The Invisible Toledo Ohio City Councilman, Chris Delaney

PREFACE: I live in the Third Ward of the City of Toledo in Ohio. The Toledo Third Ward lies within the jurisdiction of Toledo's city council district 6.

Earlier this year of 2018, Chris Delaney retired as a Toledo Police Detective Sergeant in order to accept the January 30, 2018 appointment to the vacant District 6 Toledo City Council seat. The Lucas County Democratic Party executive committee had recommended Mr. Delaney for the open seat and the remaining members of Toledo City Council Council members voted 8-3 to appoint Delaney to the open seat. This city council seat had become vacant when the previously elected City Council member, Lindsay Webb, resigned upon accepting the Lucas County Democratic Party appointment to the vacant position of Lucas County Treasurer. The Treasurer's position had become vacant because the incumbent Democrat, Wade Kapszukiewicz, had resigned that seat after having won election to the office of Mayor of the City of Toledo.

Not too long after Mr. Delaney's appointment to Toledo City Council, the City of Toledo held a special election for the District 6 seat on May 8, 2018 in compliance with the law in order to complete the remaining term for that seat. Appointee Chris Delaney won that special election and is now serving the remainder of Lindsay Webb's term that expires in 2020.

Initially after Mr. Delaney received the appointment to the Toledo City Council District 6 seat, I supported him, even to the point of contributing financially to his special election campaign. In the time since then, things have happened which have led me to withdraw my support of Chris Delaney. Let me recap some of those things that have led to my decision to rescind my support of Chris Delaney as a Toledo City Councilman.

On March 31, 2018, I provided this message to Mr. Delaney:

"FYI copy of what I sent City of Toledo via Facebook -- Could you advise me as to the status of Greenwood Park and its Shelter House? Does the Park Board have regularly scheduled meetings?  Is it possible for the Shelter House to be used as a mini community center and to offer regularly scheduled activities for senior citizens residing in the surrounding neighborhoods? Thank you, Roland Hansen"

Chris Delaney responded on April 6, 2018 by telling me that a city official had told him that I should

"call Acting Parks and Recreation Director (name redacted) at (telephone number redacted). ... Please give (name redacted) a call. Thanks!"

To that, I responded to Mr Delaney with:

"I guess the ... person for the city could not get the answers to my questions. I just wanted to know the answers, not get into a discussion. The questions are pretty straight forward and the answers should be pretty simple without getting into a dialogue. I served on the Ottawa/Jermain Parks Board for 6 years and am familiar with how a Park Board should operate. I also was intricately involved with the Ottawa Park Shelter House/Community Building and was responsible for its use under a 5-year lease agreement with the NPO of which I was President. 

New reply from City ... person as follows:
'Sorry it’s not an easy answer. (Name redacted) can answer your questions. He is awaiting your call.
If you want to provide an email, I’ll have him email you' 

I am also familiar with the bureaucratic shuffle."

In response to which, Chris Delaney stated to me:

"I’m not sure why other than maybe it is not an easy answer. I know they just hired a new Commissioner of Parks and Rec. maybe they’re waiting for her to be briefed before saying something contrary to her plan. (Name redacted) was announced as the new Commissioner on April 2nd."

The conversation ended and I never heard anything further from Chris Delaney on the subject.

It was on April 4, 2018 that Chris Delaney posted the following message on Facebook:

"As many people in District 6 know, I am not in support of the Lucas County Jail moving to our District. ..... Please know that I am fighting for us and I continue to let the Commissioners know we do not want the jail in District 6!"

It was on July 26, 2018 that I responded with:

"Why hasn't our District City Councilman Chris Delaney introduced a resolution to Toledo City Council in order that the entire Council may vote and go on record in opposition to the proposed Lucas County Jail location at Alexis and Detroit?"

To this very day (September 29, 2018), Mr. Delaney has steadfastly refused to respond as to why he has not introduced a resolution to Toledo City Council in order that the entire Council may vote and go on record in opposition to the proposed Lucas County Jail location at Alexis and Detroit!

On April 7, 2018, I wrote the electronic message:

"It would be nice if some community meetings could be held in the 3rd Ward occasionally." 

I received an electronic date stamp that Mr. Delaney received that message; and yet, to this very day (September 29, 2018), Mr. Delaney has failed to respond.

On May 20, 2018, I wrote the following electronic message to the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc., a copy of which I sent to Chris Delaney:

"Is it possible to have some senior programs in the Greenwood Park Shelter House, aka Ted Carrothers Community Buillding, 6150 Jackman Road, Toledo, Ohio 43613?"

I received an electronic date stamp that Mr. Delaney received that message; and yet, to this very day (September 29, 2018), Mr. Delaney has chosen not to acknowledge this suggestion of providing senior programs within the Toledo Third Ward neighborhood to the senior citizens of the area.

On July 22, 2018, I wrote the electronic message:

"There is a desire and a need for a Community Center to be located within the boundaries of the Third Ward in Toledo, Ohio that would provide social services, passive and active recreational activities, entertainment programs, and other socialization opportunities for individuals, families and senior citizens."

I received an electronic date stamp that Mr. Delaney had received that message; and yet, to this very day (September 29, 2018), Mr. Delaney has chosen not to respond or even acknowledge the subject.

