CLEVELAND, Ohio — MetroHealth plans to pay 4 executives $50,000 to $100,000 every in bonuses in the event that they keep on by this yr. And the embattled well being system agreed in December to pay a former govt her 2023 wage of greater than $500,000, though she resigned.

We’re speaking about golden parachutes on the Cuyahoga County public hospital on Right this moment in Ohio.

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Editor Chris Quinn hosts our each day half-hour information podcast, with impression editor Leila Atassi, editorial board member Lisa Garvin and content material director Laura Johnston.

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Listed here are the questions we’re answering immediately:

Though Jason Stephens is the bona fide Ohio Home speaker, Derek Merrin says he’s the Home Republican chief and controls the caucus checking account, a key lever of energy. We did some digging. Who’s in cost right here?

The discuss final week about disgraced former Home Speaker Larry Householder flying to Washington within the non-public jet of the corporate that admits bribing him shouldn’t be the one proof that Ohio may want revisions to its ethics guidelines. We discovered all kinds of causes. What are some?

What number of Ohioans are looking for to cancel their school mortgage debt below an embattled forgiveness program?

An uncommon regulation has been proposed to vary how individuals driving below the affect can be prosecuted if marijuana is the reason for the affect. What does the regulation suggest to do?

We thought we have been completed with the revelations about gigantic payouts for MetroHealth execs. However now come the golden parachutes. Holy moly. How a lot are these people in line to obtain?

Why is Ohio Legal professional Common Dave Yost taking credit score for Greenback Common shops in Ohio closing down briefly Friday to vary their costs?

Right here’s a mind-blower. What new prepare service is being severely thought of for Northeast Ohio?

So it actually is feasible for an Ohio Supreme Courtroom justice with a battle of curiosity to recuse himself from a case. Which justice did so, and through which main case?

Marty Sweeney is an elected member of Cuyahoga County Council. So why can’t he introduce laws like elected officers in every single place else in Northeast Ohio?

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Learn the automated transcript beneath. As a result of it’s a computer-generated transcript, it comprises many errors and misspellings.

[00:00:00] Chris: There gained’t be a championship soccer crew in Ohio this yr. Possibly subsequent yr. The Bengals are out. It’s immediately in Ohio. The information podcast dialogue from cleveland.com and The Plain Vendor. I’m Chris Quinn. I’m right here with Lisa Garvin. Lela Tassi and Laura Johnston. We acquired stuff to speak about. Let’s go. Though Jason Stevens is the bonafide Ohio Home speaker, Derek Maron says he’s the Home Republican chief.

Controls the caucus checking account, which is a key stage lever of energy. We did some digging. Lisa, who’s in cost right here?

[00:00:38] Lisa: It’s not clear as a result of each Jason Stevens and Derek Maron say that they’re in control of that checking account. However Stevens and his chosen home, G O P, marketing campaign Committee Chair, Jeff LaRue, a Fairfield County, have company.

Playing cards for the checking account of the Ohio Home, Republican Alliance or rah, which supplies cash for, uh, Republican [00:01:00] candidate campaigns all through the state. Derek Maron says that he ought to management the account as a result of he was named Caucus Chair by supporters final week, which by the best way, is a model new place.

It by no means existed earlier than. And Maron. Phil Plumber of Dayton because the over a chair, uh, plumber says, the state regulation states that marketing campaign funds must be administered and managed in a fashion designated by the caucus. So he says Stevens has no authority to spend that cash, and if he tries to spend the cash, he’ll find yourself in courtroom.

Steven says, nicely, you understand, numerous individuals convey Fi frivolous lawsuit.

[00:01:37] Chris: This doesn’t sound that frivolous to me. If the Republicans who’re the Republican caucus vote within the majority for Marin, it looks as if he ought to have management of that checking account.

[00:01:49] Lisa: However why did they create a brand new place only for him?

[00:01:52] Chris: Effectively, usually the, the chief of the home is by acclimation of the occasion, however as a result of so many members of his personal occasion didn’t [00:02:00] vote for him. Mm. This I, I, that is, look, Marin is a fruit loop. He’s very, very on the market and he retains preventing and preventing, however he truly appears to have a degree right here. It will find yourself within the courts.

