Things we’re watching

Library Drama

The Dayton Metro Library board is meeting on Wednesday 21 Jan 2026 at 5pm. My network tells me they will be parting ways with their director Jeffrey Trzeciak is on his way out. He’s not been on the job since the new year, and supposedly has been interviewing. He was a final 3 candidate for Florida International University. Despite my displeasure with the former director and his stonewalling my public records requests when his rent-a-cops harassed me for taking photos of the new main library renovations, the word was that Mr. Trzeciak was a big step backwards.

Staff haven’t exactly liked him, with some leaving. One sent a note:

“the Evil Deputy Director and HR Director have instituted a draconian attendance policy to make it easier to fire the people they don’t like and punish the staff for negative reviews in the climate survey that has not yet been released.

The union says they are filing a FOIA to get the survey released.”

Considering the library has cut hours, struggled to deal with students from Belmont, and has horrible morale, maybe we can find someone people actually like.

Judges in, Judges out

No ones talking too much about the upcoming judicial elections- because there aren’t usually seats open, and the parties have way too much control. Judge Julie Bruns in Juvenile court hasn’t been on the job since August and has announced her last day is coming up. She just got elected a few years ago. Her seat will be filled by the governor, and then there will be a free-for-all come November to fill her unexpired term.

Judge Dennis Adkins stepped down as well. We’re not quite sure why. He had run the Veterans court for a long time.

Rumors abound that someone may go after Probate Judge David Brannon’s seat, despite the ungodly money he spent to win it last time out. Staff and former staff would probably strongly support whomever took a run at him.

I’ve made no bones about my lack of love for him after my experience in his court that’s been discussed here. As an example, I came out of Probate with the visiting Judge last Tuesday and was talking with the guardian the court assigned my veteran friend. I saw Brannon and Magistrate Lisa Wiseman crossing the street- I called out “Hi Dave” and Lisa turned, smiled and waved, Brannon ignored me- so I called out again- same non-reaction.

When will the Dayton Daily news stop killing trees?

The parent company killed off the print edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution back on Dec 31, 2025, and one would think the Dayton Daily will stop soon. The paper was being printed in Knoxville, which is a 6 hour drive just to get it up here for distribution. And face it, Amazon pays their delivery drivers more, and they can sleep in.

Plus, let’s be real, there’s nothing in the damn thing that you couldn’t read online 2 days before.

I tried to talk to their digital guru at the time back around 2006 about how taking digital assets- and turning them into atoms (news print) was really dumb. Not only was the cost high, but the amount of data you could gather was next to nothing. They didn’t listen, and told me WordPress wasn’t good enough for them- even as the NYTimes was sinking hundreds of millions into WordPress.

It would have been cheaper to supply every print edition subscriber with a Kindle with a cellular connection than to keep paying to print and distribute.

In the meantime, we’ve seen more letters to the editor since they fired their community editor, and way too many opinion pieces from Tea Party Trumper Rob Scott- and not too much else.

It’s time to clean out the patronage people from the Montgomery County Dem Party

This is the year the Dems elect their precinct captains. They’ve made it super easy- you don’t even have to get any signatures at all to get on the ballot. Just fill out form 2M and turn it into the Montgomery County Board of Elections before Feb 4, 2026.

Precinct captains are supposed to be the grassroots organizers who know their neighbors and keep them informed of dem party candidates and upcoming elections. In Montgomery county, it’s been where patronage employees of elected officials keep their bosses in power- and try to choose who should run for what.

There are about 362 precincts in Montgomery County- and about half are unfilled. The party doesn’t post who they are on their website, nor do they record attendance or how they vote to inform their constituents. And every state or National candidate coming though Montgomery County has to pay to set up their own organization to do what the party should have as part of it’s machine.

That needs to change. You need to look up your precinct to fill out the form- do it here. Once all the petitions are in, we’ll look at the contested seats and make our own endorsements. Note, being on an elected officials payroll, related to an elected offical or being one- will all disqualify you from our effort. Here’s a video I did with Mr Trumpy Rob Scott, long ago.

