Your Vision

Jeffrey Brown said:

My vision is for a Northeast Ohio where all children can learn and succeed to their maximum potential!

Posted: 03-06-2012 at 09:45 AM

Molly Brudnick said:

I see Cleveland Heights consolidated with South Euclid and East Cleveland and University Heights. Shaker Hts. consolidated with Beachwood, Pepper Pike and Orange. This would eliminate much duplication in political offices and services. People need to get away from their fiefdoms and regionalize--work together for the common good or we will all go down the tubes.

Posted: 10-26-2011 at 11:15 AM

chuck weller said:

UNIQUE VALUE: CLEVELAND + Thesis: In 1890, only a few auto companies had been formed; most people could see only horses and buggies. But by 1900, Greater Cleveland was the automobile capital of the world. Mike Porter's New Theory of Prosperity for the Global Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Economy, and Peter Drucker's K-99 education for this New Economy, are the "horseless carriages" of our times for Greater Cleveland and beyond -- for those who can see and act on them. JOBS AND REDUCING THE DEFICIT WITH TWO TOOLS EVERYONE CAN USE Michael Porter, Harvard Business School • “The US is second to none in terms of innovation and commercialization.”  “It is not abundant, low-paying labor that attracts innovative companies, but highly talented, specialized, and often expensive labor.”  “Local things are increasingly important and decisive in today’s global economy.” CUSTOMERS ($$$) #1. EMPLOYERS (JOBS) #2. JOB Five Forces & Value ENVIRONMENT Sources: Adapted from Michael Porter publications and website, http://www.isc.hbs.edu and Michael Porter, Peter Staudhammer & Charles Weller, Unique Value (2004). © Charles Weller, 314 MAGNET Innovation Center, Cleveland, 216/496-0836, weller1@nxgh.net.

Posted: 05-31-2011 at 06:01 PM

Bill O'Neill said:

Northeast Ohio will maximize its number of well-paying, sustainable jobs by: (a) developing a skilled workforce which is willing to continuously learn new skills; (b) attracting and retaining experienced and talented entrepreuners and managers who can start and grow businesses; and (c) publicizing these regional assets to attract capital. By so doing, Northeast Ohio will become, and remain, the most vibrant economic region in the nation.

Posted: 12-13-2010 at 11:08 AM

bryan baker said:

the fact is when gassoline prices reached there highest point is when the economy of this country shut down. people could not afford to buy and put gas in there cars to get to work. now the prices are being forced up again to finish off what is left. i have an answer for this problem and have tried to get gov. grants two build a prototype of a car that would not use gas. the truth is the gov. is not interested in getting this problem fixed. if you are contact me with answers.419-651-4686 bbaker781@hotmail.com

Posted: 12-08-2010 at 06:14 AM

Carla Rautenberg said:

In Cleveland, we are blessed with abundant fresh water. Everything we do should be in someway linked to the Lake. If people can't afford the high cost of upgrading our regional sewer system (and it will be a stretch for lots of people like me), then we still must find a way to pay for it together. Every school in NE Ohio should be building curricula around the Lake. Every economic development plan must consider our most important natural resource: the Lake. We need to protect it, enjoy it, and make sure that all of our region's residents equitably share in the benefits of access to our inland sea. So my vision is that Lake Erie be the vital organizing principle as the region moves forward.

Posted: 12-07-2010 at 03:27 PM

Mark Gilson said:

There are two Clevelands, two Akrons, two Northeastern Ohios. There is the proud bustling workhorse of the past and present, turning out engines and steel, pistons and paint, tires and complex chemistries for a hungry nation. There is also the quiet Cleveland, the soil and rivers and forests of our youth, the farms, nurseries and parks that stretch from Summit and Portage to the Lake, a vast watershed of memories, legacies and possibilities. Our vision, our challenge, is to bring together these mighty opposites in a dynamic, responsible and sustainable partnership yielding a region where we can live and play in a vibrant emerald ecosystem, profit from our conscientious industry and ethic, and grow old with the knowledge that we work and yearn within a vital nexus of grand ideas and restless energies.

Posted: 11-24-2010 at 01:24 PM

Bob Joyce said:

My vision is that the people of Northeast Ohio come to appreciate how this is one of the best places in the nation to live and work. We will all become ambassadors who speak positively about the region and its many incomparable assets. We will overcome the misperceptions common among people who have always lived here and take well deserved pride in our community. When we believe, Northeast Ohio will grow and prosper.