I don’t perceive how Stevens may get that card, cuz extra Republicans than not, didn’t need him as their.

[00:02:19] Lisa: Yeah, it’s attention-grabbing how he did get the cardboard. I believe that’s in all probability value digging into. However, uh, it appears like, you understand, the, the Marin we’re calling them, the Marin Republicans, or like 45 of them are, um, you understand, attempting to say their energy.

[00:02:33] Chris: Steven ought to work shortly to win over as lots of them as he can so he can cease this ridiculous division that looks as if it’s getting within the. Enterprise you’re listening to immediately in Ohio. The discuss final week a couple of disgraced former home speaker, Larry Householder, flying to Washington within the non-public jet of the corporate that admits bribing him shouldn’t be the one proof that Ohio may want revisions to.

Its. Ethics guidelines. We [00:03:00] discovered all kinds of causes. Laura, what are some,

[00:03:02] Laura: yeah, this piece by Andrew Tobias checked out all kinds of grey areas and even loopholes in state ethics regulation that mainly enabled householder to do what he did. Oh, that the prosecutors say that he did or maybe made them completely authorized.

So, PL flying on non-public planes is considered one of ‘em, the limitless of darkish cash, accepting items from individuals who aren’t lobbyists, however not having to reveal what they’re or what they’re value. And Ohio legal guidelines are way more lax than congressional legal guidelines and nobody’s actually doing something about it. So a gaggle of home Republicans.

They, proper earlier than the Householder trial introduced a proposed set of ethics reforms, they stated would handle a few of these points uncovered by the home invoice six scandals, however we don’t actually know what’s gonna occur. This was Derek Maron’s agenda. We simply talked in regards to the the ability battle between Maron and Stevens.

And, and it borrows some concepts from a democratic invoice, payments that did not advance final yr. And, [00:04:00] however some democrats are suspicious of maron’s motivations. So there are some concepts on the market to at the least put some guardrails as a result of I, I like the analogy within the story. Like you probably have a velocity restrict of 60 miles an hour, any person’s gonna go 70, proper?

However you’re gonna get pulled over if you happen to’re going 120. If there are not any guardrails in any respect, if there are not any velocity limits, then how are you aware it’s authorized and unlawful and. He goes into depth on all of those points. Just like the non-public planes, you could possibly fly on one, you could possibly, you could possibly, if you happen to’re an elected official, you simply need to reimburse them for the price of a coach flight on, on a industrial airline, which is sort of a couple hundred {dollars}, that’s not the total value of your freight on these non-public planes.

[00:04:41] Chris: Uh, we’re getting into a really odd time for presidency, the place authorities elected leaders are attempting to cover an increasing number of what they do. A after Watergate, approach again within the seventies, it was a motion throughout America to essentially have transparency in authorities and public data. Legal guidelines have been fortified. However I, final week in [00:05:00] Arizona, the legislature voted to exempt all of its data from the data regulation.

And right here in Ohio, now we have this type of spending shopping for of our legislators that you would be able to’t observe. It’s simply. This isn’t the place we have been. We’ve gone thus far backwards. It’s virtually like you’ve got a, a authoritarian authorities. As soon as they get an workplace, they don’t serve the individuals. They serve themselves on the expense of the individuals they

[00:05:25] Laura: serve, the people who find themselves paying them, uh, cash to their marketing campaign funds to allow them to get elect.

It once more. Proper? That’s the place a whole lot of that is coming. And perhaps you look again to the Supreme Courtroom choice that allowed the darkish cash to foster since you don’t have darkish, many can help whoever they need and also you don’t know the place it comes from. And that looks as if . It’s a pun, proper? The shadiest a part of all of this and the truth that you will get items.

So something over $75 politicians in Ohio do need to disclose on an ethics type, however you don’t need to say how a lot it’s value and also you don’t need to say. Who it’s from, so you could possibly get [00:06:00] like a. Our State Home editor, Rick Ruan, instructed me, you understand, you could possibly throw out the pitch at an Indians, or sorry, guardians sport, get a jersey from them.

