
man who picks up tools and works 12 hours a day in his
community with his hands and with his skills. I’m proud to
have the support of the building trades union, and that
money that was given to me was given to me over a decade. A
decade of service to the people that I represent in this
community, and if you think for one second that I am bought
and paid for, you are surely mistaken, and I am gravely
offended at this testimony and at the allowance, because it
has very little bearing on this discussion today. I am also
a graduate of Notre Dame Academy, and I will put that on the
record, the nuns there nearly expelled me because of my
mouth. I am here to hear the facts about this land use and
that is what is relevant today.”
Lioness Teresa Gabriel:
“Well, to Mr. Mike Ferner, as long as you have known me, and
I started off with the City of Toledo in 1963 as a clerk,
worked my way up to assistant chief of staff, and as well as
you know me, you know no one can control me. Only the good
Lord up above and my mother, and she died two years ago.
You had a smile on your face, but you made a big mistake
when you alluded to the fact that organized labor controls
me. I’m a veteran union member, and have been in a union
member house since the day that my mother purchased a home,
when my father was in World War II, organized labor. I
support our organized labor, I’m proud of it, I’m a past
president of 2058, a lifelong member of union from the time
I started working. For you to insult us in that fashion to
insinuate that we are supporting or not supporting Kroger
because of building trades is ridiculous, it’s stupid, and
you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Thank you!”
Lioness Cecelia Adams:
I think I should just put on the record that when this issue
came up initially, I went over to Notre Dame Academy. I sat
and talked with the nuns and listened to their concerns and
they told me about the roof and what it would cost to try to
replace it, the boiler and what it would cost to replace it,
the trees that were dying and/or dead; the walnut tree that
they were trying to use to build the altar in their new
place. It was mostly rotten and they almost couldn’t get
enough wood to build it, and so I toured the whole campus.
I did my homework. I read everything that’s been given to
us. Every letter sent, every email that’s been sent, every
proposal, the first and the second. I supported the first
proposal and I support the second proposal, because I think
it’s even better, the revised one. I think that anyone that
comes here to speak before this body should be able to
explain their position without trying to impugn the
integrity of the members of this council. So I would prefer
and admire those individuals to come and speak on facts that
are not intended to embarrass or try to destroy the honesty
of people who serve on this dais.”
My Take?
City Council’s decision to
approve building of a new Kroger on the property of the
sisters of Notre Dame, was made “in that moment, period.”
The counter attack by the lionesses to Ferner’s unprovoked
attack on their honesty and reputation, I believe,
vanquished the project’s opposition.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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