Posted: 11-23-2010 at 12:59 PM

John Niedzialek said:

The following is the Vision Statement as adopted by the Western Reserve Resource Conservation & Development Council: A sustainable, regional community with wild and open spaces, creeks, and lakes, clean water and air, in balance with a mixed economy that includes agriculture, forestry, commerce, industry and tourism.

Posted: 11-16-2010 at 02:43 PM

Michael Bloom said:

I envision Creative Cleveland--and Creative NEO. A place that can attract young people to the region because they know it is a hip, cool, and creative place to live. Gen X and Y move to regions first and then decide what they want to do. Continuing to promote NEO as a manufacturing center--with medical devices replacing steel and autos--will not by itself revitalize the region. Right now I see a region divided between an outmoded product-oriented vision and a creative, collaborative, community-based vision that includes ALL creative solutions to community issues. This can certainly include manufacturing. But promoting the region as CREATIVE is a vision that touts our culture, agriculture, and high-tech together. How many young people in this region say they want to stay in Cleveland after college? Where do they want to go? Usually to Chicago. Time to realize that telling them Cleveland is a manufacturing center will not make them stay. We have the most culturally vital city of its size in the country, but it is rarely promoted that way. If we are to succeed as a region, that must be recognized and touted.

Posted: 11-16-2010 at 11:30 AM

Ebie Holst said:

I envision a NEO that wakes up every morning believing it can change the world. I envision us together focusing on the ecosystems here that help businesses to thrive -- and every door is the right door to enable it. Pursuing with urgency and inspiration the growth markets globally for which we have unique assets to apply and leverage...clean water, energy, product design, chemistry-based new technologies. Focusing our workforce development efforts to not only "employed" but employable and globally marketable, and promoting these potentials incessantly. I envision a NEO where we leverage one another's assets and enhance our geographies from the perspective and ease of navigation of those who would visit us, do business with us, invest in us, partner with us, live among us. That the priorities of our many leaders begin with enabling any and every one of us to change the world from here -- investing in infrastructures, vehicles and platforms that provide accessibility for tall, short, green, purple, old, young to apply whatever gifts they have to our region's greatness -- artists to murals along the Euclid Corridor (we are an arts and culture center, leverage it and amplify it, engage to do it); a new coat of paint on pockets of our cities (we are a center for paints and coatings, showcase our partnership, leverage willing hands to get it done); we intend on being a center for energy, mount energy-efficient bulbs along our cities' skylines and showcase out commitment with a visual that brings awe and inspiration and global buzz for all who live here; we will separate our plastic from our glass -- ask us; then use it to make money, enable businesses to be created to turn our trash into revenue...whatever it might be, there are things we can do in our daily lives, things we can do, any one of us, with our unique gifts to build greatness -- enable it. Practice until it is habit to say "yes let's give that a shot," "yes let's do that -- it will inspire and showcase what we are becoming," "let's do that, yes, because it will deepen our story, leverage our passions, enable The Possible, and it will attract companies because they want to be a part of it, jobs because of our talents, talent because Anything Is Possible Here." When we dare we will attract those who will dare with us, and keep those who recognize we are an ecosystem of Thrive. I think this is entirely do-able.

Posted: 11-16-2010 at 09:44 AM

Bill Messner said:

A successful region: *Builds on its strengths. It does not dwell on its weaknesses. It is almost always more efficient to expend resources investing in strengths than shoring up weaknesses. *Makes compromises. "My way or the highway" leads everyone down the wrong road. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. *Listens to others. As much as we hate to believe it, our own perspective is sometimes lacking. The objective evidence shows that people of diverse political, religious, and other kinds of belief systems have surprisingly similar distributions of intelligence. Nearly every deeply-held opinion has a foundation. When we let down our guard and listen to differing perspectives, we are able to see the way forward more clearly. *Has government other organizations that "grease the gears" of society. Top-down organizations cannot solve all our problems. But they are vital for helping individual businesses, communities, and people solve their own problems efficiently. For example, organizations can help us bridge the gap between workers without job and businesses who cannot find qualified workers. Another example: individuals tend to make notoriously poor financial decisions. These decisions have a major impact on individual and community life. Organizations can help people help themselves by teaching elementary financial literacy.