That will be the identical line in your ethics type as any person providing you with $10,000 value of no matter from, from a a, an organization, and also you simply, you don’t need to say, Why, why do you not need to say,

[00:06:21] Chris: yeah, it’s too unhealthy that there’s not a well-funded good authorities group that might put collectively a constitutional modification to eternally enshrine within the Structure.

The transparency legal guidelines, cuz the federal government is totally outta management now the place we, you don’t know what’s going on. And the one cause we’re studying about what Householder did is cuz the Justice Division investigated him. It’s a very good story by Andrew Tobias. It’s on cleveland.com. Test it out. You’re listening to Right this moment in Ohio.

Hey, Leila. What number of Ohioans are looking for to cancel their school mortgage debt? Underneath the Embattled forgiveness program?

[00:06:58] Leila: Reporter Sabrina Eaton [00:07:00] tells us that 1000079th. Thousand Ohioans are looking for debt cancellation below this program, and the schooling division estimates that about one and a half million are literally eligible for it.

And thus far, 702,000 of these candidates have been accepted to cancel a portion of their pupil debt Nationally, the US Division of Schooling acquired greater than 26 million mortgage discharge functions and accepted extra. 16.4 million of them, they estimated about 40 million debtors are eligible for this type of aid.

However nobody has truly had their debt forgiven due to the authorized challenges that stand in the best way. In actual fact, the schooling division was compelled to cease accepting mortgage discharge functions solely a month into this system, and mortgage servicers have been prevented from discharging those who have been already accepted.

In fact the opposition to the debt aid plan is that, you understand, Republicans say if you take out a mortgage, it’s with the understanding that you simply’re going to need to pay it again, and that forgiving this a lot pupil debt is unfair to individuals who have [00:08:00] already paid again their loans and it sends the incorrect message to future debtors.

And so they additionally say it unfairly shifts the burden of paying off the debt to the remainder of the taxpayer.

[00:08:09] Chris: It looks as if a little bit little bit of a gambit right here as a result of let’s face it, these may all be voters and so now Oh yeah, that’s, they’ve visions of their eyes of being worn out of their debt and the imply Republicans are gonna take it away.

I, I believe that is the Biden administration saying, Hey voters, look what I’m attempting to do for you. Effectively, precisely. Look what’s taking place to.

[00:08:31] Leila: I don’t suppose that’s a stretch in any respect. Over one million. Ohioans is nothing to sneeze at. And people are all individuals clearly, you understand, who’re eligible voters most, for essentially the most half, I’m positive.

So, I, I, uh, you understand, that’s, that basically is rolling the cube. .

[00:08:47] Chris: Yeah. It’s nonetheless, I nonetheless suppose this pitch generations towards one another. They’re, I’ve heard from fairly a number of seniors that simply flat out disagree with this. They, no matter loans they’ve taken out of their lives, they’ve paid off, and everyone ought to do [00:09:00] the identical.

However younger individuals who expertise school with costs, none of us may ever have imagined as a result of we’ve damaged the deal to offer affordable schooling. our, our below mountains of debt that the older generations by no means, by no means actually needed to cope with. So it’s all, it’s creating divides in all places.

In fact. It’s immediately in Ohio, an uncommon regulation has been proposed to vary how individuals driving below the affect can be prosecuted if marijuana is the reason for that affect. Lisa, that is sophisticated, so after all I give it to you to elucidate what that is. Proposal do.

[00:09:38] Lisa: Yeah, it’s Senate Invoice 26 and what it does, it permits motorists to offer proof and witnesses proving that they’ve a medical con situation that’s being legally handled by marijuana.

Uh, Nathan Manning, Senator Nathan Manning, the Republican from North Ridgeville is the invoice sponsor. He tried to push it by the final legislature, however it died after a few hearings. [00:10:00] Um, he says, and he’s a former prosecuting legal professional as nicely, so he’s handled circumstances like this. And since m. Days in your system as much as 30 days.

Some people who find themselves pulled over could not truly be excessive once they’re pulled over. Um, you’re urine in, blood testing limits on, you understand, marijuana for, you understand, D U I or o v i, as you name it in Ohio, nonetheless keep the identical. However he needs, you understand, individuals to have the ability to have their day in courtroom. And he anticipates that municipal courts, which normally deal with tickets, gained’t be flooded with.

