Politics just can’t get any stranger than at the local level. It’s all over a local City Council Race and it has so many overtones one wonders where to begin.
First off, it’s a non-partisan race for City Council President. But there are two Republicans in the race. In many ways the general election is much like a primary for the Republicans in the city. However, if that is all there was to it wouldn’t be much of a story. One might have suspected as much when they noted the Kelly Kirk - Treasure notation at the bottom of John Nixon’s campaign material through the city. Kelly Kirk was former Congressman Oxely’ rep in the Allen County region. She is also the one who tried to unseat current Republican Chairman, a race she lost badly by all reports.
Now the newspaper has tried to make some hay over the fact that the chairman’s brother is campaign manager for Ray Magnus who is showing a strong run for the City Council President seat.
The race for City Council president is on, and while it’s a nonpartisan race, both candidates are Republicans. That’s forcing some members of the party to take sides, causing divisions within the party and raising questions about the appearance of party Chairman Keith Cheney’s neutrality in the race.
Cheney likens the race to a Republican primary, in which party members volunteer on respective campaigns and come back together aligned for the winner.
“There’s no parting of the water here,†Cheney said. “I think this makes our party stronger. You see new volunteers on campaigns and they become more active in the party.â€
Some have said privately and others publicly, that this race is different. Some of the same people who supported Kelly Kirk in a bid to unseat Cheney are now supporting Nixon, including Kirk, who is Nixon’s treasurer. Kirk could not be reached for comment.
Some have also said privately they believe the party is suffering complex fractures now, including over its future direction.
One wonders who is feeding the press to incite some to believe the Chairman is supporting one candidate over another in a non-partisan race. Either way the Chairman gets a Republican in office and certainly the previous race against Kirk was won soundly so that eliminates the “axe to grind” theory.
However, former chairman Bob Holmes has said that Magnus has given this impression.
If people have a perception that Cheney is supporting Magnus, it’s because Magnus gives it, Holmes said.
“Ray keeps telling people Keith Cheney is supporting him,†Holmes said.
Magnus denied that Friday.
Having checked with the Magnus camp and with an ear to the ground there has only been that accusation from those apparently in the Nixon camp trying to stir up Republicans against Magnus.
Even more interesting has been that the Board of Elections Director seems to be in the same camp as John Nixon. The former Democrat turned Republican might not say much by iteself except for two more pieces of information one can find in the news.
While Magnus is receiving support from Democrats and county Sheriff Dan Beck, an independent and long a political rival of Republicans, Magnus has criticized Nixon for taking support from Mayor David Berger, a Democrat serving in a nonpartisan position.
Berger donated to Nixon’s campaign and is soliciting donations for him.
This close coalitiona with close members of Kirk’s group with Lima’s Mayor along with John Nixon’s continued support of the Mayor’s bid for an Indian Casino appears to make this an interesting combination. While Lima is in desperate need of new leadership and direction it appears one group of “moderate” republicans is supportive of the Democratic Mayor’s status quo. While it appears more conservative republicans are supporting a man know widely for his generosity and involvement within the community at the street level makes this the most interesting Council race in years.
3 Responses
Lima needs a change. “Get rid of all the City Council Members.” The government is supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people. But, not in Lima. The citizens of Lima should be able to vote for important issues like the Casino, (which I am for) and renovating the Public Square, that used to have parking for over 100 cars. Now it is all concrete with so called Gazebos, (often filled with pot smokers right in front of the City Hall Building.) The council worries over burned out street lights on certain streets. Doesn’t the city have a department that is supposed to see these things without a city council bringing it up? There is a flagpole directly in front of the city hall, yet there is one standing directly in the center of the square, which has caused numerous accidents, trying to go around it. WHY are two flagpoles a few feet apart needed? I remember the square, being the heart of the city. That flagpole is like a spear through its heart. I tried to get the initiative to restore the square on the ballet two years ago. Derry Glenn was supposed to take care of that but was unreachable via phone. Yet he has time to give out certificates to school children. Also, Lima doesn’t need more than two (full time) city council persons. Why does a small town (it’s not considered a city anymore), need to be broken up into so many sections?
Let’s make downtown Lima a place to go to! We cannot take visitors downtown,” there is nothing to see.” There is room for a motion picture theater. Why not use the old blueprints from the State theater (Opera House) and build a luxurious theater there. That would be a beginning. But, we need the square restored for adequate parking. Yes, new faces and new names are badly needed, not just the egotistical people who don’t earn much but like to have the title of councilman.
While I am on my soapbox, I’ll add- get rid of the one way streets. They were created when the Main Highway went through town and before there were malls. Downtown was congested. Nowadays you can shoot off a cannon and not hit anyone. If you miss a corner, you have to go around four or five streets to get back where you want to go. DOESN’T THIS USE TOO MUCH GASOLINE? Think about it!
Posted on September 6th, 2007 at 12:12 am
I approached the Chamber of Commerce about two years ago, and suggested they contact Mark Cuban, the billionaire who owns a Texas basketball team, to build a theater in the square. Mark is owner of the Landmark Theater chain. I contacted Landmark. Nobody had contacted them in a two year period regarding a theater in Lima. Lima now has numerous senior citizen housing units in the downtown area. Most of the older hotels have been converted. Most of these people do not own cars. They have no way to get to the mall theaters. They would love to have a theater in the downtown area. There used to be many, the State, Quilna, Sigma, Ohio, Lyric (later the Ranger), and the Allen, that I recall. Why can’t we just have ONE now?
Posted on September 6th, 2007 at 12:23 am
I just recalled the name of the person at the Lima Chamber of Commerce. It was “Barrington” who I had talked to. I connected his name with the street connected with O.J. Simpson-smile!
Posted on September 6th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
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