January 19, 2026 I wrote about Dayton Metro Library drama [1]. 6 February- I did an update to correct my error. Today, the employee newsletter said that director Jeffrey Trzeciak has been replaced with interim executive director Rachel Gut. Actually, it didn't mention Trzecuak at all- but you can't have a new interim if the old guy is still there. Boom.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss
I'm kinda bewildered by new Dayton Mayor Shenise Turner Sloss and some of the latest transactions.
The lease on the new "police substation" downtown right next to the RTA hub is insane. 30 S. Main St. property through Jan. 31, 2029 — totaling $300,494, or $8,347 per month for 12,000 sq feet that RTA has never been able to lease. That building is owned by RTA! And the city owns an entire tower a block away- at 34 N Main Street, one Shelley Dickstein overpaid $500K back in 2016- and just sank over $5M to fix it's roof. Seriously, why are we paying $300K to RTA- to police their bus hub? Nevermind the $1.4M we overpaid for the old steam plant and Diner around the corner at 4th and St. Clair to build a bunker version of a substation.
And I thought the first order of business would be to evaluate Dickstein's performance - and get her in line.
All this money, and we can't keep both pools open 7 days a week? Or get an answer why the Splash pool at Greater Dayton Recreation Center on W. Third street is still closed?
The Subsidies Downtown Continue
So much for Dayton Deserves to Fly. Now it's the impoverished tax payers with no pools to swim in, responsibility to subsidize a law firm to the tune of $350,000. This weeks agenda has this "Development Agreement" listed:
Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal, LP A - Development Agreement - for interior and exterior building improvements, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, machinery and equipment, and furniture and fixtures - Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development/Development. $350,000.00
(Thru 12/31/29)
Uh, why?
Development Agreement
The Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development (PND) is requesting approval of a Development Agreement in the amount of $350,000.00 with Horenstein, Nicholson and Blumenthal, LPA (Company) to support their retention and expansion project in downtown Dayton. The City of Dayton will provide a performance-based Development Grant not to exceed Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00). The grant will be distributed in up to three annual installment payments, based on the company's verified prior year Dayton payroll withholdings. Annual payments are expected to begin in 2026.
This project will support an investment of almost $1,500,000.00 for activities including interior and exterior building improvements, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems, machinery and equipment, and furniture and fixtures. Horenstein, Nicholson, and Blumenthal has been in downtown Dayton for more than 40 years, and this expansion will anchor the firm in the city for another 20 years. The project will retain 47 full-time employees within downtown with an annual payroll of more than $4,000,000.00 The company also plans to add at least 10 more full-time employees over the next three years.
The Department of Law has reviewed and approved this Agreement as to form and correctness.
The Agreement will commence upon execution and expire on December 31, 2029.
The funding sources are the Development Fund in the General Fund.
A Certificate of Funds in the amount of $350,000.00 and map is attached.
Isn't this the kind of BS that Turner Sloss said she'd end? We'll see what her vote is on Wednesday.
This pay now for potential income tax later has to stop. Has anyone gone and analyzed how many times this went horribly wrong, or got money back when things didn't turn out as planned?
See the whole agenda here- optimized for search:
Other stuff
The Dayton Daily news has run at least 3 op-ed's from Kettering Clerk of Courts Rob Scott so far this year. I've yet to see the Dem's rise and counter. I submitted a response on his tax levy diatribe, we'll see if they accept it.
Apparently, the Greene County Dem Party leader, Kim McCarthy who sits on the Board of Elections may have broken some laws by filing for State Rep, while sitting on the Board of Elections. Supposedly, she stepped down today. I found out about it from the "Greene County Sentinel News" run by John Stafford. It's a Facebook page [2] that plays at being a legitimate news outlet, despite the fact that Meta can make it disappear at anytime. Stafford and McCarthy are bitter enemies. The fact that I once tried to get the two of them to sit down and do a face-to-face back around 2021 was how I got on Kim's shitlist. I figured that her and Stafford both wanted to end the corruption in Greene County- instead, McCarthy refused to let me speak at the party 4th of July Picnic despite being the parties pick in the 2022 primary. Note, I always thought Kim was a friend and she helped me forensically fix my books after Jennifer Selhorst stole a lot of money from me right after my father died [3]. I don't really have time to cover Greene County- but, I know Stafford won vs the Bellbrook School Board - but the Judge let the school board off- and stuck Stafford with a big legal bill. The School board had used taxpayer dollars to run a levy campaign- and Stafford had called them on it. Sort of like the same way Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley got to run a defamation lawsuit against me using county resources- more to come on that.
I've had a rough two weeks with the Veteran I used to take care of. He's been hospitalized 3x - and now wants me to be his guardian. Wish me luck. The guardian had the house cleaned to the tune of almost $3K. I can rationalize it because that's what I would have spent when I had his place cleaned every 2-3 weeks while I was his POA. No cleaning for 2.5 years [4] and it almost balances out. But, I do have a bonus dog in the house!
Had a slight hick up with the donation page for my congressional campaign on Saturday, it's fixed now. If you tried to donate and couldn't, well, "C'mon down" www.electesrati.com/donate [5]
8 Comments To "Things that make me go hmmmmm"
#1 Comment By Tim Hart On February 9, 2026 @ 8:34 pm @ 8:34 pm
Dave, I’m afraid the Democrat party and the Republican Party are the wings of the same bird….
They overpay because they’re getting kickbacks somehow someway. Everything boils down to money. And they keep getting greedy and greedy, which just exposes them more and more. They literally think they’re untouchable by law enforcement.
Any word on Springfield & ice ? Just curious I’m out of town so can’t really keep up right now.
Everybody have a great week and I hope you have the week you deserve !