However Ohio prosecuting Legal professional’s Affiliation Director Lewis Tobin says Not so quick. He says that this regulation would enhance workload and prices, and he’s extra anxious about public security. He feels that drivers can be getting away with. O v I and inspiring others to drive whereas below the affect of marijuana.

Senator Manning says he’s gonna work with the Ohio Division of Public Security on like, um, issues that may be [00:11:00] tolerable to them to amend this invoice and get it by the legislature. And I wanna level out that Michigan and Pennsylvania, which have marijuana, leisure, and or medical, they’ve zero tolerance legal guidelines.

They. Any quantity of th HC or its metabolites of their blood in the event that they pull you over. However they’re searching for impaired drivers and they’d give them subject sobriety exams. And if the the sector sobriety take a look at is questionable, then they’ll transfer on to get a chemical take a look at.

[00:11:30] Chris: Proper. That, that’s what’s troubling about this.

I if, if the system works prefer it’s alleged to, a police officer sees any person driving erratically not directly, pulls ‘em over, and in the event that they get a way that they don’t seem to be match to drive, they get ‘em out of the automotive they usually give ‘em these workout routines to see, are you able to do these workout routines? Are you impaired? If the officers sees them failing these train.

That’s once they take a look at them. And if the take a look at comes again optimistic for these marijuana compounds, you’d suppose that may be slam [00:12:00] dunk. However this might, I believe this might causes chaos. Cuz everyone, cuz Ovi, let’s face it, it’s a critical ticket. Your insurance coverage goes up, you’re get in all form of hassle.

Everyone’s gonna go combat this if they’ll. They simply gotta get a pleasant decide to say, yeah, I, I don’t suppose you have been impaired. I imply, how, how does.

[00:12:17] Lisa: How is that this truthful? I believe there’s a kernel of equity in right here due to the best way marijuana stays in your system. However such as you stated, they’re not gonna get pulled over until they’re driving erratically.

Now, in the event that they have been pull pulled over for an additional main, you understand, offense after which examined, you understand, I don’t know. What what

[00:12:37] Chris: I, what can be helpful about that is we all know that police haven’t at all times had the very best motives and that they aim they usually racially discriminate. And this may take away among the capacity to do this.

Um, which, which might be a optimistic. It’s simply, it looks as if it’s opening up a can of worms. That, [00:13:00] though I suppose Lisa, there are compounds of marijuana that do trigger you to get excessive. There are compounds of marijuana that could possibly be in your bloodstream for 30 days that aren’t inflicting you to be excessive. Why?

Why doesn’t the system differentiate in order that they’re solely centered on the compounds that get you excessive?

[00:13:16] Lisa: Proper. And you understand, they’re testing for th h and its metabolites as a result of it adjustments because it, you understand, strikes by your physique. So yeah, I believe they should like slim that down and give you a extra.

Centered standardized take a look at. And fairly frankly, I don’t suppose a whole lot of marijuana individuals, even when they have been below the affect, they might in all probability cross a subject sobriety take a look at fairly frankly.

[00:13:39] Chris: Okay. Fascinating regulation. Fascinating proposal. I’m positive we’ll be speaking about it additional. It’s immediately in Ohio. We thought we have been completed with the revelations about gigantic payouts for Metro Well being Execs, however now come the golden parachutes.

A reader despatched us a tip saying, you ought search for the golden parachutes. We filed a data request. Holy [00:14:00] moly, Laura, how a lot are these people getting?

[00:14:02] Laura: That is some huge cash. 50 to 100 thousand {dollars} every of. Executives for a complete of $350,000. Or within the case of Jane Platon, who’s mainly the chief of employees, she’s a vp.

Her entire 2023 wage, north of a half one million {dollars}. And it is a entire lot of cash for a publicly sponsored taxpayer paid hospital system that simply, you understand, has been embattled. I used to be it early November that this got here out about Akron Buttross, the previous, uh, c E O. Who the board says, mainly gave himself bonuses that have been unauthorized and we simply maintain trying.

And the newest one for Jane Platon, the separation settlement was signed December sixteenth by the brand new C e o Erica Steed.

