Well known 'web' writer RB -aka 'Westside' offers a Series of articles to point out local governments failure and the result - 'Village Blight - Government Sponsored Ghetto Building; The Demise of The Village of Elmwood Place, Ohio' for print and web media.

Offering a series of articles on the destruction of a small southern Ohio town by local government officials. 'Village Blight - Government Sponsored Ghetto Building: The Demise of The Village of Elmwood Place, Ohio' is a account of the officials activities that are leading this small town to loose it's independence as a small community.

(PRWEB) May 30, 2004 -- This is the first of a series of articles on a small town in south east Ohio. The Village of Elmwood Place, Ohio is in desperate need of leadership. With 3 mayors in less than 2 years and 3 police chiefs in the same period, this small town is being led down a path of destruction and goverment sponsored 'ghetto building'.

Print and web media interested in providing this monthly account of the local officials failures and mis-leadership leading to the destruction of the American small town can read more on the author and contact information below.

Here is the first article:
Village Blight - Government Sponsored Ghetto Building

We hear a lot of 'urban blight' and it's causes.

But there are many 'little' communities where residents are
experiencing the destruction of their communities - and mostly because
of the local inexperienced government officials.

When property values plummet and business leaves, little communities are left to loose their independence; and in many cases this is due to the failure of local government officials. These officials try to make headlines for themselves (sometimes even contacting the press themselves), instead of using that 'energy' to promote and revive the community. If as much energy was spent on the community as is spent on self-promotion, there would be no problems. Laws and ordinances are voted on and approved and never enforced. And the non-enforcement of the laws and ordinances create a 'catch 22' for the residents. Which law is to be enforced this week and who has to follow it? Most of the local officials feel they are above the law and that is apparent in their everyday actions. But only certain residents are held to the law. It is truly a catch 22.

I live in one of these little communities.

The Village of Elmwood Place, Ohio is suffering from fiscal emergency and urban blight. People can't get out fast enough. This little community is on the verge of loosing its independence; thanks mostly to a few local 'leaders'.

Thanks to past administrations as well as past and present council members, who are as inexperienced at life as they are handling a community's business, this community is loosing ground fast.

We have had three mayors in less than two years. We have had three police chiefs in that same period. We have had council members arrested, police officers arrested and council members misusing their so-called position to harass residents and to make false accusations against other village officials all in the same time span.

One council member who is a big part of the current problems (and who has sat around for all three mayor changes), owns no property, yet is quick to ask tax payers to bail her and council out of their mismanagement woes.

Services have been cut. Police and fire and maintenance are hard hit areas. And the services that are left are not really provided; because
of short staff.

Residents that have problems with neighboring properties and code violations are just expected to go to the county courts, because an individual who has more titles than time handles that area.

When local government is inexperienced and represent only themselves and their 'friends' the community is the one who suffers and it is a breeding ground for violence to erupt.

As my little village slips further into fiscal emergency and the property values continue to drop: As the local government officials put more effort into harassment of the residents and ignore 'the best interest' of the community - the future is bleak for this little community.

Respect and relations between residents and City Hall and the police force are at a low point. There is no confidence in either by the residents.

With police and community relations a big part of a successful city, it is depressing to watch the police force being used as a private security force for only a few.

Residents go to city hall with complaints and are ignored until they just give up. That is the old 'Ignore them and they will go away', view of politicians.

This is no way for a little village to run. The proof of that is the situation this little village finds itself in now.

Government sponsored Ghetto Building can be added to our officials resumes.

This is just not a problem here in my little village, Elmwood Place. You see little communities in deep money trouble but you also see many in recovery. The difference is, the ones in recovery have mayors and council members who have the interest of the community at heart and show that commitment instead of focusing on themselves and some twisted view of self worth.

I hope your little community is in better shape than mine is. This community really has no one to blame for our demise except ourselves.

This is proof of the importance of voting. We need people with a true community commitment in our local governments instead of people with self-commitment.

Hopefully this will help get the vote out here, if we can hold on till an election.

Inexperienced, self-pompous, people have no place in politics or in a leadership role. Give me a council who's members actually know what property ownership is, then they could relate to a property owners concerns. Give me a council who seeks good headlines for the village instead of running to the local press every time something goes wrong; when in fact they are usually the one who started the ball rolling on the screw up. Our past police chief scandal was like that. The council member who started the ball rolling to replace the widely respected chief, with an less experienced chief, was the first to run to the local press;
when after two weeks the new chief was arrested, for importuning.

So as our village officials are busy 'building our future ghetto' I hope things are better where you live. Maybe this will help you appreciate your little community a lot more, knowing it could always be worse - you could live in the Village of Elmwood Place, Ohio.

There are many small cities, villages, and townships across this tri-state region that are fiscally sound and on steady ground. It is just a few like mine that; thanks to our local officials, are suffering from urban blight.

Large government housing projects were shown not to work and many are being destroyed. I guess that is what is next for us here: the village bulldozer...if they can come to a decision on who would drive it - and if that person can fit it into their busy schedule.......

If you have a great small village, city, or town I hope this gives you renewed love for your community. If you have a good one---consider yourself TRULY blessed..........

About RB - RB is a freelance writer who is well known on the web. His area of writing now focuses on political and social views and music news, reviews and interviews.

Many of his political views have been published on the web and in print. He is the owner of a Tupac Shakur web site (www.ThugLifeArmy.com) which focuses on the political side of music as well as news and interviews. Many of RB's editorials , articles and interviews can be found there.

As a regular contributor to many media areas, RB feels that the destruction of one of Americas's small towns by local officials is a very important loss. Not only for the residents but because we all will be losing a part of 'Americana'. Future articles will surely cover the recent death threats against mayor number 2 and the on-going saga we call council meetings. As surrounding communities prosper, The Village of Elmwood Place remains stagnet because of village officials inexperience and lack of community commitment on theur behalf.

RB has written for Amish and Mennonite publications in the past, giving his views on religion and politics in organized religion. RB has also been interviewed by web sites concerning his political views, his music background and the state of our society and the state of the Hip Hop culture.

You can see he has touched many 'bases' in his writings and now he offers this series to let a reader see for themself how serious voting really is.

Because of inexperienced leadership he will show and explain the destruction of this little south eastern Ohio town.

This will be offered as a monthly article to interested parties. Media interested in this series can contact RB at the above contact info.