Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Fix says he is experienced and an independent thinker

Jeff Fix

By DAVID S. OWEN

Jeff Fix, a member of the Pickerington Planning and Zoning Commission, is seeking to be elected to Pickerington City Council in the Nov. 8 general election.

Fix, 40, born in Milwaukee, Wisc., grew up in the Sharon Woods area of Columbus.

He graduated from St. Francis DeSales High School in 1983, and received a bachelor of science degree from Bowling Green State University.

He is vice president of operations for the international restaurant chain, Escape Enterprises Ltd., in Columbus.

Fix is one of seven candidates seeking four seats on City Council.

The others include incumbents Mitch O'Brien, Michael Sabatino and William W. Wright and challengers Cristie Hammond, Tory Kramer and Keith Smith.

Fix and his wife Laurin have been calling Pickerington their hometown since 1996.

They have two children, Jessica 10, and Tanner, 7.

Fix said they chose to live in Pickerington because they found Pickerington had good schools, a fair tax base and there were good neighbors.

''When we first went out there I fell in love with Pickerington, and I am happy to this day that that's what we decided to do, '' he said.

Fix said he wants to be a council member because he said he has seen what he believes are really bad decisions by the former city council, and there are a couple of councilmen (Sabatino and Wright) still there that just continue to make decisions that are not in the best interest of the community.

''I've always believed that if you're going to raise your voice about something you need to be willing to step up and be a part of the solution, he said. ''This is my time to do that.''

His overall goals if elected are to address the management of residential growth, help the city develop and enhance commercially, and ''we need to always do what's best for the community,'' he said.

''If we can make progress on those three things and get our financial situation healthy, then we can look at having a community center built and do many additional things that would be nice for the community,'' he said.

''My opponents, particularly those who are non-incumbents, certainly don't have the political background and experience, or the combination of business experience and political experience which I have and which sets me apart,'' Fix said.

''And as far as two of the three incumbents, I don't have a record of making really bad decisions,'' he said.

''When I talk to people I point out that I am not part of either group, I have my own specific ideas, and I've got the background that lends itself to serving successfully,'' he said.

Fix said his professional experience lends itself to problem solving. ''I know how to get things done, and every day I solve a variety of issues and understand those parts of business that certainly carry over to running a government,'' he said.

In addition Fix said he's been involved in the community for the past 5 years, and that has given him a better understanding of who the people are, what the issues are and what the history is.

When asked if he could be someone, who would it be, Fix replied:

''To say anything other than to be me would be crazy. I'm having a great time being a dad, a husband and me, why would I want to be anyone else?''

Another thinker

Sabatino says he will be watchdog for residents' rights

Mike Sabatino

By DAVID S. OWEN

Michael Sabatino is seeking election to a full term on Pickerington City Council in the Nov. 8 general election.

He was appointed in March 2003 by former Mayor Lou Postage to fulfill an unexpired term on council and serves on council's Safety and Rules Committee.

Sabatino is one of seven candidates seeking four seats on City Council.

The others include fellow incumbents Mitch O'Brien and William W. Wright and challengers Cristie Hammond, Jeff Fix, Tory Kramer and Keith Smith.

Sabatino, 56, is a Columbus native who graduated from Walnut Ridge High School in 1971. He studied Business Management at Columbus Technical Institute.

Sabatino moved to Pickerington in the mid 1980s, eventually settling in the Manor House subdivision with his wife, Alice. He has two grown children, Joe and Lori.

''We were interested in moving, and I had a work friend, Terry Dunlap, who sort of recruited us by discussing some good points about the area,'' he said.

Sabatino has served on the Olde Downtown Pickerington Village Commission, the City Planning and Zoning Commission, and was president of the chamber of commerce in 1986.

Sabatino said he believes Pickerington is an excellent place to live and raise a family.

He said the most important single issue facing the community is dealing with how growth affects the schools.

''The Pickerington Local schools are the common denominator for the Pickerington area,'' Sabatino said.

''I believe the city should work with and support the imposition of impact fees that flow directly to the schools.''

