The city spent $650K to make sure the KKK rally was safe. Everybody had a plan.
Tornadoes rip through the city. Everybody wants to help- no one had a plan.
I’ve been kinda quiet. I’m not the HMFIC [1]. Look it up. I’ve run for office more times than anyone who’s been elected in Dayton. I’m running again. I tried to go talk to the Dayton City Commission Wednesday night. They had 3 people who got their forms in on time- I would have been the fourth, but the veteran I am Power of Attorney for- needed my help- he was suicidal and I was at the VA dealing with that. What I had to say was important enough that I texted Darryl Fairchild 20 minutes before- saying- “please put me on the agenda” I’m going to be late. He failed. He might have tried to say something- but he’s too polite to interrupt the mayor (intentionally lower case). I am not. I got hauled out of the meeting politely by Dayton’s finest. There’s a video.
I’ll still say more next Wednesday than what I’m going to say here, but, this is important. You need to pay attention. You need to know that the people you’ve elected don’t have a bone of leadership in their bodies. They are terrified of people with confidence and training to get their jobs done for them.
Quoting Steve Jobs: “A” people hire “A” people. “B” people hire “C” people.
He never went on to explain what happens when you elevate “C” or even “D” people to power. The answer is Dayton. This is a clusterduck of what happens when a few “D” people get in charge. They surround themselves with sycophants. I don’t usually add definitions to what I write- because I assume that people that read this site are all smart, bright, intelligent folks who read above a 12th grade reading standard- except that this is Dayton- and Dayton Public Schools hasn’t been really good at turning out people with a 12th grade education for decades, so here it goes- and I’ve included a few:
Sycophant:
-
- Someone praising people in authority in a way that is not sincere, usually in order to get some advantage from them.
- A self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.
… groupie, lackey, adulator, politician, puppet, minion, slave, parasite, fan, flatterer, flunky, hanger-on, doormat, backscratcher, bootlicker, groveler, handshaker. - A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage. (what good is a definition that adds “obsequiously” to it- even though I get it…)
- Someone praising people in authority in a way that is not sincere, usually in order to get some advantage from them.
This group “leading” this city, county, region, does everything they can to suggest they are all “working together to build consensus” – that everything is better by committee, and by golly, we form committees and non-profits like termites build their homes. Unfortunately, in the process they destroy ours. This is the “culture of corruption” that’s devalued your homes, your schools, your public infrastructure. They’ve been working so hard at keeping themselves in power for so long, that all they know how to do is keep control of their minions. It’s why the political party central committees are stacked with sycophants (there’s that word again) mostly, who’ve had their allegiances bought by a paycheck from those in charge. That’s called a “patronage” job.
Now- back to leadership. I wasn’t a born leader. I’m not dashingly good looking, I didn’t have a family of means, I wasn’t brilliant at school, or even good at sports. I wasn’t popular at school and I didn’t have a clique I belonged to. I could be talking about Nan Whaley, but I’m talking about myself. But the one skill I had, was the ability to “cross-over”- to hang out with anyone and everyone- and not be a threat. That was in a high school with something like 33 National merit scholars and a 3 grade high school that was about the size of the entire Trotwood district. I knew, almost everyone. It’s why later, I sort of fell into organizing reunions (that plus my tech savvy).
But the thing that changed in between high school and now- was the Army. I am a firm believer in universal public service upon graduation from high school. To me, it’s a civics lesson. Something sorely missing from our school curriculum. The Army spent a lot of time and money teaching me leadership. And at 19- I wasn’t smart enough to really understand it all. None of us are. But, with almost 40 years of experience since- a few things have finally sunk in.
By contrast- Nan Whaley has never held a job outside of our sick ecosystem of sycophants. She’s surrounded herself with the worst kind of advisors- those that are scared of you. We’ve got an echo chamber in city hall- and quite frankly, in the heads of the folks on that commission.
It’s not working.
