by Linda Moore

Blow me over with a feather! Sakes Alive! I'm Stunned! I'm Shocked! I Can't Believe it! Susan Shelton, owner of the Bradley News Weekly, (now calling itself the Bradley Weekly), has submitted a request to finish the term of Johnny Thompson who resigned earlier in February from the Cleveland Board of Education.

How can this not be a serious conflict of interest? She owns a local newspaper. How could we possibly trust that paper not to be biased in the news that it reported of Susan? Why would city council members vote her in to finish the term? Not only do we have a serious conflict of interest going on here but the press for the city council from the BNW/BW has been very negative at times. And why would the city council who is at constant odds with the BOE even consider Susan as a replacement? It would be a severe case of loving conflict and getting nothing accomplished if the city council voted Susan in. With all due respect, Susan should realize that submitting herself for such a position is beyond a conflict of interest. I deem her action as unwise and rather vain. Let us all hope that the city council exercises better common sense.

Speaking of the city BOE, there was a Comedy Catch rumor floating around pertaining to their expenditures. Not being able to withstand the idea of my tax dollars going to pay for a Comedy Catch fiasco in Chattanooga, I made it my mission to get to the truth. Here is the truth.
Yes there is a several hundred dollar Comedy Catch paid bill on the books. The reason why was a Christmas celebration. It seems that the bulk of the after school care is done by local college kids. They are paid minimum wage and have no benefits. It was deemed that it would be a nice gesture to send these kids to the Comedy Catch as a Christmas gift. I am told that no tax payer money was involved. Rather funds from the collections of the after school care.

I suppose, since it was not actual tax dollars, I might can live with it; but surely just a bit of cash might have been a better Christmas gift since they only garner minimum wage?

I'll be guard-dogging the city BOE closely as they prepare to once again trudge across the country to Chicago for the NSBA, almost a week long, excursion, I mean seminar. Why do they all have to go and take their spouses? And why did they put their spouses on our city credit card last year? Don't tell me convenience. Just don't do it. It doesn't look good and it's not what the city credit card is for. In fact, let's save tax payers several thousand dollars by only two members going. I suggest Bill Brown as the Chairman and Murl Dirksen as a newer member.

I would like to Thank, Bill Brown for being the only BOE member that was willing to talk to me on the phone and explain the entire Comedy Catch situation. He is the only one who was noble and fair enough to explain the situation. I emailed, Dr. Denning, Dawn Robinson, Evelyn Rockholt and Murl Dirksen. Hats off to Bill Brown this go around.

I would like to invite everyone that is reading this to go to http://www.hometowncleveland.com as the website has a breakdown of every one running for every office and what that office does. It's very possible to learn something about all the candidates at this site. There are also some candidates that are running for public office that will answer your questions at this site. Make an informed decision when you vote this year.

.