[00:14:48] Chris: Effectively, there’s a pair. I imply, one, let’s level out she’s getting paid for all of 2023 and he or she’s not working proper. She’s getting a half million {dollars} plus to do nothing. I don’t suppose you may put this on the brand new c e o [00:15:00] although.

I believe this goes again to Akron Buttross and the board signing contracts with these people that stated you’ll receives a commission by 2023. Mm-hmm. . So these executives that you simply, that we began with, they receives a commission for the, that cash, even when. Lose their jobs now, whether or not they, they keep

[00:15:19] Laura: so long as they don’t go away on their very own, it appears.

Yeah. I

[00:15:22] Chris: imply they, in the event that they’re compelled out. Yeah. Proper. In the event that they’re compelled out, they get that cash. And so I believe the brand new c e o lower, she in all probability had her palms tied. Yeah. Yeah. She lower the deal, I believe, to, to cease the bleeding and look, I, I, this, that is unhappy, proper? I imply, that is simply, A tragic ending. Jane Platon has had this storied profession in northeast Ohio.

I imply, she labored with uh uh, Tim McCormick when he was county commissioner, did all kinds of issues. She reformed the elections workplace when it was a catastrophe. Mm-hmm. , she had a very good run because the prosecutor’s workplace chief of employees below Tim McGinty, and now she’s acquired this cloud over her. [00:16:00] That tarnishes your entire legacy.

I don’t suppose you may blame Jane Platin No. For chopping the deal. However what, what individuals neglect, and I it’s, that is the sense you get from the latter years of Akron Buttross. They forgot they have been a public hospital serving. Poor individuals and began considering of themselves as competing with the Cleveland Clinic and College hospitals.

They’re not that. They’re not a nonprofit hospital, they’re a public hospital. And to have these gigantic quantities of cash flying, the outrage for the story, which we printed. Friday afternoon after which Saturday as airplane vendor. And I used to be listening to from individuals in the course of the weekend. This one actually upsets individuals, so it’s gonna be attention-grabbing.

What is going to the county council, what’s going to the county govt Chris Roan do now to cease this from ever taking place once more? Proper.

[00:16:48] Lisa: Go forward. No, I used to be gonna say, however the, so the individuals you heard from Chris, have been they outraged on the executives who acquired the golden parachutes or the board who granted them? They,

[00:16:56] Chris: they’re outraged on the association that was made to [00:17:00] give these people cash and, and look what they, what everyone wonders.

Is that this why no one ever stated Akron Buttross has given himself 2 million in bonuses with out approval of the board. Uh, I imply, the board. Acro Buttross in control of the bonus program. He took that as a license to provide to, to each evaluate his efficiency. He reviewed his personal efficiency, who does that, after which give himself the cash.

And the board didn’t know that. So numerous persons are very upset about all of those shenanigans that have been occurring. But when, if I’m paying these individuals, All this more money and giving them keep clauses that reward them, are they gonna increase a flag and say, Hey, Akron Buttross collected 2 million board that you simply don’t find out about.

No approach. Cuz they’re getting nicely taken care of. And that’s what the outrage is about. .

[00:17:52] Laura: Mm-hmm. , and these persons are making, uh, base salaries. Uh, those which might be gonna 100 thousand {dollars} are base salaries for [00:18:00] $575,000, 470,000, 3 85. I imply, these persons are extremely nicely paid. And I imply, that’s why the bonuses are so excessive, proper?

We’re speaking about govt vice presidents and folks, you’re not seeing their names. They’re not up there with Akron burros on a regular basis, however they’re getting a hefty wage to work at a public

[00:18:18] Chris: hospital. , nicely, it consists of the chief monetary officer. Mm-hmm. , who can be the one which sees the {dollars}.

I believe there’s extra information approaching this immediately. I believe immediately is the deadline for the Metro Well being to answer Akram Buttress first lawsuit towards the, the hospital for firing him. So we’ll need to see what they are saying. It’s immediately in Ohio. , why is Ohio Legal professional Common Dave Yost taking credit score for Greenback Common Shops in Ohio closing down briefly Friday to vary their costs?

Leila, when the inflation is excessive like it’s, it is a sizzling button for individuals. Yeah, in the event that they’re being charged extra. Than the worth on the objects proper.

