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Thousands of Columbus voters signed petitions in 2001
demanding a vote on the issue of sprawl in the Darby
Watershed. In October 2001 Columbus City Council said we would get to vote on this issue on May 7. In February, Columbus City Clerk Timothy McSweeney refused to certify PEER’s petitions to the ballot, despite an earlier certification in October. The vote was 6-1 to leave it up to the Franklin County Board of Elections.
This speech was delivered by Paul Dumouchelle, Spokesperson for the Stop the Sprawl Campaign, to a rally on Friday, 3-1-02, at the southern entrance to Columbus City Hall – off Broad Street.
“I want to thank everyone attending this rally, who has come here to express their concern over our quality of life here in Central Ohio. I want to thank the Board of Trustees of PEER (Progress with Economic and Environmental Responsibility, Inc.) for their support. We have two trustees here with us, Greg Richey and Phil Harmon.
“I want to thank all the petitioners who helped get the 12,000+ signatures last year. Who here carried a petition? I want to thank the 12,000+ people who took a minute to sign the petition.
“I thank all the supporters for the Darby Ballot Initiative inside government positions who must remain nameless for fear of their livelihoods. I thank the organizations who have formally endorsed our effort – the Central Ohio Sierra Club and the Central Ohio Green Party. I thank Franklin County Commissioner Dewey Stokes who has endorsed this effort. I thank my colleagues from the Darby Creek Association, Terry Stewart and John Tetzloff, for their unequaled knowledge about Darby Creek issues and their personal support of the petitioning campaign. I thank Evonne Giamo, who stood up to the rude handling of Officials on October 22. I thank Joe Petrie, our volunteer Stop the Sprawl Campaign Coordinator. I thank Dave Ditmars for serving as Treasurer, fulfilling many legal duties as well as accepting the public profile that goes with the job. Dave is also the named plaintiff in our lawsuit against the City. While mentioning Dave I have to ask for donations, please visit www.peerohio.org and donate if you can.
“Finally I thank PEER General Counsel Phil Harmon. Phil has worked very hard to prepare our case at the Ohio Supreme Court. I like our case, Phil’s done a great job. Please give Phil Harmon a hand.”
“Why are we here? Why am I here?
“I am here because I am sick and tired of watching our rivers destroyed by sprawl.
“I am here because I am sick and tired of seeing flood plains filled in to make room for housing and parking lots.
“I am here because I am sick and tired of seeing habitat for endangered species destroyed
“I am here because I am sick and tired of attending zoning meetings and seeing the advocates of sprawl win officials’ favor over our protests.
“I am here because I am sick and tired of attending city council meetings and seeing the advocates of sprawl win officials’ favor over our protests.
“But most of all I am here because I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
“Why are we here?
“We are here because we did not let the fact that we were sick and tired of the BS I just mentioned overwhelm our desire to protect our quality of life.
“We acted.
“We took upon ourselves the long hard work of petitioning. In the cold, in the heat, in the sun, in the rain, on the street, on the doorstep, at libraries, at festivals, on the west side, the east side, the north side, downtown, Clintonville, Northland, Berwick, Short North, Victorian Village, Far Northwest we got 12,000 citizens to demand a vote to Stop the Sprawl and save Darby Creek.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for the City Clerk.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for the Board of Elections.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for Columbus City Council.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for Mayor Coleman.
“But now, now that we face a vote, now that the advocates of sprawl realize they will have to face the voters, now - are the petitions good enough for the City Clerk? He says NO!
“What do you say? Are our petitions valid?”
“Why are we here?
“We are here to say what we want.
“What do we want? A Darby Vote!
“When do we want it? May 7!
“What do we want? A Darby Vote!
“When do we want it? May 7!
“What do we want? A Darby Vote!
“When do we want it? May 7!
“I leave you with these words . . . STOP THE SPRAWL – SAVE DARBY CREEK
“STOP THE SPRAWL – SAVE DARBY CREEK
“STOP THE SPRAWL – SAVE DARBY CREEK”
This speech was delivered by Paul Dumouchelle, Spokesperson for the Stop the Sprawl Campaign, to a rally on Friday, 3-1-02, at the southern entrance to Columbus City Hall – off Broad Street.
“I want to thank everyone attending this rally, who has come here to express their concern over our quality of life here in Central Ohio. I want to thank the Board of Trustees of PEER (Progress with Economic and Environmental Responsibility, Inc.) for their support. We have two trustees here with us, Greg Richey and Phil Harmon.
“I want to thank all the petitioners who helped get the 12,000+ signatures last year. Who here carried a petition? I want to thank the 12,000+ people who took a minute to sign the petition.
“I thank all the supporters for the Darby Ballot Initiative inside government positions who must remain nameless for fear of their livelihoods. I thank the organizations who have formally endorsed our effort – the Central Ohio Sierra Club and the Central Ohio Green Party. I thank Franklin County Commissioner Dewey Stokes who has endorsed this effort. I thank my colleagues from the Darby Creek Association, Terry Stewart and John Tetzloff, for their unequaled knowledge about Darby Creek issues and their personal support of the petitioning campaign. I thank Evonne Giamo, who stood up to the rude handling of Officials on October 22. I thank Joe Petrie, our volunteer Stop the Sprawl Campaign Coordinator. I thank Dave Ditmars for serving as Treasurer, fulfilling many legal duties as well as accepting the public profile that goes with the job. Dave is also the named plaintiff in our lawsuit against the City. While mentioning Dave I have to ask for donations, please visit www.peerohio.org and donate if you can.
“Finally I thank PEER General Counsel Phil Harmon. Phil has worked very hard to prepare our case at the Ohio Supreme Court. I like our case, Phil’s done a great job. Please give Phil Harmon a hand.”
“Why are we here? Why am I here?
“I am here because I am sick and tired of watching our rivers destroyed by sprawl.
“I am here because I am sick and tired of seeing flood plains filled in to make room for housing and parking lots.
“I am here because I am sick and tired of seeing habitat for endangered species destroyed
“I am here because I am sick and tired of attending zoning meetings and seeing the advocates of sprawl win officials’ favor over our protests.
“I am here because I am sick and tired of attending city council meetings and seeing the advocates of sprawl win officials’ favor over our protests.
“But most of all I am here because I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
“Why are we here?
“We are here because we did not let the fact that we were sick and tired of the BS I just mentioned overwhelm our desire to protect our quality of life.
“We acted.
“We took upon ourselves the long hard work of petitioning. In the cold, in the heat, in the sun, in the rain, on the street, on the doorstep, at libraries, at festivals, on the west side, the east side, the north side, downtown, Clintonville, Northland, Berwick, Short North, Victorian Village, Far Northwest we got 12,000 citizens to demand a vote to Stop the Sprawl and save Darby Creek.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for the City Clerk.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for the Board of Elections.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for Columbus City Council.
“In October, those petitions were good enough for Mayor Coleman.
“But now, now that we face a vote, now that the advocates of sprawl realize they will have to face the voters, now - are the petitions good enough for the City Clerk? He says NO!
“What do you say? Are our petitions valid?”
“Why are we here?
“We are here to say what we want.
“What do we want? A Darby Vote!
“When do we want it? May 7!
“What do we want? A Darby Vote!
“When do we want it? May 7!
“What do we want? A Darby Vote!
“When do we want it? May 7!
“I leave you with these words . . . STOP THE SPRAWL – SAVE DARBY CREEK
“STOP THE SPRAWL – SAVE DARBY CREEK
“STOP THE SPRAWL – SAVE DARBY CREEK”