Sabatino said this effort would require leadership in working with school officials and the township.

''I do not believe sitting back and waiting for the Ohio legislature to do something is doing enough,'' he said.

His said his goals if elected to the next term are to be the watchdog for citizens' rights, insure the wishes of the residents are always top priority and to hold the administration accountable to residents.

Sabatino said the reason why he wants to be elected to City Council is he does not believe the current majority on council always acts in residents' best interests.

''I know they do not always tell the whole story about issues, but use their media consultant contract to spin information to the citizens,'' he said. ''Which, I believe, is less than totally honest with the people.''

He said he has been and will continue to be the voice of reason when necessary.

''I will be the watchdog for the citizens and bark when I should,'' he said.

''I like to look at issues and vote on them on what I feel is the best interest of the citizens,'' he said.

''In the light of with the most disclosure of what's happening, and right now on council we have a vacuum when it comes to leadership.''

Sabatino said he would answer any questions residents had honestly and would not say something just to get their vote.

''I do not make promises that I know I can't keep,'' he said.

When asked if he could be someone, who would it be, Sabatino replied:

''No One. I believe in always being yourself, and not trying to be someone you are not to simply impress someone else. I am comfortable in my own skin and am a big believer in honesty.''

Peas in a pod

Both of these candidates fit a very similar mold.

NEITHER HAS BEEN ELECTED TO ANY PUBLIC OFFICE.

However one seems to think he is the most qualified of ALL candidates.

The other claims to be watching out for the Citizens. The only citizens he is a watchdog for are his Mother who lives on Diley Road and himself who gets the highest payoff for being stupid enough to put $25,000 worth of his personal property in his basement and it was ruined by yet another sewer backup. I understand there is some question on the value and if his property was really there.

Mr. Fix lashes out at every one in his comments. No one is even near his ability and experience to serve the City on council according to Jeff. Jeff give it up. Your record of leadership has been awful over the last few years and your campaign statements have been mostly huge embellishments of half truths. If you can?’t keep simple promises prior to the election then how in the world could you possible feel you will be able to get anything done once on council? Clearly your campaign is showing us all of YOUR inability to work with anyone. Your endorsements show clearly that you are nothing more than a name dropper and overly impressed with your title and your little being. It also shows that you are totally devoid of any original thought when of all people you must steal Sabatino?’s line about being an independent thinker.

Sabatino; what can you say? Claims to be the taxpayer watch dog and then sends the city staff on endless public records requests thus wasting time and money which could be spent on more productive tasks. Sitting through a couple of painful City Council meetings I believe Sabatino is the dumbest councilman ever on record here in Pickerington. Once he gets past his canned questions given to him from his handler prior to the council meeting he is lost. He is currently reading over hundreds of emails over the last year trying to dig some dirt up about anybody but he does not have the time to read the Growth Management report.

There seems to be a common thread among these independent thinkers.

Something to watch for

Dear Mr. Citizen?’s Watchdog,


Recently I received one of those mailers with coupons in it. On the back cover was a campaign advertisement with two incumbent City Council men running for re-election.

I missed their names but their pictures reminded me of Squggie and a FAT Lenny from Laverne and Shirley. I have been wondering if they might have moved here from Milwaukee with Jeff Fix who was born there.

Anyway they have appeared to use the very same photographs that the City of Pickerington paid for and what the city had posted on the Pickerington City WEB site. I guess then the questions are:

Is Lenny and Squggie using the public?’s money to run their campaign?

Will they report this as an ?“in-kind?” contribution to the Board of Elections next week?

If they purchased these photograph?’s from the City, then who authorized the sale?

Do they have receipts showing what they paid the City for the Photographs?

I believe both are supportive of small businesses. I believe those photographs were taken by a local photographer and I believe he would be classified as a small business man. Isn?’t photograph?’s being copied from a professional photographer covered under the COPYRIGHT Laws? I know if I take my professional pictures to Walgreen to get copied they always asked if I have a release from the Photographer then turn me away. Apparently photographers don?’t count as the small businesses they want to support.



By Carmine