A SIGN OF FRUSTRATION
Elyria – Upset over recent news that the Elyria Police Department may have to cut 11 Officers, 10 civilian employees, 5 Corrections Officers and demote 8 Supervisors, Elyria business owner Brian Allen utilized his outdoor sign to send a message to the Mayor.Allen posted the sign encouraging Elyrian’s to contact the Mayor in an effort to prevent any cuts to the Police or Fire Departments. “I was a strong supporter of Issue 15, even posting those campaign signs in front of my business – but I supported it because the Mayor told me to my face at City Hall that it was to maintain the safety forces. Today I read that cuts will be made and deep cuts and I have had enough, I think the people of Elyria need to let the Mayor know how they feel.”
Allen said that 30 minutes after posting the sign he received a call from Mayor Grace who had driven by the business and was surprised to see his personal cell phone number posted on the sign. “It was a very spirited conversation, he asked that I post his home phone number – but he is never at home or his office number. I felt that either at home or in the office he doesn’t have to accept the phone calls, he does have to answer his cell phone. I believe that this matter is very critical and we need to get his attention – we cannot let this happen to our safety forces or to our community.”
During the phone call with the Mayor, Allen said that he asked the Mayor if he was going to place a tax increase on the May ballot. “His answer to me was – perhaps – and I have a real problem with that. Will he again tell the voters, pass this increase or you will lose your safety forces? I have personally seen the city payroll and there is a lot of fat that can be trimmed long before cutting Police Officers. I asked the Mayor on the phone if he would promise that he would not hire one IT person until the Police and Fire Departments are back to where they should be, personnel wise, he would not make that promise.”
The next conversation between the Mayor and Allen will be in the Mayor’s office on Monday at 10am; Allen received and accepted that invitation shortly after the conversation with the Mayor.
Editors note: We have decided to blur part of the cell phone number in the photo because it is the Mayor’s personal cell phone. Neither the Mayor, anyone from his office or on his behalf asked us to blur the photo, it was our decision alone. If anyone would like to contact the Mayor his office number is 440.326.1402 – his home phone number is 440.322.2600. If anyone has a problem with the Mayor not responding to their calls, please let us know.
posted by TMC NEWS at 4:39 PM
38 Comments:
Has Mayor Grace lost his mind. do. Does he think all the thugs, druggies, rapist, wife beaters, & just plain assholes are going to leave the city? The SO is also cutting officers. I guess its time to arm yourself.
If you call the mayor's office or home phone number, you may NEVER receive a return call. One of the speakers at Monday's council meeting, reported that she had called his office with NO response. Stick to your guns, Mr Allen. Keep the phone number up until after January 1st. Don't cave in during your meeting Monday!
How is the mayor suppose to do his job if people are calling his cell phone all day? We elected him to run the city and now he is going to be distracted from that. Brian Allen was very irresponsible in posting the mayors personal cell number. You know he will probably get many crank calls and such and be forced to change his number. Shame on you Brian Allen!
Way to go Brian. What an aweseome way to get publicity for your new business. FREEEEEE publicity just like the way you got all the news channels out to your store for your McCain/Palin sign. Keep it up HEAVY DUTY GRAPHICS!!!!!!!!
Anonymous aka no real name
It is apparent that Bill Grace isn’t doing his job. We had the issue 15 scare tactic laid out for us that; if issue 15 doesn’t pass then we will have to cut Safety service folks. Now Bill Grace says he might have to cut Police as well as I am sure Fire personal. I bet he will say he has to close another Fire Station.
There must be a big money problem within the City Budget all of a sudden. Council Monday night had to approve the sum of $49,000 to be paid out of the general fund to pay for the light pole’s to be taken down. I guess some one made a big boo boo and didn’t add it on the bid for Rt57.
I guess back when the Founding Fathers of this Great Country of ours, decided to stake a stand against the British and Mr. Anonymous were there they would say, Shame on you Founding Fathers!
Ken Behner aka dirtdigger
Thank you to TMCNEWS for doing the proper thing in blurring out the number.
This guy is only trying to get free media time. He doesnt even live in Elyria.
This is a sham and everyone knows it.
Mayor, if this fool keeps it up, change your cell number. No, you have too much integrity for that.
Brian Allen should be a shamed of himself because he has no integrity.
Crazy Mac sign is done now he wants to drum up a entirely new free advertisement.
I urge Elyrians NOT to do business with him.
Save all of the industry jobs in Elyria.
If businsesses continue to go, then the city will have even less taxes to pay police and fire.
I think it shows a lack of confidence in the Mayor. I also think it shows alot of misconceptions on the RENEWAL..
Hmmm..I wonder if anyone thought of trying to contact the Ethics Board on this issue? Seems to me, someone promoted the RENEWAL on FALSE PRETENSES..
