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How to save money on your electric bill in Dayton Ohio

How to save money on your electric bill in Dayton

Posted on June 5, 2023 @ 2:49 pm by David Esrati

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Community wide aggregation was supposed to help you get the lowest prices on your utility bill and is generally a great idea. Except, when the City of Dayton decides to be all high and mighty and pick a deal that includes a green power premium rate plan.

Not that I’m against clean energy, but, there are places and ways to encourage clean energy, and taking it out of Dayton Citizen’s pockets monthly isn’t the answer. Maybe if they’d required all the warehouses that they gave away valuable airport land to- include solar roofs, I’d be all in. But, the city didn’t- because there’s no vision in city hall.

What happened was you recently got a letter, mine was dated 5/25/23 that told me I had to choose my utility by 6/1/23 or I’d be locked in to the city deal. I got the letter on 6/2/23 and was able to make the choice and saved on my kwh rate for the next two years. How much you ask? The city deal was for two years from AEP Energy Inc and was at .0905 per Kilowatt Hour.
I found a two year deal from Public Power for .0699k/Wh with no cancellation fee or other tie ins and made the switch. Now, this only refers to the cost of the electricity, not the distribution, billing and all the other stuff. And while the savings aren’t huge .0206 per k/Wh, it adds up.

The key is taking a few minutes to go to the State of Ohio comparison site- often called “Apples to Apples” and select your vendor. It’s pretty simple. https://www.energychoice.ohio.gov/ApplesToApplesCategory.aspx?Category=Electric

At my house, the average historical use is about 1500k/Wh a month – which means about $371 a year in savings.

Take a few minutes and figure out what your savings could be and let the wonders of deregulation work in your favor. Note, if you select a plan with no costs and no termination fees- you could find a better price at times.

Biden’s fall

Posted on June 3, 2023 @ 2:44 pm by David Esrati

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I just got off the phone with a friend who I consider a well educated, erudite, political observer who asked me for my take on Biden’s fall, and how I’d spin it.

The fact that this was a question shows how skewed the political landscape has become thanks to the social media algorithms dividing and polluting our nation.

In a week where a small minority of right wing, ignorant, political terrorists called the “Freedom Caucus” almost caused an economic implosion that would have made every other financial disaster look like comparing a firecracker to a nuclear bomb, people are concerned because the president tripped on stage at the Air Force Academy graduation.

I trip, although thanks to decades of hockey and a three week vacation at Ft. Benning where I was taught how to do a proper parachute landing fall, when I trip, it usually is done with grace.

But, the real question is, what kind of Americans have we become if we’re more worried about a seniors sense of balance, than our sense of dignity and righteousness? The mark of true Americans is that we’re the first to reach out a hand to those who’ve fallen. The first to ask if they are OK, and as a nation, American’s are those who used to claim that we were united, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Now, that pledge rings hollow.

We are no longer focused on the giant achievement of passing a budget after surviving the world wide pandemic that threw every nation for a loop. We’re not proud that we’ve helped the Ukrainian’s stand up to Russia for over a year, despite being the underdog of underdogs. We’re not the nation we were before, where liberty and justice for all- at least tried to claim colorblindness.

We’ve become a nation of petty dilettantes, who deny science, still believe in fairy tales of this being a nation of great wealth and upward mobility, when all the numbers should be a wake up call for new measures in anti-trust, penalties for price gouging, and a total restructuring of our health care system, our penal system and our campaign finance laws.

Instead, we’re distracted by banning books, abortions, and drag queens as if those issues are somehow more important than can I afford my insulin, or why we’ve created an underclass of felons for which their is no light at the end of the tunnel.

There are insane folks who talk about “Make America Great Again” but can’t define what greatness entails. It’s as empty as the vessel from which it came- a mad man, who violated every standard of decency and brought disgrace to the highest office of this country. And yet, despite the preponderance of evidence slowly coming together to finally stop this despot from ever holding office again, they still believe that somehow, he’s a victim, not the perpetrator in, well, everything.

I have a dream, where American’s come together and decide that we are our brothers keepers, and a government for and by the people is actually a good thing, and can do amazing things if we stop listening to the noise of the loudest voices in the room.

A nation where school kids aren’t being taught to duck and cover, or run, hide and fight. A nation where corporate masters can’t get rich off the sweat of their employees backs, a nation where we practice proactive health care, and one where a prison sentence isn’t the final chapter of every prisoners life.

Where education is respected, science is believed, and news media isn’t striving for sensational, opting for true news.