[00:18:57] Leila: In November, Yost had filed [00:19:00] lawsuits towards Greenback Common and Household Greenback, and he accused them of charging increased costs on the register than what’s marked on the cabinets.

And he alleged violations of the State Client Gross sales Safety Act requesting the courtroom order the corporate to cease the follow and pay a $25,000 advantageous for every violation. In a, in a request earlier this month for a preliminary injunction, Yos stated his workplace has acquired greater than 100 complaints towards this, towards these shops alleging misleading pricing practices since he filed the lawsuit.

So now a few of these {dollars} common areas shut down on Friday to retag their shelf costs in keeping with Yost. However the firm. Then again stated in an announcement that the shops closed to handle an in a single day techniques error that they are saying has now been resolved. The statements of the shops have since reopened, however they didn’t reply when requested what number of shops closed or whether or not the closures are associated to the lawsuit.

The greenback Common attorneys [00:20:00] say Yos allegations. Are usually not based mostly on proof and that they, they defend the shop’s pricing by saying that prospects can plainly see the costs on the money register, which ought to clear up any discrepancy points with the worth on the shelf. I laughed out loud after I learn that cuz I imply, I, I’m sure that I, I’d guess that the discrepancy is, is so marginal that it slides proper previous individuals.

[00:20:23] Laura: Additionally, do you, nicely, you’re unloading your cart and placing stuff on a conveyor belt. Can you watch all the pieces that will get wrung up? I imply, haven’t you ever checked out your receipt on the finish going, how did that find yourself including as much as that a lot? However you’re like, okay, I simply should

[00:20:35] Leila: be incorrect. Proper. And also you’re not, you’re not calculating in your head as you’re placing stuff in your cart.

You don’t actually bear in mind. And particularly if it’s like 10 cents right here, 20 cents right here, you understand what I imply? It’s, it’s simply gonna. It’s gonna cross you by. It’s humorous as a result of, and,

[00:20:47] Laura: and if you happen to’re purchasing at Greenback Common, typically, like these 10 and 20 cents are gonna actually add up. Proper.

[00:20:53] Leila: My mother-in-law insists, and it’s not both of these shops, it’s one other, it’s an enormous field retailer.

She [00:21:00] has insisted for years that they, they do that. and I type of, I’ve at all times rolled my eyes at it and I used to be like, that may by no means occur. After which when this lawsuit hit, I used to be like, nicely, I’ll be damned .

[00:21:12] Chris: Effectively, and let’s face it, greenback shops cater to individuals who can least afford this, proper? It is a place the place individuals who have been pressed for cash will go to save lots of a number of {dollars}.

And, and if that is taking place, you’re taking avenger that I put a query out on, on subtext. They, the textual content message I ship to 1700 plus individuals each. Asking them, do you monitor your money register receipts? As a result of I believe that the one approach to make sure honesty is that if individuals concentrate. They, kayak County has a unit that we wrote about every now and then.

We haven’t written about it. I believe Laura, because you have been protecting within the county, now that goes out and take a look at these items. They, they go they usually examine the scanners. It’s, it’s random and it’s not, uh, as nice a solution to, to do it. I imply, you see their stickers on each gasoline [00:22:00] pump. So, um, anyway, it’d be attention-grabbing to listen to whether or not persons are being vigilant or not, cuz that is, uh, it is a approach individuals may get scammed.

It’s immediately in Ohio. Right here’s a mindblower. What new prepare service is being severely thought of for northeast Ohio? Lisa, a brand new prepare route.

[00:22:17] Lisa: A brand new outdated, nicely, a, a brand new route for an outdated prepare, so the north or northeastern Ohio area-wide coordinating company NOAA reached an on. Uh, for a casual settlement final Thursday on what their roles and obligations is likely to be to develop the Cuyahoga Aga Valley Scenic Railroad, 10.8 miles North from its Terminus at Rockside Street into downtown Cleveland at Tower Metropolis.

However, uh, grace Gallucci with now, NOKA says, you understand, we have to rent a marketing consultant as quickly as attainable to begin a 12 to 18 month feasibility research as a result of they should have a shovel. Plan in place inside 4 years to allow them to get a bit of that [00:23:00] infrastructure invoice. Cash that was handed by Congress. So, uh, this might be a couple of 10.8 mile extension.