Now, just my opinion of course..if you want to blame someone call Chris Sito he can help you..He knows all about what the mayor is doing..
As I laugh at the quote the mayor made to our local newspaper, I can't for the life of me figure out what it is that these possible phone calls may stop him from doing.
Maybe it will stop him from telling the people of this city that another cut is going to be made, or another business is going to be run out of town.
We have elected him to "run" our city...he is running it alright, right into the ground.
It sure doesnt help to have someone who claims to be a business owner doing childish things like this. Does this Allen guy think hes doing anything positive?
Ethics board? Good idea, maybe you can lead the charge.
Just another river rat that has come into town and will spread disease and then leave.
It is evident by how things are running that the mayor isn't doing his job, or city council for that matter. Allen, keep your sign up, so it will give Grace something to do. I further urge you to put contact information for council on your sign as well. Good for Allen if he is getting business poured his way, its probably the only business around that is. Grace is a liar and a trader; selling the renewal to the citizens, to only have more threats of layoffs. SHAME ON YOU, Maybe the feds need to investigate the mayor and council members like they are with LPD.
Hahahaha. I just watched channel 5
Well it seems this "business owner" has gotten a little more press. First channel 189 and when they didnt deem it a big story he goes to channel 5.
Brian Allen, heres a hint...your embarressing our city with you circus like antics. Elyria doesnt need and most, majority of the residents despise you airing laundry for your own personal business. SAD.
ROCK ON ALLEN.. someone has to get through to the city. they should be way above budget cause they should not have payed anything for the rt57 project since its already messing up in many places... it will need all re done come spring when the winter weather seperated and cracks the concrete again since they didnt get a final layer on it.. what a shame on this city
GO ALLEN keep the sign up
As you read some of the Anonymous posters who are Grace Supporters without a doubt because of the name calling, it seems to me it is the same person writing them all. There is always a certain pattern in them. Ya have to laugh at them some times, as they always call people names. River Rat, that is a new one indeed.
Ken Behner aka dirtdigger
Dirt Digger AKA Ken Behner as I have stated before, WHO CARES IF PEOPLE POST WITH THEIR REAL NAMES? I can tell you my name is Rick James or Andrew Smith and It makes NO Difference. This is the internet. I can tell you anything. MAYBE some of us arent overly obsessed like you are to make a blogger ID.
ONTO a different note I would do this to the city/mayor If they jerked me around as much as they did with him and that sign WHICH if I may add, he won that whole ordeal. Way to go Brian and I hope nothing but success to your business as you make a FANTASTIC product!! And thank you for being a business owner in Elyria despite this CRAP the city puts people through which usually drives business away.
Signed,
Bart Simpson
Richard Molzar
Eric McKinley
Dave Kilinger
(Gosh Which one is me?!? Because It makes a BIG difference to the comments that are made.)
I admire anyone who fights for what they believe in, Mr Allen. you are fighting a good fight, we all need to DEMAND these politicians talk to us and answer the tuff questions. What happened to issue 15?
Seems to me Mr. Allen is a publicity hound..Does he run Krazy Mac?..He will not be seeing me in there..Mr. Allen sounds as if he was beaten up on the playground one too mahy times..Go away Mr. Allen, we do not need you..
Guess I hit me one of them things they call a nerve. I got me a big word speaking person mad at me.
Your right this is just the internet, but the word has been getting out on the internet about the lies Bill Grace has spread, you as well as the rest can't stop it.
So keep up with the name calling as well as the intimation games because all you’re doing is helping the cause.
Ken Behner aka dirtdigger
Give em H--l Brian. This guy has told one lie after another. It's about time someone exposed him for what he is. Don't think for one second you're alone here. Hear that Sito?
The recall group for mayor Grace can be contacted at: Standupelyria@yahoo.com!
Does anybody else wonder how Brian found out what the cell phone number is? Is it published anywhere as an alternate number for contact? If so, why complain about his listing it if it was publicly accessible anyway? Seems like that point has been overlooked. If the number has been given out as a means of contacting the mayor, then nothing wrong has been done and everyone and anyone could use that number to contact the mayor.
He was asked, as he stated, by the Mayor to not use that number but his home or office number. This was a blatant disregard for respect by Brain Allen. He has no respect for people, yet he wants respect? Sorry not on this issue. I have issue with Grace, go back a number of years, so Mr. Dirtdigger DO NOT assume I work for or with him, but thsi is just a total lack of humanity by Brian Allen.
I agree with others here, he is a media magnet and loves to see himself on the news. I would not listen to a word he says.