Posted: 11-09-2010 at 07:45 PM

Michael Cohill said:

Akron's public school system was the 1st public school system in the USA. They formed in 1847 by merging 5 village school districts into one. This was so efficient it allowed them to operate 6 schoolhouses, year-round, staffed with professionally trained teachers (previously schools were only held in the winter months when the canals and farm fields were frozen and they could hire canal workers as teachers - most were illiterate, but were the only ones willing to work for such low wages.) I would like to see a cost/ saving analysis from merging all 24 school districts in Summit County into one. Operating 24 school districts in one county is soooo 160 years too old. Savings in superintendent's remuneration alone, should be greater than $3.5 million. Add to that the saving from the deputy supers, all their secretaries, office equipment, etc. that one change could save $10 million. Could save at least $10K on bulk purchase of toilet paper. 1.) save local property taxes 2.) increase dollars available to young scholars in the classroom 3.) increase the amounts and quality of classroom apparatus. 4.) increase teacher's pay = increased quality of teachers. Within one generation, with the resulting higher literacy rates our economy will be much better. In two generations we could have among the strongest economies in the USA. It happened before, it can happen again.

Posted: 11-09-2010 at 02:43 PM

carmine torio said:

A region where most people who want a job can be gainfully employed. A local government that serves the citizens and helps create jobs and does not develop power to enrich themselves and their supporters. A region where good sense prevails. A region where the young want to stay and come and the old want to be here also. A region that has pride in itself and stops always putting itself down. A region that sees itself as a winner and not always the proverbial door mat. A region that builds on its many strengths. A region where one can live in relative comfort and feel good about his or her's years in this place. That's my vision.

Posted: 11-09-2010 at 01:42 PM

John Butchko said:

I believe agriculture will be big in our regional re-development. I think products like raspeberries and rhubarb could be the key. I beelieve rhubarb is the next cranberry we just need someone to be the ocean spray of rhubarb

Posted: 11-09-2010 at 11:52 AM

Arnold Johnson said:

One solar room per house program. A solar computer power station or lights and entertainment system setup in every home gets the practice of the idea of using solar on the home level. Keep the big appliances on the grid. Vertical wind turbines in yards where wind is good. The idea of home owner power. No need for a whole roof of solar panels. Share with neighbors rather than sell extra power to utilities, this prevents utilities from sharecropping or "pimping" home owners to make up for poor grid management. Make a new organic drywall, gypsum requires too much power to make. Make it in Lorain in the unused Gypsum plant. Make an all electric city car, can be short range. Do not sell them, lease them, rent them. Home gray water and rain water systems on every home, stop flushing with drinkable water. Four day work week until further notice. Banks should forgive loans or portions of loans for homes, especially for low and middleclass income folks. They contracted mortgages in good faith, cannot contract with employers to keep jobs. If the economics of greedy investors destroyed jobs, how can you hold home owners hostage? We got doctors of good will, military protection, where are the financial patriots protecting our financial freedoms, liberties and the right to make a living and have a dollar that works well at home. Open markets should be within the framework of trade abroad and not the other way around. Other countries should not wage economic warfare on us. Some are doing just that. A Kindle like ebook device for every student to replace paper textboks. If the latest and most up to date computers and softwares are cost prohibitive and legally constraining, get and use Linux and Open Source Software on used computers. You can always upgrade or change, but do something now. Linux and Open Source Software are free in cost and usage restrictions.

Posted: 11-09-2010 at 11:44 AM

Pat Ballasch said:

Part of efficiency starts with competent , honest forward thinking government. This seems to be an area that's been the elephant in the living room that's seldom acknowledged. It's taken the F.B.I. in Cuyahoga County to do any serious clean up. Effective oversight should always be in place since crime & inefficiency are like weeding. It's an ongoing process. Crime & inefficiency are another unvoted tax on citizens. Several groups would like us to naively believe creating a metropolitan government will create efficiency through consolidation. That doesn't address how we can insure people running the process are honest, bright, visionary and truly working for the best interest of the people.( Not the special interests that support their campaigns.) Citizens often have little to say about who's running for critical offices. We often get what a party has backed. Let's work on creating a more honest open system to vet our leaders. They probably need to sign a contract calling for their removal when they break key terms of their contract. Let's develop a model for high quality government & keep fine tuning it till it really works.

Posted: 11-09-2010 at 10:36 AM