On July 24, 2018, I wrote the electronic message:

"Northgate Park located in the Toledo Third Ward should be converted into a dog park."

Although I received an electronic date stamp that Mr. Delaney received that message, I note that to this very day (September 29, 2018) Chris Delaney has chosen not to respond or even acknowledge the subject addressed in my message.

Former Toledo Policeman Chris Delaney ran his political campaign for Toledo City Council on a platform of keeping our streets and neighborhoods safe.

It was on July 25, 2018, the block on the dead end street on which I live was placed on safety lock down from approximately noon until 9:00 p.m. allegedly because of drugs. There was no way in or out of the block in which I live.

Indeed, it was on July 25 at 1:25 p.m. that Chris Delaney posted on the Facebook account entitled Toledo City Council District 6 the following message:

"HAZMAT incident 6100 Rolland involving TPD. TFD responded. They are asking folks to avoid the area and seek alternate routes while they do their work."

Mr. Delaney never did post any follow-up of any kind to that chilling announcement

In regards to that horrific incident, the entire Toledo HAZMAT team did an excellent job. Kudos to them!

However, nobody, not one person, from the City of Toledo ever came around to personally speak with any of the neighborhood residents of what was really happening, of what we could expect. of when the lockdown had been lifted, of what health or safety concerns may or may not exist, or of anything! Zero, nada, zilch, nothing. They all simply left.

Where was the public information from the City of Toledo administration, from the mayor, from our district 6 council representative Chris Delaney? There was none.

The Mayor and District 6 City Councilman Delaney have no problem going door to door during the election season as they campaign for our vote; but, not so much during the interim when they are not up for election.

Where were the Mayor and Toledo City District 6 Councilman Chris Delaney?

It is an understatement to say that I was and am extremely disappointed that my district city councilman, Chris Delaney, a newly retired Toledo Police Department officer, and the mayor, Wade Kapszukiewicz, the son of a retired Toledo Police Department officer, have both failed to ever visit our neighborhood to assure us, the resident tax-paying citizens and voting constituents, of our safety in regards to the hazardous materials incident. Chris Delaney never showed up to answer the concerns of neighborhood residents.

That terribly frightening incident originated in a house just two doors down from me and the entire block was sealed off. It is now more than two months later. No one ever informed us folks in the neighborhood when the lock-down was over. To this very day, no one from the City ever told us residents what the situation actually was or whether it is safe in the neighborhood as it relates to area air and/or ground contamination or whatever. WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING from the Mayor or from Toledo City Council District 6 representative Chris Delaney or from the City administration.

We still do not know whether or not there has been any hazardous contamination in our neighborhood. There has never been any follow-through or follow-up!

Has Chris Delaney made me  feel safe -- HELL, NO!!!

Continuing on to one other concern, it was on August 12, 2018 that I wrote the electronic message:

"Why can't Toledo Lucas County Public Library locate a branch library in any one of the several vacant "box" buildings in the Alexis Road corridor between Lewis and Douglas?"

I received an electronic date stamp that Mr. Delaney received that message. While, I realize that a branch library comes under the purview of the Toledo/Lucas County Library System, District 6 City Councilman Chris Delaney could have championed the cause. He chose not to address the topic even to this very day of September 29, 2018.

The trend has been fully established by Toledo City District 6 Councilman Chris Delaney. He chooses not to be engaged in the concerns of his City Council District 6 constituency who reside within the third ward of Toledo. Mr. Delaney has decided to ignore the wants, needs, and desires of the citizens for whom he is supposed to be not only a representative but also an advocate.

As a matter of fact, Chris Delaney has consciously taken action to isolate himself from the resident citizen and voters of District 6 by using the ultimate sidestep of bureaucracy! Indeed, Toledo District 6 City Councilman Chris Delaney has made it official. He does not wish to be bothered by constituents via social media. He prefers to be less accessible, less accountable, and less responsive to constituents and to make it less easy to keep the lines of communications open and transparent.

Here is what Mr. Delaney wrote on the Facebook page of Toledo City Council District 6 on September 6, 2018 at 12:13 p.m.:

"My official webpage is available at: https://toledo.oh.gov/…/chris-delaney-council-member-distr…/.
Please use ENGAGE Toledo (4199362020) to report your concerns, questions or complaints regarding city services. If you wish to address your concerns, questions or complaints to me directly, this site has both my direct email( Chris.Delaney@toledo.oh.gov ) as well as the phone number for me at City Council. This website will be the location where constituents and citizens may find key information and official messages from me. I will not be posting to Facebook, other than a link to the page, or a link to new content on that page."

An elected public official, such as Toledo City Council District 6 representative Chris Delaney should avail himself/herself of as many means of communication as possible, including social media, in order to increase interaction with constituents.

To require all communication, including expressions that are in regards to public services, be conducted only via "official" bureaucratic channels is paramount to stifling citizen participation.

For an elected public official to limit accessibility to himself/herself, especially so at the local level such as a district city councilperson, by instituting bureaucratic roadblocks is like erecting a high wall isolating the elected official from the citizens that the official was elected to serve.

Chris Delaney should be encouraging greater community involvement and citizen participation, and as just one of the means of doing so, he should utilize the modern communication medium of social media.

HEY CHRIS, WAKE UP! This is all about citizen voice and action, and about transparency, responsibility, responsiveness, and accountability of any person holding elected office.