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Posted: February 25, 2010

Generations Of Children Sledding Just As Important To Local History
To the Editor:
What is sad in this whole saga at Fort Miamis is the relevant local history of generations of smiling children sledding, a memory I will not soon forget with my own children – a history current and past Maumee residents think is as important as the little time the fort was used by the British, who twice abandoned the fort.
It’s a history the Metroparks of the Toledo Area are committed to eliminating while conveniently forgetting being a 50-year absentee land owner – handing the ownership and maintenance of the property to the Ohio Historical Society, which didn’t want it and in 1970 gave it to the city of Maumee.
One lady in her 90s told me with a sheepish smile about her childhood snow skiing from the fort onto the river. She doesn’t recommend doing it today, and she was sure her parents wouldn’t approve back then, but saw little harm in children sledding on the inland face of the hills.
Children have been sledding on these hills for over 100 years.
No more will children pulling sleds or dog lovers walking their best friends terrorize these hallowed grounds. It’s a history the Metroparks cares little about and conveniently looked the other way until their definition of “historic shrine” became important.
So welcome back to Fort Miamis. Like the British before you, who left for awhile and came back, I hope your stay is just as short. If not, maybe the fort will mean more to you this time, but I doubt it will ever replace the history made while you were gone.
Brent Buehrer
Maumee

Fort Miamis Offers Fun And Recreation For Many Kids Within Walking Distance
To the Editor:
Regarding sledding at Fort Miamis, I have to say one thing: Don’t complain about our youth staying in and playing Xbox! Fort Miamis has provided recreation for many of our youth. It is within walking distance for many and provides exercise and family fun.
I’m sure the British and Mad Anthony would be thrilled to know children cannot only play, but also learn the importance that Fort Miamis holds in the history books.
Carolyn Haney
Maumee

Generous Community Donors Enable Used Clothing Drive To Succeed
To the Editor:
We live in a great community! Once again people from around this great city came together to donate more than 85 tons of clothes and goods to those in need during the Clothing Your Community drive.
We should all be proud to know that 6,000 individuals – our neighbors and friends – were given a hand up this past weekend with clean, gently used clothing and goods.
So many people have experienced hardships during the past couple of years, but that hasn’t seemed to dampen the charitable spirit that permeates this area. I have no doubt that a good number of the folks who donated have experienced some level of financial strain recently, but it’s that very sense of community and helping one another that makes the Toledo area so special.
It is outstanding community members such as Gary Resnick of LaSalle Cleaners, who had the vision for this event, who help make our community strong. And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize all of the organizations that helped make the collection and distribution a success.
Thanks to our partners: Cherry Street Mission, Fifth Third Bank, Hot Printing and Graphics, K-100 Radio, LaSalle Cleaners, Pro-Pak Industries, Toledo Free Press, United Way of Greater Toledo, WTOL TV 11 and the YMCA/JCC. It was a true pleasure working with you all during a time of great need in our community.
And, thanks to all of our customers who came out and enabled us to contribute 31 truckloads of goods to the cause. It is our customers, the residents in this area, who enable us to fulfill our mission to support our communities.
Mike Anderson
CEO
The Andersons, Inc.

City Should Find Budget Solutions Other Than Staff And Salary Cuts
To the Editor:
I would like to try and apprise the citizens of Maumee of a financial problem the city seems to be having and what they are trying to do to rectify it. Apparently, at a special council meeting on February 8, it was proposed as a “Deficit Reduction Plan – Phase 1” and part of that entails all employees taking a pay cut and concessions.
Should it happen, this would affect only management and non-union personnel. The three unions have contracts that are in effect until December 31, 2011 and do not have to re-open them any time sooner than that date, but they want them to re-open.
I am not saying that concessions should not be made, but the city of Maumee personnel have taken the past two years with no raises already, and maybe we could look some other places first before you do pay cuts and/or layoffs and put an extra burden on what already in this economy are households that are stretched to their limits on budget cuts.
Do you know that the income tax in the city of Maumee has not been raised in over 40 years? It is at 1.5 percent and has been for 40 years. If council would approve to ask the voters for a 0.25 percent increase in this income tax, it could generate millions of dollars. Let me ask you a question: do you still pay the same price for milk, bread and eggs (or anything) that you did 40 years ago? I did not think so.
They also could ask us, the taxpayers, to simply vote on changing the amount of income tax that goes into Fund A and Fund B. At this time, Fund B is for capital projects, and 0.5 percent of income goes in that fund, and Fund A, which is for operating costs, gets 1 percent of the income tax.
Most of the capital projects, if not all, are complete at this time, and not as much money is needed in Fund B, so why not ask voters to allow the city to recalculate what goes into those funds? Take 0.25 percent from Fund B (capital) and reallocate to Fund A (operating). Then you would not have to ask the voters for any type of income tax hike at all. I don’t know what the resistance is on council’s part not to explain to the taxpayers the problems, and/or let us vote on a solution.
Maumee has always said that it has not had any layoffs in its history, but if someone leaves by retirement, resignation, quitting or being fired and they are never replaced, would you not call that some type of layoff or reduction? At this time I think there are seven positions that have not been replaced within the city, and they are: finance director, director of public service, tax specialist, assistant supervisor in natural resources, supervisor of construction, administrative assistant in the mayor’s office and labor position in the service department.
Somewhere down the line this must have an effect on the services to Maumee citizens. I wonder if they make cuts to the safety department, will that mean longer response times for medics should you be having a heart attack, or a longer response time if your house is burning down, or for police should someone be burglarizing your home?
According to contracts and ordinances posted on the Maumee Web site, those jobs listed above that have not been filled total $468,000 a year on the older pay scale, which they were a part of, and that is without benefits figured in, which is probably 30 percent or more, or any overtime they would have made.
I think it is time we as citizens start asking more questions and being more active in and listening to what situations our city is facing in these trying times. You will never know if you don’t ask.
Marlene Banas
Maumee

Support Needed To Pack And Send Haiti Earthquake Relief Supplies
To the Editor:
From all of us at International Services of Hope/Impact, we’d like to extend a very sincere expression of gratitude to everyone throughout Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan and across this nation for the extremely generous outpouring of compassion and support for the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti.
With supplies continuing to pour in, we invite everyone to be a part of the volunteer team that is packaging and sorting the supplies at our Waterville warehouse in preparation for shipment to Haiti and beyond. There are also volunteer opportunities in our offices in Perrysburg, and cash donations are welcomed.
For more information, please see our Web site, www.isohimpact.org, or call our offices at (419) 878-8548. You are also invited to follow us on Twitter for the most up-do-date information.
Lori Kazmierczak
Office Manager
ISOH/Impact & The Children’s Lighthouse