People are living on the streets of our city, painting signs on their property “You Loot, We Shoot” and she’s busy lifting her pinky drinking her political kool-aide at a fundraiser for a presidential candidate, she’s out taking photo ops with a senator and her cronies (see yesterdays post).
And to add insult to injury, the city is now talking about spending your tax dollars to hire private companies to come help with a natural disaster.
The tornadoes and storm knocked down about 1,400 trees, and large limbs and splintered trunks continued to block public right-of-ways and cause problems and headaches on private property.
City workers have been out with chainsaws, dump trucks, loaders, and bucket and crane vehicles to clear roadways and public spaces.
The city will help residents clean up after this extraordinary weather event, City Manager Shelley Dickstein said. Next week, the city plans to hire contractors to help remove debris and trees from private properties.
“No time in the history of Dayton have we had four tornadoes converge and ravage through the community,” Dickstein said.
Dayton’s public works department is working on a plan to provide cleanup assistance to the community.
Residents might be able to drag brush or limbs to the curb, but some very large trees were toppled that would be difficult to move, city officials said.
The city is finalizing arrangements for three contractors to help residents in the four impacted neighborhoods with large tree removal, said Tom Ritchie Jr., Dayton’s deputy director of public works.
Source: Dayton looks to help residents with cleanup – Dayton Daily News [2]
Why are they hiring private contractors? PAY FUCKING ATTENTION!!!! Because, it’s yet another way to pay off their political debts and guarantee donations to their next campaign. None of them realize that they won’t be running for office from their 6×9 cells.
Remember, they already failed on having back up plans for generators for the wellfield and pumping stations. Remember- I wrote this? Unacceptable answers on Dayton water outages [3] on Wednesday morning, once it became clear they were clueless.
“You declare a state of emergency, and you call in the National Guard who has generators, and you get the pump stations online inside of half a day. You have a contingency plan on how to do this. It’s not something you have to think about when disaster hits. This is what professionals do. This is what competent businesses do. This is what leaders do.”
Cleaning up debris, helping people secure their homes, remove belongings, distributing food is not a job for the private sector or non-profits. This is a job for the National Guard. You should have called them in on Tuesday morning- as soon as you assessed the damage.
People would have soldiers on their streets, providing access control, to make sure no one is looting. They’d have a tent in front of each home, to gather what they could save that might be exposed to the elements. They’d be getting help, boarding up or loading out. There would be WATER. Either because the public water system didn’t shut down, or because they brought in water buffaloes to make sure people have water. There would be portable sanitation stations so people aren’t stuck shitting in their back yards (sorry this is graphic- but, this is what you learn in the Army). Debris would be getting moved by able bodied young people who enlisted to server THEIR country- and they much prefer to do it here than in a sandbox for some ungrateful third world crazy folks.
The National Guard has all the equipment private contractors do- and we’re ALREADY PAYING FOR THEM, with OUR MONEY.
So why haven’t they been called again? It’s called the “culture of corruption” and it has infected the pea brained folks in charge. The only way they know how to operate is when their friends and family make money- oh, and they are in charge.
So, besides cordoning off the affected areas, (it’s called building a perimeter) setting up aide, food, and sanitary services, and then doing an orderly inventory of assets and threats, the well trained military commanders would be asking- where do we move these people? That’s where the “Leadership” around here should have been thinking. Obvious choices- Wright State and UD dorms and housing. Right now- they are largely unoccupied. Furnished, safe. I saw that WSU was offering (update: only to students, staff and faculty – #FAIL) – I’ve not seen anyone suggest UD. Part of the problem in this racist city- is that some of the folks affected are black. Suck it up UD – or face losing your tax exempt status. If you can’t house these folks for 2 months, stop calling yourself a Catholic institution.
Next up- there will be a need for suitable housing. It’s not like we don’t have a thousand vacant homes in Dayton. This is the city’s opportunity to move folks into neighborhoods worth saving. This is where you put incentives on bringing homes online fast. Considering they spent $650K to keep the Klan safe, and that there will be federal dollars available- consider a bounty for each home brought back online and ready for occupancy- in the next two months in the areas near the disaster so people can stay in their areas if they want. Rental or sale rate has to be similar to what it would have been BEFORE the tornado. Everything must pass code. That’s where the city should be quickly evaluating tax liens, title status, even using eminent domain, to bring things back online.
