Elyria’s fiscal woes must be addressed

In Elyria, we are at a crossroads punctuated with the humbling reality of diminishing economic and civic conditions. Those conditions intersect an autocratic application of administrative power and policy. Also, the pathway to recovery is narrow, as we struggle to validate an altruistic theoretical vision. The presiding narrative has been at times inspired, but all too often measurably dogmatic and dismissive.

The efficacy of the administration has been staccato, at best. The resulting attempts to adore the public with seemingly copious spending can be viewed as an attempt to build political goodwill and mask the increasing evidence of lackluster performance. A performance the citizens of Elyria were led to believe would be steeped in sound decision-making and professional experience.

The initial pronouncement was outlined in a 30-page declaration and re-animated with every subsequent State of the City address. The continuous need for affirmation of legislative acumen coupled with what now appears to be unsustainable levels of spending has undeniably been the wrong vision to set Elyria on a sound foundation.

There is no doubt that responsibility for improvement and success is spread out along all levels of municipal government, most notably City Council. The oversight of administrative policy and fiduciary solvency lands clearly on the shoulders of City Council.

However, those responsibilities are often compounded by an adversarial attitude exhibited by the current city administration. The resulting levels of communication are arbitrary and lack the fundamental elements of professional courtesy and transparency.

There is no conceivable way for the necessary corrections, improvements and clearly defined checks and balances to be implemented without a better understanding and more dedicated commitment to working together, both literally and figuratively. The work is too important to be dictated by individual personalities and petty acts of gamesmanship.

The citizens of Elyria should expect nothing less and demand even more.