Pocket Park

Thursdays, there is a general open meeting outdoors at the "Pocket Park", which is across the street from the AP theater near the outdoor clock ( I think it is White street & Allen). Starts at about 7pm, ends whenever you decide to go home (I was there til 11pm last week). Candidates are usually there. Unfortunately, today, June 23, candidate for Mayor, Bill Matakas is having his own forum in Southgate also at 7pm - we can't be at both places at the same time, but I wish I could ask Matakas some tough questions and videotape his answers. Maybe Matakas will show up at the pocket park one up-coming Thursday.

I thought they built that park exclusively for Pat Sinnott, you know "Red Face"

I was confused with all this talk of "Pocket Park". Like Mr. Lahey had mentioned, I had been under the impression that area was set aside for Pat Sinnott to relax and take a load off. Haven't seen that guy around AP in a while.

Who was Pat Sinnott? I remember a homeless guy or two who used to sleep on those outdoor benches, but I never knew his name.

Pat Sinnot is a man with much myth and legend surrounding him. He was unaffectionately called the "red faced bum." He could be spotted in downtown AP or at the ice rink. The funny thing was, he wasn't actually homeless. He lived with a family member in AP, but he kinda just bummed around town all day. Rumor has it that he once was a rather intelligent and successful fellow who had some major philosophical change and decided he just didn't care anymore so he turned into "the red faced bum." My guess is that he probably had some mental issues. Last I heard he was living in Alaska, but with stories regarding Pat, you never know. His niece is/was (?) an English teacher at APHS.

ok, moving on from the history of pocket park...

The meeting tonight was a good one. We had some informative residents to say the least. Who brought the PA system? That was a interesting solution. Someone jokingly suggested recording the meetings. Well, it would be a great archive of citizen voices, but I cant think of an orderly way to do it.... any thoughts?

I couldn't stay the whole meeting, but enjoyed the discussion of "will the millage fix everything?" and it appears the answer is NO. In fact, maybe I will start a new thread so we can all comment, gripe, and question the whole proposed "solution"...

the PA system was brought by Tony Napolitano, I believe. So, instead of a "soap box", we have microphones.

Glad to hear about the mic. I attended my first one 2 weeks ago and couldn't even hear 25% of what was said. The road noise is another issue.

The Thursday nite meetings are pretty much the "Harry and Denise Show", since they do most of the blabbing, with a gaggle of other irritated citizens chipping in their 2 cents worth. Mostly, the candidates who were not part of the Lifton fiasco are there, trying desparately to garner a few votes, while at the same time trying to save a few bucks by not getting any "vote for me" signs printed up.

The latest pocket park meeting was a little more meat-filled than others because the election is right around the corner and several candidates had something to say. But I found most interesting Jack Cevich saying that he had seen Eric Waidlich and Tony Guerrero, former city attorney, at the meet and greet for Babbage. Also, someone said Andy Hill is a part of the Babbage campaign. Ugh. And Kim Kleinow had some inside info on the Lifton studio fiasco. Harry Sisko finally read the info that he got thru the Freedom Of Information Act about the settlement between the city and Lifton; he was prohibited from talking about this at the last council meeting because of a "confidentiality clause". Note to <surrealism>: finally got onto the News Herald site, but after several minutes of trying, could not log in. screw it.

Has anyone thought about finding an inside venue for these meetings? Is it possible to get a room lined up at the Community Center? Cold weather is approaching, and I think it's important to have these meetings at least through this year because of our new mayor and council.

The pocket park meetings have been held indoors at the coffee shop near the AP theater on at least two occasions, but if a large crowd (as was the case last Thursday) shows up, it would be hard to squeeze them into that small coffee shop. It is also hard to hear what is being said by the main talkers inside the coffee shop. The new city administrator has been showing up at the last 2 Thursday meetings and has been answering questions, and so has mayoral candidate Bill Matakas. Very good. But the meetings probably should be held inside the ice arena when the temp gets down to the 40 degree range, but that has not been decided yet by anyone.

We don't have to wait until it gets down to the 40s. I left early last Thursday because of the cold. And I thought I had dressed well for it. Indoors might also get more people to come, and that's a benefit.

Also, I consider the microphone as necessary for the outdoor park. I was at the first couple of meetings and couldn't hear anything. So it's valuable outside, especially with the traffic. But I would rather not have it at all. I think it stifles conversation somewhat.

Harry Sisko mentioned something about a possible indoor site for the Thursday nite stuff, while at the last one held inside at the coffee shop - where no one could hear anything because it was so noisy, even tho there were less than 30 people inside. I have had several face to face conversations with candidates as well as city hall insiders and normally I would have alot to say here, but the audience for this forum is so tiny, why bother.