Why do we have the leadership vacuum that gives us choices of only old white men and only two teams in the political league? Because we’ve come to believe that American’s are too stupid to manage ranked choice voting- or that there could be more than two options in any situation.

For now, we have dumb and dumber vying for the lead.

Hopefully, we wake up. And remember, it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how you pick yourself back up that counts.

Dayton Public Schools sued (again) for violating open meeting laws

Posted on May 24, 2023 @ 4:50 pm by David Esrati

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The State of the Ohio has made a mockery of the “Sunshine Laws” making them the most toothless laws in the country.

Brian Ames has made a business out of suing public bodies in Ohio over their rampant wholesale violation of these laws, with the help of some attorneys who are just licking their chops, because, the way the State legislature bastardized these laws- lawyers are the only winners.

For this case, he’s hired the firm of Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer, of Cincinnati and attorney Matt Miller-Novak is in the drivers seat.

Ames has sued school districts all over the state, starting in 2016. In 2022 he set up a non-profit LLC Open Government Advocates, to use as a vehicle to build his lawsuit filing machine.

He chuckled as he told me with glee that he’d sued 5 different bodies this year on Valentines day. He’s been operating in his home county of Portage and; Columbia, Trumbull, Mahoning, Franklin, and now Montgomery. There is an appeal on the legality of the “Consent Degree” agenda system that Libby Lolli instituted early on in her reign of terror at Dayton Public Schools. It immediately stunk up the joint even more- sort of like a teen spraying Renuzit after smoking a nickle bag of bad weed in a small space.

Unfortunately for Ames and Miller-Novak, they’ve drawn Judge Richard Skelton who doesn’t give a rats butt about sunshine- as he made a mockery of the laws in my case 5 years ago about the illegal “School Closing Task force” that met in secret over the closing of Valerie School (you know- in the quadrant that is now bursting at the gills).

So far, the major journalistic establishment hasn’t really caught on to this one man crusade to embarrass as many public bodies as possible. Court News Ohio has called Ames and his ilk- Open Meeting “Bounty Hunters” and has covered his arguments (which follow mine- that it’s undefined as to what the $500 fine limits are- one instance, one lawsuit, or one body).

The real issue isn’t Ames, it’s the way the Sunshine Laws are poorly written- and the shifting all the risk to the public in prosecuting these cases. Even when you win, as I did vs the Dayton Metro Library, with an attorney, party puppet Judges like Gerald Parker can at their discretion, not award attorney fees. These laws need to change. And, the violators, should be held responsible- and removed from office- something that happens all the time in Florida, but never in Ohio.

After the May 22, 2023 School board meeting- an astute observer who used to be on the school board wrote on FB:

Interesting start to the meeting this evening. First order of business was to waive the 48 hour rule for the agenda items. Chrisondra Goodwine asks for a motion to approve. 7 seconds later, Will Smith does. 12 seconds after she asks for a second, seconds it herself.

Some discussion on why these items needed to be voted on at a special meeting less than 1 week after the business meeting. Various answers, but the one I loved was about the Cyberworks contract which was entered into the system the day of the Review Meeting, got stuck somewhere in the ether and was not spit out until after the Business Meeting. (I am taking huge liberties with the actual language ?)

Speaking of Cyberworks there was a contract for $50,000. Will Smith asked what the timeframe was for the consulting to be done. Dr. Lolli replied that she would provide an executive summary during executive session. (Dayton Board of Education – Special Meeting – May 22, 2023, 27 minutes in.)

From Board Docs:

Cyberworks will provide consulting and technical documentation and support in order to increase the district’s network availability and enhance user productivity.

What the hell (‘scuse my language) is so secret about enhancing productivity?

Of course, it is not executive session material but as we all know, it doesn’t make a lick of difference. In addition, the notice for executive session only refers to public employees and review of negotiations, not anything to do with a contract. Illegal 6 ways from Sunday, but again, who will hold them accountable? Certainly calling them out about it has no effect at all.

(Her husband) (who is an actual parliamentarian) told me someone in the audience should call out “Point of Order – this is not executive session material.” I will have to write that down.

The biggest discussion was reserved for the latest change order for the Welcome Stadium projects. It adds $6 million to the previously approved amount. Gabriella Pickett brought up again that in 2020 the board decided to use settlement money – approx. $6 million –for this project and donations would be solicited for the remainder. Nothing was done until about last fall. So no, not really any money received.

The board had had a discussion of the final price of $32 million, but realized they never discussed where the final $6 million would come from. Then another discussion on where to get the money and should it be an advance or a transfer.