#2 Comment By Tim Hart On February 9, 2026 @ 8:35 pm @ 8:35 pm
Dave, I’m afraid the Democrat party and the Republican Party are the wings of the same bird….
They overpay because they’re getting kickbacks somehow someway. Everything boils down to money. And they keep getting greedy and greedy, which just exposes them more and more. They literally think they’re untouchable by law enforcement.
Any word on Springfield & ice ? Just curious I’m out of town so can’t really keep up right now.
Everybody have a great week and I hope you have the week you deserve !
#3 Comment By Melissa On February 9, 2026 @ 11:23 pm @ 11:23 pm
The Dayton Daily News should not run Kettering Clerk of Court Rob Scott as an editorial writer.
Rob Scott used to be employed by the newspaper.
Rob Scott just came off the newspaper’s 2024 Community Advisory Board.
The Dayton Daily News recently eliminated the Community Impact Editor job held by Nick Hrkman, who was responsible for local ideas and voices in the paper and oversaw that board.
Rob Scott is no replacement for Nick Hrkman, whose loss to the local newspaper speaks volumes to where local journalism is headed.
Other relevant reasons why the Dayton Daily News should cease using Rob Scott as a regular editorial writer:
1) He is an elected official;
2) He is an election denier;
3) He is a Jan6 insurrection supporter;
4) He is a Trump campaign political operative;
5) He is a Trump elector with the Republican party;
6) He is a former Trump administration official due to party patronage;
7) He is a Republican Party hack;
8) He is seeking political exposure by using the local newspaper;
9) He is not providing any value to the public as a columnist; and
10) He is a politically biased Tea Party dud with a flawed agenda.
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For all of the above reasons, Rob Scott is not fit to be a local news editorial writer.
#4 Comment By Melissa On February 10, 2026 @ 11:25 am @ 11:25 am
I don’t know that I would trust much of what crazy, gun totin’ Republican John Stafford, Sr. says, on Facebook or otherwise. It’s obvious he’s trying to capitalize on AdSense monetization while masquerading as an online independent news journalist these days. What, diamonds aren’t forever anymore?
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From what I can see from the public Greene County BOE website, Stafford’s own voting registration may not be up to date since he hasn’t voted since 2022?
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Kim McCarthy is still listed as a BOE member on the OH Secretary of State’s website.
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#5 Comment By Melissa On February 10, 2026 @ 12:58 pm @ 12:58 pm
Judging from the current spate of letters to the editor in the Dayton Daily News, it seems the racist (Donald Trump), offensive (Keith Faber), and inaccurate (Rob Scott) Republicans being criticized by readers are true to form for the GOP these days.
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I’m glad ordinary citizens are paying attention and stepping up to speak out. It’s refreshing to see more local voices in the Dayton Daily News!
Speaking of local activities that have become national news, I wonder where Tim Hart is right now.
He asked the following in the above post: “… Any word on Springfield & ice ? Just curious I’m out of town so can’t really keep up right now…”
Bomb threats in Springfield:
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ICE to give 24 hours notice, says Ohio Governor:
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I hope wherever Tim is that he is not involved and is safe from bomb/DHS/ICE danger.
It’s all so wasteful and unnecessary! It’s just more political theater from the current Republican Trump and DeWine administrations and their MAGA nutjob criminals.
#6 Comment By The Old Bandito On February 10, 2026 @ 12:59 pm @ 12:59 pm
…damn. That Kristina Knickerbocker is a card-carrying member of the Cuties Union. Nurse, retired Air Force officer, mother. An she appears to have the ability to talk to constituents for longer than 10 seconds without pissing them off. I’m going to feel a bit of regret voting against her in November…
#7 Comment By Melissa On February 10, 2026 @ 3:05 pm @ 3:05 pm
Why the regret, Old Bandito? I thought you liked cute blondes. Can’t you vote for an accomplished military veteran nurse?
It appears Kristina Knickerbocker is a whole lot smarter and much more accomplished than your heart throb Fawn Hall.
As dim bulb gold diggers go, though, the now Mrs #2 Oliver North gets an A+ for persistence. I’ve never heard of pick up dating at funeral homes, but Fawn waited for a long time for Mrs #1 Betsey North to die off. Fawn bounded in and scooped up poor old grieving Ollie while he was down. I don’t think Ollie North’s grown kids like it much.
Speaking of dim bulbs, did you see Republican Ohio Senator Jon Husted today on Fox? He thinks ICE wears masks while they work to keep warm.
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Of course, you can’t trust what the junior senator from Ohio says since he’s been telling fibs for a very long time. Who could ever forget his lying about his Kettering home residency (fake) versus living with his wife in Upper Arlington (real). That matter went all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2009 where all the Republican members unfortunately voted in his favor.
And, now, Republicans Jon Husted and Mike DeWine have been named in the trial witness disclosure to testify in the FirstEnergy / House Bill 6 bribery scandal taking place right now.
“… As the FirstEnergy bribery trial kicks off in Akron, one thing is already clear: Jon Husted is more deeply connected to the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history than already known. On the very first day of proceedings, Husted was mentioned twenty one times, with his first mention coming less than twenty minutes after opening statements began. Husted is listed as a potential defense witness, underscoring how key his role was in the scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to corporations while sticking Ohio families with higher energy bills…”
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I hope no more Republicans decide to off themselves over all of this criminality and immorality. We’ve already seen way to much of that so far.
#8 Comment By Greg Hunter On February 13, 2026 @ 9:26 am @ 9:26 am
University of Dayton should be “proud” of the trash it spewed out of its doors when Jon Husted “graduated” into being a life long hack for the hate that is Republican Party. Jon voted to defund the VA in order to give money to the KKK to terrorize hard working people. Its a sad day when the Marianists prove to be worse than those the Golden Dome spits out.