Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

I am a believer in writing things down so that you can think through your problems much easier. I know there have been many on this discussion page with anger in their hearts. Maybe if you could just write down your thoughts it might help relief some of that HATE MONGORING you all seem to be holding in.

I would suggest that you give us all an essay of 200 words or less about what you dislike about a Pickerington elected official. What have they done for you and what have they done to you?

You should start you essay with the following phase: Mayor Hughes should resign from office because: Or substitute other official?’s names. I think you get the idea. Now let?’s see some excellent thoughts.


By Mike Shea

Essay

Mr. Shea,

Maybe you should start the ''Essay Ball Rolling''.

You can inform citizens exactly why they are wrong for questioning what happens in the community in which they live. Give examples of what makes our community so great.

Then the ''hate mongering'' can finally end.

Thanks,

Tim Bryant

Getting started

Mayor Randall Hughes should be removed from office because: He was elected as a fraud. His only challengers dropped out before the election took place. Running unopposed he still collected $6,000 in campaign contributions from people that do business with the city. The Mayor doesn?’t vote at council meetings, but he does have the power of the veto. When John Bain (CEO of Homewood and $500 contributor) wanted to get the Painter/ Kohler property annexed and rezoned to R-4 he wrote his letter to the Mayor, not to the chairman of the Service Committee, Craig Maxey. I believe the Mayor is biased in his decisions because of the campaign money that he received two years ago.

The second issue is Mayor Hughes double dipping. He is a school teacher working for the PLSD and being paid by the residents of Pickerington. He also is holding the position of Mayor and also being paid by these same residents of Pickerington. In the city charter section 8.04 reads: ?“They (Mayor and Members of Council) shall not be other wised employed by, nor shall they hold any other office in this Municipality, except as provided by the Charter.?” The high school is located in the City of Pickerington, The new High School will be located in the City of Pickerington.

Some more of the Pickerington City Charter: ?“Section 4.05, Except as provided this Charter, the Mayor, the council and its members shall deal with the administration employees solely through the Municipal Manager. Neither the Mayor, the Council nor any member or committee thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the Municipal Manager. Any Council member or Mayor found in violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of malfeasance in office.?”

On December 29th 2000 Mayor Hughes signed a letter addressed to all administrative employees giving them the day off even though this was not a scheduled day off for any of the administration staff. This letter was hung on the front door of City Hall.

Who owns the house that Mayor Hughes lives in on Church Street? Is this the same owner, that the Mayor gave permission for an extra curb cut along route 256 without proper authority? Who authorized the Mayor to change the route 256 access plan?

This is nearly 400 words and I have many more to go. Man this is really hard to do. Whoops I just went over 400. Anyway Mr. Bryant you get the idea.











By Mike Shea

Hugs For Hughes!!!!!!!!!

I just don?’t think it is appropriate to remove Mayor Hughes from office. Mr. Hughes has served Pickerington for many years now. He coached little league and served on Council. I am sure he didn?’t neglect his family while spending all his time on the ball fields and down at City Hall. He says his wife wanted him to go and be involved in the community.

Everyday he must pass the portable classrooms on his way to work down at the High School. He knows more than anyone else in this community the problems with this over crowding in our schools. If there was a way to correct these over crowding issues he would have done so by now. So please lay off the Mayor. He is doing everything humanly possible to control our growth while respecting the rights of the Pickerington area land owners.

This is the American way people. These developers buy these farms and they have every right to zone and build on them as they please. It is not the function of the Pickerington City Council to control them or impede their progress. These farms will be developed no matter whether they are in the Township or in the City. If they are in the City we can assess them all income taxes. That is a win-win for everyone. The city makes money developing this vacant farm land into homes. Wake up people! Can?’t you see the benefits?


If you only knew the long hours the Mayor puts in trying to juggle his School Teaching job and his Mayor?’s job you would have a much better attitude compared to the negative ones you all currently have. Mayor Hughes loves this City and he wouldn?’t do anything to cause harm to it and its people. After all his family lives here and he expects to retire here. He has lived here most of his life. I am told his father was killed in Korea flying a fighter jet for his country. How can anyone question the Mayor?’s concerns for this city? So from here on out please leave your negative thoughts to yourself. You only cause others to hate just like yourselves.


By Jim Nugent