Chrisondra wanted to make a transfer of funds rather than an advance. Advances are paid back, but transfers are not. I think it is a realization that the “fundraising” will be a bust. It was also brought up that the “fundraising” was really tied to a new Field House ($11 million) and an extra field ($1.5 million). To put the extra $6 million in there would essentially make the effort a joke (Again, I paraphrase).

The contract for Band Uniforms was defeated seemingly because Chrisondra did not like the designs and Dion Sampson questioned the decision-making process.

Facebook-

The current board has zero clue about the sunshine laws, what’s appropriate for executive session, or the liability they are exposing the district to. I’m guessing they are about to get an education. Other boards are smart enough to settle quickly – and hope it goes away. That will never happen in Dayton, one would swear that the board members have a kickback agreement with their various law firms for the amount of business they’ve farmed out- or caused.

Thankfully, voters will be able to remove Will Smith, Dion Sampson and Dr. Gabriella Picket this fall- assuming any of them decide to run again.

As to every school board, city commission, township trustee, board of elections, county commission in the State of Ohio- read this filing, and be aware, there’s a new Sheriff in the State- and his name is Brian Ames, and he’s going to make you miserable.

Mr. Ames sent me discovery filing- where he discloses how many other organizations he’s filed against. The list is impressive. Starts on page 12 ends on page 16.

He also sent the actual rules for board notifications of meetings as well.

I’m entertaining guesses from readers how long it will take the Dayton Daily newsless to get this story…. put number of days in comments.

Is it still an election if nobody votes?

Posted on May 3, 2023 @ 10:51 am by David Esrati

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Yesterday, Dayton held a stupid primary to cut the number of choices from 6 to 4, because voters can’t be trusted to rank their choices from 1-6.

It cost a lot of money for a whopping 5,150 or so people to vote out of about 90,000.

  1. Matt Joseph 3,112
  2. Chris Shaw 2,758
  3. Valerie Duncan 1,336 1
  4. Marcus Bedinger 1,173
  5. Jordan Wortham 978
  6. David Esrati 943

The party must have been worried- they sent out at least 3 mailers, they had people at polling stations, and they even ran Facebook ads. I’d have been more impressed with their efforts if the people accosting voters at the polls were also asking for signatures for the reproductive rights amendment- but, that doesn’t keep the friends and family operation in business (and Matt Joseph is pro-fetus).

Joseph and Shaw are critical for them to maintain their grip on the “Culture of Corruption” in City Hall.

I apologize for running such a failure of a campaign.

I got in the race late, after having to battle to get on the ballot.

And, then, 4.5 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. A1c of 8.8 and fasting glucose of 200, after swimming. Under 6.0 and under 100 is non-diabetic.

Not good.

I immediately went on a keto diet, eliminating all sugars and carbs. I started taking walks after meals. I started Metformin.

On 3/7 I weighed 227 today I weigh 214. My estimated A1C is now 5.6.

It’s a huge change- and your body, which is used to much higher levels of sugars, takes it out on you. You feel tired – and as your sugars fluctuate, so does the way you feel. The first time my blood sugar hit 102, my body was wracked with chills- to the point I was shaking so hard, my friend, the veteran I take care of (who shakes from his meds) was scared and wanted to take me to the ER. A glass of lemonade did nothing (it was all I had) and the first bread I’d had with some meat and cheese finally got them to stop an hour later. I didn’t sleep much that night.

I didn’t make it to neighborhood meetings, I didn’t get my site up and running, I didn’t go door to door, and I didn’t fund raise. All I was able to do was get my big signs out, and put together a single video that got posted too late.

I failed my city. I’m sorry.

Along the way, I did manage to do some background checks on the candidates, something the media failed to do. I even slipped the info to the paper and all three stations- nada. I decided not to release it, after watching Ted Lasso not respond to Coach Nate in episode 1 season 3. So, I also failed you as a journalist.

There have been two alternate storylines crashing the last few weeks in my life. About a year ago, I also became POA for my friends brother, who is also mentally ill. He’d been in jail since December of 2021 after a mania that had him committing crimes in 3 states and 5 jurisdictions. It took over 15 months for the State to get him into Twin Valley Behavioral health for a “restoration of competency” which completed about 3 weeks ago.

He was released from jail, after some deft legal maneuvers by his attorneys in Maryland and Dayton, and a plea deal by the Franklin County Public Defender. Slight problem, he was released without either psych meds or a prescription for them. This kicked off about 16 hours of advocating strongly to get the Franklin County Jail’s medical contractor to do their job. Finally, I must have scared someone, because by 3pm on Saturday, we had the meds and the nurse was calling back at 4 to make sure I was “satisfied.”

