The County has a new website design. It's very nice, easy to use, pleasant to look at, and created not in Lucas County but elsewhere. That can't be right can it? Why it seems like only 3 years ago Ben Konop was telling us "Communities across the country are realizing that small business is big business. They're preserving their distinctive identity and promoting strong local living economies. How? By working to keep money in their community. It matters. And we can do it too." Why young Ben even cited Tina Skeldon Wozniak as a supporter of buy local and talked about studies elsewhere and how important small businesses are "Small businesses are also responsible for the largest share of net new jobs each year. " "University of Toledo economist Gbenga Ajilore estimated that as much as $8 million in revenue could be added to the local economy if each household redirected just $100 of their spending to a locally owned store."
So I found it curious when I saw that the new County website was designed by a firm from Manhattan Kansas. I may have misunderstood the whole buy local concept. Is it just for stores and restaurants? Don't the local web designers trying to make it have the same needs for support as the other businesses cited by Konop? Did young Ben vote no when the vote for expenditure of dollars came up for this? I don't recall one of his famous press conferences. How much revenue is now lost to the local economy because of this money going outside the community?
I'm sure the commissioners will have good reasons.....the company already does this kind of work, they have experience, etc. etc. All the same reasons we can shop elsewhere but are told that if we do we hurt the local boys. What a bunch of freakin' hippocrites.
Lucas County Buy Local Campaign
By fred - Posted on February 8th, 2009
I blogged about this earlier, after seeing your post here, I updated mine, but the part that might interest you:
I did a quick search of the Lucas County Commissioner’s Meeting Reports - This item was voted on by the Lucas County Commissioners back on July 8, 2008 and for Fred who wondered who voted how? Tina Skeldon Wozniak and Ben Konop voted yes, Pete Gerken was absent…
CivicPlus was the lower bid, of the two, Communica, Inc., who was local wanted $173,751 compared to $108,200…over $65,000 more.
We don't remember days only moments...
the thing is Ben tells all of us to buy local and possibly pay the higher cost, drive further to bypass big box stores, to help the local businesses. If he truly believed that he would have taken the higher price for the local company. Because he did not, he admits there are other factors that go into a decision making process on where to buy. Therefore he ruins he whole argument on buying locally and putting the guilt trip on all of us to do the same. I buy the best quality at the lowest price, regardless of the store and regardless of the location. It appears the commissioners may want to do the same. If this is the case, they should not show up at press conferences telling everyone else to buy local, else risk being hypocrites.
The commissioners will be happy to know that you want them to throw the bid process out of the window and to spend more if it means going local.
I think other people might have a problem with that though, in this case spending almost $65,000 more seems a bit much of an above and beyond to support local.
That said however, it's too bad that the City and the County did not take the opportunity to have their websites jointly redone/managed. It might have created a scenario where more could have been saved.
We don't remember days only moments...
I said this at all. Ben needs to answer why he tells people to buy local even if it is a higher price, then he does not buy local. Of course he may say there are laws or something, but that is not stopping him from proposing his silly living wage law and his even more silly anti-sweatshop legislation. It seems like he loves to tell people what to do, but when it comes to action he shows he does not live up to his own advice. Maybe he should not be giving it in the first place, then he won't risk being called a hypocrite. If he said he will follow laws and go with the lowest bidder with the cheapest cost, then no one would be making it an issue. Since for his pet projects he has demonstrated his desire to try to bend laws to get it done, then maybe he should have paid double to help the local economy else he will have people calling him a hypocrite. He loses either way, which is why maybe he should focus on following the laws and being fiscally responsible, then he wins either way. If he pushes for the thing that feels good, well the law is contrary to what feels good, then he needs to deal with those who say you are a hypocrite.
Let's just face it, Ben Konop, as a politician, is a boob. Plain and simple. The other thing to face is that he will be the mayor of Toledo. If not 2010, then 2014. I truly have no faith in the citizens to not elect him without some major outside influence.
I would like to see a campaign push to elect people that have never held elected office before AND don't have relatives that have EVER held office. We need a clean break from the incestuous politics that have been in the City & County for the last 60 or 70 years.
Thanks for the update Lisa, I won $5 from my wife betting that you would be the first to post. whoo hooo
Here's to the crazy ones, the rebels, the troublemakers, the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
I checked here before I blogged about the new website, to see if anyone else had noticed it, then when I later saw your post? I'm always glad to help when it comes to trying to find answers and/or providing content for you to blog or talk about.
:-)
We don't remember days only moments...
Yeh okay Lisa.
Here's to the crazy ones, the rebels, the troublemakers, the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
...with these types of sound-good, feel-good campaigns (like 'buy local') is that the Commissioners have no ability, under Ohio law, to favor a local firm over another one.
So they end up looking ridiculous when they advocate a policy they have no ability to implement themselves.
But if you're judged by your intentions, rather than your outcomes, I guess it doesn't really matter...
And Communica did the redesign of the City of Toledo's website. That craptastic site should disqualify them from any RFPs for web design.
There's a city full of walls you can post complaints at
With an office downtown, on N. Erie Street.
They have three offices, one is in Toledo.
We don't remember days only moments...
Their homebase is Toledo.
The Communica website is down for redesign, which is pretty funny considering the subject we're discussing.
There's a city full of walls you can post complaints at