The nursing homes that have been damaged are another problem. Might want to consider stopping the demolition of Good Sam RIGHT NOW. And moving hundreds of residents into a facility that can serve them. Had the city not been paid off by Premier, this building would have been intact for 2 years after it’s closing- just like public school buildings have to be, to give someone else a chance to reuse it. For the record- since they didn’t pay property taxes for 100 years- that’s our license to control it.
I’m done with my armchair quarterback rant. I’ve got to flip my AirBnB at 10am today, then I’ll be out with tools, ladder, wheelbarrow, work gloves and my brand new replacement chainsaw, to help people in Old North Dayton clear debris, secure their homes and do what any good soldier was trained to do- serve our country. Not myself.
Thank you for reading. Consider joining me in helping our neighbors clear their ‘hoods today and tomorrow. Let’s hope our “leaders” read this roadmap and get a clue.
#DAYTONSTRONG
#HE’SMYNINJA
Numerous logical observations. Based upon those observations, you’ve outlined a goodly number of sensible courses of action.
Good post.
Another good post, David! I agree with you on most points. The National Guard should have been called out. I’ll lay that one on DeWine since I think that it needs the Gov’s approval to do so. Back in ’74, the National Guard was called out in Xenia.
You mentioned the Trotwood Mayor yesterday. I’ve seen her on TV before and never thought too much of her. I haven’t seen anything about her since the tornado’s hit, but I did hear the (I think) Trotwood Police Chief on the radio yesterday asking for volunteers to help clean up out that way. Good for them trying to enlist the aid of citizens! I had to chuckle when he said that “we need workers, not stand-around-and-lookers”!! But I know what he’s talking about!
I do disagree with you that UD and WSU should just open up their dorm rooms. While on the surface that might seem like a great gesture, the reality is that it would end up not being a “temporary solution” and the universities would play hell to get those people out of the rooms once students were due to return. Then someone would call the media and find some sympathetic person who’s being “kicked out to the streets” to put on the evening news. Also, right now the universities maintenance crews are going through the dorms – painting, cleaning, etc. IF the National Guard was called in, I could see letting the troops bivouac in the dorms.
I was in Trotwood Monday night, within an hour of the tornado rolling through. It’s a disaster zone that the pictures on the news don’t do justice. I’d encourage all of Esrati’s readers to do what they can do to help those in the affected areas.
@bubba- we’ve been friends for 30+ years. I’m calling you out. “and the universities would play hell to get those people out of the rooms once students were due to return.”
They aren’t “those people” – they are citizens of the United States who just lost everything they had- and need and deserve safe, immediate housing while we find other places for them to live.
Your comment is inherently racist.
Troops can live in tents. They are young, tough, and trained. Some 87 year old on oxygen who doesn’t have a home with running water, electricity or a roof- no.
This post is definitely an eye opener!!!! Thank yoi
This post is definitely an eye opener!!! Thank you so much.