It might be alongside tracks which might be owned by C S X. So the infrastructure’s already there, however you’d need to work with the railroad to, uh, get the rights to that. Rail companions on this effort embody town of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Metro Parks, the nationwide. Course, the Port of Cleveland and Canalway Companions, and they’ll all share the price of this feasibility research.

We don’t know what the price of that’s simply but. Um, so the Cayo Ga Valley Scenic Railroad is a 26 mile line from Akron to Rockside Street. It carries about 170,000 passengers a yr, they usually have a 6 million finances. Now, this isn’t the primary time they’ve tried to increase the railway. Um, earlier efforts failed most lately in 2008, however they are saying the distinction now’s.

That federal infrastructure cash is there for the taking. And so, uh, they, you understand, wanna go for that.

[00:23:58] Chris: You recognize, once we talked about prepare [00:24:00] service per week in the past, Layla stated, I, I’d wish to see if there’s truly demand for this earlier than you begin, is, is it proper to construct it and determine they’ll come? This appears like an exquisite concept, proper?

Let’s give Cleveland Reson. Easy accessibility to that jewel. That’s the nationwide park that at all times is ranked extremely in each survey, however will they use it? And if you happen to spend all this cash for a prepare that no one makes use of, you’ve got a brand new lakefront line like we had on R T A. .

[00:24:30] Lisa: Effectively, and we went by this with Houston, which is completely anti passenger rail, they usually lastly acquired like a little bit 5 mile part that’s used to demise fairly frankly.

However this dovetails with the nationwide parks. They’ve a public entry plan that they’re, you understand, now finishing to get extra individuals to come back to the park and make it simpler for individuals to get to the park. And it additionally dovetails with the completion of the northernmost part of the Towpath path. In order that they suppose this may all type of tie collectively in like this intermodal.

System [00:25:00] that may give extra individuals entry to the park. Can I

[00:25:02] Laura: ask if any of you’ve got ridden this prepare? Yeah, I’ve. Okay. Anybody else? No, I’ve not but. I’ve. Okay. Okay. So I did it for the Polar Categorical rights and I’ve accomplished the bike. The bike one, the place such as you, you understand, you bike a method and the prepare.

That’s precisely what I used it.

[00:25:17] Leila: Each of these issues. Width

[00:25:19] Laura: prepare. Ever. I’m like, oh my gosh, please let me off this prepare. And that’s my ideas on .

[00:25:26] Chris: See, we did it for the wine, the wine trip. So that you didn’t thoughts going sluggish ?

[00:25:30] Laura: I’m like, I may undoubtedly bike quicker. I imply, I couldn’t truly bike quicker than this prepare.

However you are feeling like you could possibly. Good. So it’s, it’s not gonna, it’s not a bullet prepare. It’s not, it’s a very good

[00:25:38] Leila: level that if you’re care, when you’ve got a beverage, particularly a steaming sizzling cup of cocoa throughout Polar Categorical and also you hand it to a toddler, it’s a very good to have a sluggish prepare . Yeah. Effectively

[00:25:47] Laura: that’s true.

Additionally, when you’re ingesting beer or wine, I, I really feel like there must be drinks served with the prepare.

[00:25:53] Lisa: Effectively, and it’s not Amtrak, I imply, the locomotives date again to the 40s and fifties and the passenger vehicles, you understand, are, are [00:26:00] classic as. So I’d suppose they must replace their rolling inventory presumably and perhaps enhance their velocity limits.

However that’s all but to be decided.

[00:26:07] Laura: It’s, it’s a part of the expertise, proper?

[00:26:09] Chris: Mm-hmm. , you’re listening to immediately in Ohio. I’m gonna skip forward. Marty Sweeney is an elected member of Cuyahoga County Council, so why can’t he introduce. Laws, like elected officers in every single place else in northeast Ohio. Leila, it is a head scratcher

[00:26:25] Leila: story.

Yeah, it’s a’s a percolating controversy amongst county council. Sweeney says, council President Pernell Jones Jr. Barred him from introducing two items of laws final week, which. Very nicely could possibly be an improper infringement of Sweeney’s powers as a council member. And the the backstory is that this, Sweeney had drafted these two resolutions.