Please note, being able to talk to people on the other side of the aisle is a skill more elected officials should master.

The Foley Case Update

I’m not a lawyer, I just play one on tv. But, my appeal of the 2nd district court of appeals decision on the removal of Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley got accepted to the Ohio Supreme Court and I have to write another filing. This one is called a merit brief, and I had to spend a lot of time reading and learning the ins and outs of this format. As soon as I file- I’ll publish it here.

The Email no one in Dayton City Hall would answer

I love the Talking Heads. But, despite a new Mayor and Commissioner, has anything changed downtown? Back when I first ran for Mayor in 1993, it was because going downtown to ask our leaders for help was much akin to talking to a brick wall.

This is what I sent to the City Manger, Director of Parks and Rec, and the whole commission. 1/8/26, 10:25 am

Dear Mayor and Members of the Dayton City Commission,
City Manager,
Director of Parks & Recreation,

I am writing to formally raise several concerns regarding Dayton’s Parks & Recreation policies and operations, beginning with the City’s treatment of veterans and extending to broader management and access issues.

Veterans Recognition Is Not a Promotional Discount

I was recently informed that the City will only honor one discount on Parks & Recreation passes—either the New Year’s promotion or the 10% veterans recognition—but not both. In the past, both have been honored.

This is not a trivial pricing issue. The veterans “discount” is not a discount in the conventional sense. It is recognition for service rendered to the country. It is earned, not won. Veterans do not “win” recognition the way one wins a coupon or a lottery ticket—just as one does not win the Medal of Honor. It is conferred based on service and sacrifice.

If veterans recognition is treated as interchangeable with a general promotional offer, then it ceases to function as recognition at all. In effect, it communicates that veterans are receiving no distinct acknowledgment—only the same benefit anyone can receive during a seasonal promotion. That undermines the stated purpose of the policy.

If the City believes veterans recognition is meaningful, it should be honored independently of temporary marketing promotions.

Pool Access and Scheduling Failures

Equally concerning is the ongoing operation of Dayton’s public pools. Operating only two pools, switching them on alternating days, and limiting access to certain days of the week is a failure of service to roughly half the city at any given time. These facilities are not optional conveniences; they are public health and recreation infrastructure.

This is not a fast-food operation. Residents do not organize their work, childcare, or health routines around a “crazy pool schedule.” People need consistent, predictable access—seven days a week—so they can work out and recreate on their own schedules.

Lifeguard Shortages Reflect Management Failure

The continued explanation that lifeguard shortages prevent full operation is not persuasive. Lifeguards are being paid $15 per hour, with an additional $3 per hour paid to a temporary staffing firm. If the City cannot recruit and retain staff under those conditions, that points to management failure—not inevitability.

Lifeguarding is a necessary and honorable public job, no different in principle from trash collection or street maintenance. The City finds funding for Class A office space in private investor buildings and for public “peace campaigns,” yet cannot fully staff essential recreation facilities. That is a question of priorities and competence, not resources.

Greater Dayton Recreation Center Splash Park

Finally, the continued closure of the splash park at the Greater Dayton Recreation Center—now years after COVID restrictions ended—has never been adequately explained. I have heard many excuses, but I have not heard a clear, documented reason why a major public investment remains unused.

The absence of a transparent explanation only reinforces the perception of mismanagement.

Request for Action

I respectfully request:

1. A written explanation of the City’s policy regarding veterans recognition and why it is not treated as distinct from promotional discounts.
2. A plan to operate public pools seven days a week with consistent access across the city.
3. A clear accounting of lifeguard recruitment, retention, and staffing strategy.
4. A public explanation for the continued closure of the Greater Dayton Recreation Center splash park.

Veterans, families, and residents deserve more than excuses. They deserve respect, access, and competent management of public assets.

Respectfully,

David Esrati

It’s been 10 days and crickets. They did choose to open Lohrey back up a week ago Friday, despite the pool temp only at 70 (normal is 86). Now they are back to only serving half the city every other day- and never on Sunday. They think they work at Chic-Fil-A.

It’s long past time to fire Shelly Dickstein and find competent management for the city.