Very well thought out and written as usual, but I must also agree with “Bubba Jones” and disagree with your reply to him. Having spent some time working for UD’s maintenance department, I can say that this time of year is exactly what he said: recover from the previous terms and prepare for the new. Right now they are not just “empty buildings” ready for occupancy. Sure, I’d bet some of their areas would fit your plan, but those temporary residents would likely present problems for the maintenance operations and the college in general, not to mention issues of liability and security. And I also agree with him that I can definitely see “issues” arising when it’s time to move them out and bring back the ‘dents that would indeed tend to tarnish any civil niceties the college may have attempted. Having said all that, your strongest point is indeed that of the National Guard. True, it’s Dewine’s call, but I’m wondering if it’s even been requested, a move that would surely expedite things a helluva lot more than hiring “private contractors” at city (taxpayers’) expense (but do nothing at all for those “paybacks” we all know exist in the real world of city politics). Your assessment of the city’s political structure, corruption, and overall ineptitude, though, is spot-on as usual and delineates many of the problems that plague this once-great city. It’s a serious lack of true leadership with a “pay-to-play” agenda concentrating on minutia and self-aggrandizing rather than dealing with the problems in the big picture. Sure, money’s tight…but let’s go ahead and spend damn near 3/4-million to “secure” a 9-person “rally”??? And for what? Because IF something adverse happens, those pseudo-leaders might have to face the national media and explain themselves? They obviously see it as better to blow the dollars they don’t have, since they can get away with it with very little questioning, then go back to “business as usual” (or, more correctly, the lack of it!). But the bottom line here and most important point is that YOU are showing this city’s voters precisely… Read more »
As best I could tell from video, there were about 10 goobers from the kkk at Courthouse Square, cost for police etc was $650k. That’s $65k per kkk goober for 2 hours of protected free speech. Put another way, it was $325k per hour, or $5416 per minute to accommodate 10 out of state morons.
This seems crazy to me. What happens if they want to come back next year? Or if some other bunch of redneck knuckleheads demands the same opportunity to exercise their first amendment right to free speech?
There’s got to be a cheaper way. $650k could be far better spent on tornado recovery.
Well written! Great points that should be considered! Why isn’t the guard there protecting?? Looting has started. Why are the citizens (local and otherwise) doing all the work?
Great post. Exactly what should be done. Also, thank you for physically helping out in the neighborhoods
Have to agree with the comments on how any “temporary” housing at UD or WSU is a bad idea. I can see the exact issues coming up when students are due to return. Plus, how many units are available, 100% ready to move into right now? Put people in units that are done and then have to move them out 2, 3 or more weeks early to prep them again ? Same goes for units that aren’t ready yet. Move people into those but then when do they prep them?
As for “those people”, you (David) are probably the only person who equated that with “black”. I wasn’t aware that these tornadoes impacted people of one race over another.
Pretty much sums things up. The Whale and her cronies are D+ at best. They need to be removed from office. Corrupt as S*&t!
Would not have upset the balance of their powerful corruption for you to have had 3 min to speak before the idiot & her commission.
Sickens me!!
You are a hero for helping a Vet in need. God Bless you and Shame on the WHALE.
Real nice, David. Yeah, we’ve known each other for 30 years – so you should know that I’m not racist. But I do know that you’re a real dick for even suggesting something like that.
“Those people” are the ones that were hit hard by the tornado. It doesn’t matter what color they are. And all colors/races/creeds/etc. were affected by it.
Go back and read the last paragraph of my first post. If I’m so racist, what was I doing in Trotwood within an hour of the tornado rolling through? And why did I encourage all of your readers to do what they could to help?
Dumbass.
We need places for people to live. We have no problem telling people they can’t live in condemned properties and shoving them out.
You have any other large number of furnished homes to put people in for at least two months while we can find alternative housing Bubba?
I don’t give a rats ass about UD maintenance- or WSU maintenance- I care about getting people into safe living spaces while we work to find other housing. They can’t be left on the porch- with a shotgun all night.
I enjoy reading your blog. You state that you have 40 years of experience running for office and having to deal with these goons. You should have learned by now that this type of corruption is typical of all governments, everywhere. Go to any major city, especially those run by Democrats, and witness the rampant corruption that exists. Also, I totally agree that the city spending over $600 thousand to protect the KKK-affiliated group is bullshit. I think police presence was important, but not to the extent that it was. The KKK folks were armed; they could have defended themselves. Self defense is a right we have. Ultimately it would have been best if everyone just stayed away from downtown and ignored them.
I don’t know if it is still there, but the old Grant School on Arcadia would be able to house a bunch of people, not sure the condition inside. I have a house behind it on Elliot, and the school used to hold students from other school while they were being refurbished. The Red Cross could be here as well, and they can set up temp housing, not that its their responsibility. The National Guard would be the best crew to handle this.