One seeks to spice up pay for a handful of county staff. It might modify the county’s non bargaining pay scales by pushing again the utmost wage every pay grade can earn to permit each categorised worker who was eligible for a mean 6.4% market wage adjustment to obtain at [00:27:00] least that quantity. The opposite decision seeks to make clear the place the sheriff falls within the chain of command Sweeney.

Amend the county code to state that the sheriff stories on to the chief as a result of that time has been actually ambiguous below the constitution’s present language, which has left it open to interpretation. However when Sweeney despatched these resolutions to the clerk to be added to the agenda final week, Parnell Jones wouldn’t allow them to be launched.

He stated that Sweeney hadn’t adopted the standard protocol of giving his colleagues a correct heads up and making an attempt to get. Half of them to purchase into his proposals, and this clearly wrinkled Sweeney, and he introduced it up in the course of the miscellaneous portion of the council assembly final week. He even handed out copies of the laws that he needed to introduce, and he stated he didn’t perceive why it was pulled from the agenda Jones and at the least one different council member, Sonny Simon, gave Sweeney.

A little bit of a scolding in the course of the assembly and stated, we all know you’re new right here and also you’re simply studying, however that is the best way we do issues. . They stated that the [00:28:00] correct protocol is to give you an idea, ask council employees to draft the laws, then share that laws with the committee chairperson who’s prone to hear it, after which dis.

It with Parnell Jones for approval after which submit it to the clerk for the agenda. However the issue is the constitution doesn’t give Jones the ability to withhold laws or determine what does or doesn’t make it to the agenda. It merely says, council members submit laws of the clerk to simply accept it and report it and compile it for the agenda.

So, you understand, Jones defended his actions and stated, Doesn’t cease laws from being launched. He solely insists that council members converse to the committee chair as a courtesy earlier than they do this. And he stated he does plan on placing Sweeney’s items on a future agenda, and he additionally insists that Sweeney agreed to that plan.

Sweeney denies it. In order that they’re in a little bit little bit of a standoff on this. Oh,

[00:28:49] Chris: look, the, the concept Marty Sweeney is new right here. He was metropolis council president for a humorous decade, and, and it’s clear Marty Sweeney and Pernell Jones have gone at one another. [00:29:00] Pernell Jones screwed up right here. He gave Marty the higher hand.

Yeah. I imply his phrase councilman, to signify his phrase, he will get to submit laws. It’s additionally populist laws. Yeah. Proper. And all, all Johns needed to do was let him introduce, After which by no means transfer it. We see this on a regular basis within the legislature. Don’t put it up for committee hearings. Simply let it sit and, after which Sweeney can’t do something, however by depriving him of the essential proper of an elected official to introduce laws, you created this and now, Jones

[00:29:30] Leila: form of acknowledged in the course of the assembly the, the populist nature of this laws.

He was like, nicely, you understand, your proposal is, is looking for to provide a raises to some rely, you understand, some county staff and, and that’s gonna make you actually standard because the, because the proposer of this. And it, it made it look as if, I imply, it simply, it simply appears so transparently unhealthy. Like, you understand, that council doesn’t wish to be ready of voting down one thing that’s so standard and so he’s attempting to forestall them from struggling that.[00:30:00]

That consequence

[00:30:01] Chris: you, you gotta give Sweeney factors course for technique. He performed this, he performed this hand simply completely to have the higher hand. Proper? And, and Jones acquired performed. It’s a, it’s a captivating case. His

[00:30:14] Leila: stroll off quote cracked me up the place he was identical to, Hey, I simply, I simply needed to introduce laws.

[00:30:21] Chris: We’ve all identified him for a few years. We all know what he’s as much as, however there was a straightforward approach out and Jones didn’t take it. Good story. It’s on cleveland.com. You’re listening to immediately in Ohio, and that’s it for Monday. We acquired a whole lot of information left over from the weekend. We’ll attempt to discuss it tomorrow relying on how immediately goes.

Thanks, Lisa. Thanks Leila. Thanks Laura. Thanks for listening to this podcast.