#1 Brian never called any news
#2 mayor never said could not use his cell
#3 Issue 15 was a lie
#4 Grace has gotta answer to the people
Mayor disGrace should hop on the bus with Romeo and get out of town...you both are piss poor leaders!
This mayor loves to kill business in Elyria. I once thought of building in Elyria, he put so many road blocks it was going to cost me an additional $500,000.
In the long run it turn out to be best not to build in Elyria.
Keys!...Keys!...Keys!
This mayor is the worst thing that has EVER happened to Elyria and that's why I too got out. Someone should throw their shoes at him ;)
Brian, I personally would patronize your establishment and will. I will also recomment as many people as possible to do the same.
BYE BYE Brian...Are you that desperate to get your name in the news? Why not post his home number? My question is Brian, what is your cell number? If I have reason to complain about your establishment, can I call you in the middle of the night? Can I just call and hang up on you? real class..Hope your busines enjoys it's brief stay in Elyria..from what I've heard, we won't be missing much
I personally moved my small business to Elyria from Lorain because this Mayor had tough guidelines. So I knew businesses like the 10:10 post would not come and ruin things for us good businesses. IF the 10:10 poster REALLY didnt come to Elyria, its her loss.
My business does quite a bit of promotions and printing. And I ALWAYS try to do local business in Elyria for those needs, and if Brian Allens was the last business in this town to do that stuff, I would have to go elsewhere.
I deal with above board characters.
Not some fly by night person.
First off if the fire dept doesn’t want to cut there staff then why don’t they limit some of the over time. I mean last year the two of the top earners in the city were EFD people making over 100k each. I am all about the police, fire and EMS personal making more money but come on. When you milk the overtime cow for so long it is eventually going to lead to problems. I don’t know the numbers of EPD personal so don’t take this as me slamming just EFD. I’m just shinning light on different facts. For the recode I am not for or against mayor Grace. I think who ever is or becomes mayor of Elyria is dealt a shitty hand to begin with. That is just my two cents and I stand by it.
There are a couple of folks who wrote under anonymous that says Brian Allen did this as a stunt to drum up business. He already had an increase in business, as well as Ron who owns Krazy Mac’s. The Mayor and his certain departments like the Review board and the Planning commission by having generic wording speaking in general, try to avoid, when it should have said, should avoid. The City made Brian and Ron jump through hoops and dragged the sign issue to the point that it finely came before council of which Council voted to keep the sign as it is.
Ken Behner aka dirtdigger
Mr. Allen is just looking for free advertisement and to cause Mayor Grace some grief. Whether you like the mayor or not, you know very well that Mr. Allen knew by posting the cell phone number that people would be calling the mayor in all ways and hours. He is not fighting the good fight. If he is so concerned about EPD and EFD then he should be going to council meetings, talking to his councilman (for his business, as he does not live in the city), constructively get other businesses and citizens together to constructively talk about a solution.
Having lived in Elyria for 30 years, I am now ashamed to say I'm from Elyria. Grace has turned this city into a battleground. How many times in the last 8 years have we heard about a business owner, or group of citizens banding together to fight this tyrant? I work on the east side of Cleveland and when I tell people I live in Elyria, even they shake their heads in disgust over this mayor and his group of merry men.
Mr Allen has been attending council meetings but you would KNOW that if you have been attending!
It has been widely reported that this mayor DOES NOT return phone calls to his office or home. Reaching him on his cell phone is a viable alternative!
I have called the Mayors office and other depts of the city. I have always got a phone call back, maybe not from the Mayor or from the dept. supervisor, but it was a call back. Those who say they dont get a call back, are NOT telling the truth. PERIOD.
I have lived in Elyria over 50 years and what this guy is doing has to be the worst disrespect I have ever seen and I hear he doesnt live here.
HA..Why all the moanign about Billybobs phonenumber being posted?
I mean after all isn't he the Mayor of Elyria? Oh no wait, your so right..He's not..he is only in it for himself!
BOTTOM LINE: BILL GRACE NEEDS TO STEP DOWN AS MAYOR FOR THE NEW YEAR TO BE GOOD...OTHERWISE, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE RECALL TO GO FORWARD..!!!
RESIGN BILLYBOB..NOW OR ELSE..
I am not a "fan" of the mayor, but I do not believe that posting the cell phone number was proper. It was done for one reason and one reason only to harass the mayor. And as far as the recall goes....get over it already it is not going forward. No one involved with the recall group as stepped forward anywhere that I am aware of and announced any progress with the recall. Grow up citizens.
Cheryl,
the real you shows up again. Tommy Boy lost, what, 3 times and the Mayor did NOT give him an ASSD's job, now you want him to resign??? Would you becalling for that if Tom had got the job as ASSD and not moved to DC?
Sad game of politics you play appalled.
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