Running in Wellsville

The filing for the May Primaries are done. I noticed that Joe Surace was unopposed. That's not surprising to me. More surprising is the fact that he is seeking re-election. Joe, what were you thinking? Why submit yourself to the bashing most public officials take in this fair village? Maybe you're like me. Even though it don't pay much the meager salary helps keep the wolves away from the door. Maybe you got a mission in mind and you are trying to get the job done. Whatever the reason, bless you.

Truth be told being a mayor of any community up & down this valley is a thankless job. The folks that quote from the "Book of They" are not the least bit appreciative for just about anything you do. For the uninformed the "Book of They" is a compilation of infamous quotes. For example the folks that use it regularly say "they oughta do this, someone should just do that", etc. It's not in hardback but it has been around for ages.

However, I'm getting off track. One of the biggest reasons being a public official is thankless is basically the fact that we are in an economically depressed area. The deteriorating economy for the village has been occurring for the past two or three decades. I can recall when we once had three working potteries in Wellsville, a brickyard and all the mom & pop stores that supported the work force of these places. There was three car dealerships, a dry cleaning establishment and numerous privately owned grocery stores. There was a dress shop and a men's clothing store. You get the idea.

They are all gone now and what industrial base do we have in this village? There's Stephenson Foundry. There's what, one or two fledgling companies where the brickyard use to be? To have the revenue needed to accomplish what all the idea people think that our village government should be doing requires a strong economic base. You don't get real estate, sales taxes and wage taxes from something that is not there. This community is basically a bed & breakfast community anymore. Most of our residents that still work at sustainable jobs have to leave the village to go to their place of employment. Lord, I truly hope the coal-to-fuel plant becomes a reality. That would be a huge economic boost to Wellsville.

So, for all you nay sayers I say let the folks that do stand up and run for council and the mayor's job do their jobs. Sure there are snafus here and there but for the most part they are doing a remarkable job with what they have to work with. They go for grants and try to keep our village in decent shape. Don't let your personal biases stand in the way of your being objective.

Simply stated Wellsville does not have the money to maintain a garden spot community and is struggling to get along with what they have. You have a voice at the polls and you can participate at the council meetings if you have an agenda to push.

What A Difference A Week Makes

Ohio River taken on 2-16-07 from Riverside in Wellsville, Ohio, and the second picture taken on 2-23-07.

WTI

Once again WTI made the headlines in our local rag. This time it was for another permit modification. I found it interesting that the paper mentioned only five people were in attendance who chose to speak. My how times have changed. Guess Martin Sheen wasn't available. One lady said the Ohio EPA is putting the final nail in the coffin but Fred Miller didn't elaborate on what that nail was. Of course Mr. Spencer was there. God bless him. He has been there since the beginning and if nothing else is persistent. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing but respect for Mr. Spencer for standing up for his convictions. I believe his heart is in the right place.

I have mixed emotions about WTI. I can sympathize with the residents up that way in their opposition to WTI. Has the plant had any effect on property values up that way? Are there any green people with serious mutations in residence up there? True I'm being a bit sarcastic. However I believe WTI is a good thing. My mixed emotions stem from the fact that the folks in East End are driving themselves ragged over the fact that it is in their neighborhood. I believe that people that fret and harbor vengeful feelings are the prime candidates for getting ill.

For centuries we, as Americans, have buried our wastes in barrels or just underneath a mound of dirt. For decades now we, as tax payers, have had to pay to have those wastes to be dug up and disposed of properly. Look at the hullabaloo over the dirt someone dumped on the lot on 9th Street in Wellsville. Isn't it ironic that a fellow tried to turn the 9th St. Pottery into a place that burned the impurities out of contaminated soil? All up & down this valley are places that are contaminated from industrial wastes from our steel mills and potteries.

They say bleach will kill anything but fire will do it better and you don't have to worry about what is going to be done with the bleach afterward. With all the watch dogs you can bet WTI will be kept on their toes. They even have to have the slag tested before they ship it out. WTI has proven to be a good neighbor and I think they are doing a job that needed to be done for years. Yea, I can feel your pain up there but for the most part it has been proven to be safe and effective. I just wish they had located in Wellsville. What do you think?

A Couple of Thoughts

Reading yesterday's Review I saw an article about Sharon Gates closing Slammers. Lucille wrote in a positive note for the owner saying the decision was made for the good of the community. That may well be true. However, whatever the motive, it was a good business decision on Mrs. Gate's part. Unfortunately Slammers attracted the wrong kind of clientele and it was fast becoming a nuisance bar. We're fortunate that no one was killed with all the gun toting patrons. Booze & guns are a dangerous combination. In choosing to close the place down Mrs. Gates has enabled herself to hold on to her liquor license. Hopefully, she'll hit on a theme that will become a profitable business for her in the future without all the rabble that forced her into this move. Had she been bull headed and forced Wellsville's finest to get her license pulled she would probably never get it back. Lord knows we need the business in this village. One suggestion for Mrs. Gates: Why don't you have the old 356 building torn down? From what I can see it's become not much more than a pigeon's nest. With a little black top you could have a nice parking area for your patrons.

My second thought for today is the story about the fellow that flipped his SUV on Rt. 7, was taken to ELCH ER, life flighted to St. Es in Youngstown and released a short time later yesterday. What disturbs me is ELCH's trend in becoming a band-aide hospital. If you don't have one foot already in the grave and they can't patch you up with a band-aide it is increasingly their policy to "ship" you out. For many of us with limited health insurance that is a big expense insurance won't cover. You're stuck with the bill for the cost of transportation. Why has ELCH doing this more & more? Is it liability insurance rates? Could it be the lack of medical expertise? Is it because they want to get their money's worth for the new helipad? They don't want to be bothered? This bothers me. The hospital is becoming a referral center.

Greetings from the 'ville

I'm the new guy for blogging. I've been called an old nib nose from comments I posted on other blogs and I have to agree. My curiosity is immense and I'll ask questions until I fully understand what we're talking about. Often I make comments that are not politically correct but I try to shy away from being offensive just for the sake of being offensive. I'm a native & resident of Wellsville, Ohio and frequently sit looking out the window thinking about this and that. Thus my title "Looking Out My Window" and address TheVilleView. That's 'ville as in Wellsville. I grew up in a family that loves to argue just for the sake of arguing. It wasn't a hateful thing but rather arguing just to express opinions and explore other avenues of thought. It was sort of like blogging. Throw out an idea and see what comes back. Everybody was entitled to their opinion. Oh some times some one would get a little hot especially if it was a touchy subject that we were arguing but no one left mad or angry. Sometimes I would make an outrageous statement just to get things going. There were times when members of the family would walk away shaking there head but we remained family throughout. There is one member of my family that I can light up like a Christmas tree but it is only done is jest because I can.
My postings will be random and range in just about any subject that strikes my fancy. If I step on any toes tell me about it. Explain to me why I offended your senses. Some consider me to be opinionated but I attempt to be flexible. As Marvin Gaye once sang "Lets Get It On".