The other story line, 35.5 years in the making, involves the kid who I’ve been a big brother to since he was 10. He’s been living with me off and on for the last 2 years, where I’ve tried to provide stability and security for him. Starting in December, he too, started cycling into his mental illness- paranoia, accusing me of being the cause of all his problems. The list is long, and just as far fetched. Here’s one of the most recent examples.

One Saturday around 1pm he came down to the living room and accused me of shooting some kind of sonic weapon into his room while he was sleeping. I asked him three questions:

  1. What is this thing called?
  2. Where would I get one?
  3. What’s it supposed to do, and would it expedite your leaving here?

He walked away, contemplating his hypothesis.

He was supposed to be out Friday, then yesterday, and now today. It has to be today. And it has to be final. Until he seeks treatment for his psychoses, I can’t be around him or even in contact with him.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes and looking for the reasons for the onset now (besides being overweight and genetically per-disposed to get it) a few factors weighed in: Stress and having Covid- both of which he contributed greatly to my risk factor mix.

I can’t discount the fact that in the last 3 years I’ve had 5 surgeries (3 hockey related) and found and lost the best relationship of my life (apparently a co-worker had more mojo than me). Business through Covid has been difficult too.

I’ve taken on a lot for this community- lamb to the slaughter vs Turner, the FOIA case to get to the bottom of the Culture of Corruption (still pending) and, taking care of my friends.

For the next few weeks- I need to take care of me, and regroup. Hopefully, in another 3 months I’ll have my weight around 200, and my blood sugars consistently lower, and had some time to refocus.

I’d like to thank all 943 of you who did vote for me. And, to thank those who didn’t vote for the “culture of corruption” twins, Matt Shaw and Chris Joseph- or whatever their names are.

Next time, Dayton, please consider the stupidity of having so few people narrow a field. There were more signatures collected in this race than there were voters if you add in Jo Love’s rejected petitions. There has to be a better way.

School board must go

Posted on April 18, 2023 @ 9:37 pm by David Esrati

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In tonight’s first 3 hours of the School Board meeting the board split 4-3 in a vote to re-hire Superintendent Libby Lolli to a 1 year contract. Voting for Lolli were Jocelyn Rhynard, Gabriella Pickett, Joe Lacey and Chrisondra Goodwine. This was done, waiving the 48 hour rule, with zero deference to the public, not allowing them to review the contract, which sounded like ink hadn’t even dried on the paper.

Why there is such a rush to re-hire the Superintendent, who was hired without a background check or any vetting at all, by the superintendent from hell, Rhonda Corr (who supposedly went through all that via a search firm) is still not clear. In fact Will Smith, in his prep for his no vote, said that the last two times the board had used search firms- they’d failed, and that the one that hired Corr, started at the same time as this search was terminated.

Karen Wick Gagnet pointed out the disparity in performance between schools on the East side and the West side- and seemed to agree with me, that part of the Superintendents job is to prepare a successor, and that the only reason she had run again was to be part of picking the next superintendent. The third no, came from Dion Sampson. Just as a reminder, Sampson, Pickett and Smith are up for re-election this fall if they choose to run again.

If the board had listened to the Dayton Education Association leader Neil Mahoney, who spoke carefully but clearly, that this district has been losing people at a record pace, due to Lolli’s leadership by fear. Wick Gagnet brought up how having 17 substitutes at Edwin Joel Brown school was unacceptable. There is plenty of ammunition to fire Lolli, or at least not rehire her, but, the only candidate they could choose, David Lawrence scares the living daylights out of these racists.

Not only is he black, educated, a proven educational leader, a veteran, a DPS grad, apparently, he’s not “ready” to lead here. Because if you’re black, you have to be a yes man to the powers that be. Take his mentor, Jeff Mims as an example. Lawrence won’t cave to anyone, and that’s why he’ll be gone by June, snapped up by some larger district, who respects his skill set.

To think that a national search would find someone better or more qualified than Lawrence is only a fantasy of fools. But, there is really nothing stopping them from still doing it. They’ll just have lost their last hope for the district.

I still believe it’s Lolli’s mission in life to destroy the district so that charter operators can pick up all of our buildings for pennies on the dollar and turn the entire district into a charter school mecca. Count Goodwine, Lacey, Rhynard and Pickett in as her accomplices.

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