The four North Olmsted mayoral candidates participate in a forum April 16 at the North Olmsted Middle School. From left, City Council President Kevin Kennedy, school board member John Lasko, incumbent Mayor Thomas O’Grady speaks and businessman Tim Smith looks on. The top two vote getters in the May 5 primary will move into the general election. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Four-candidate primary race hits final week
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published April 29, 2009

Contenders for the mayoral campaign are putting the final touches on their campaigns as they head into the final week before the May 5 primary.

Incumbent Thomas O’Grady, City Council President Kevin Kennedy, school board member John Lasko and businessman Tim Smith all were busy with different parts of the campaign. The top two vote-getters in the non-partisan election will advance to the November general election.

O’Grady said he is getting his yard signs out as well as sending additional campaign literature to voters.

“We’ve said all along we would put the signs out during the last two weeks for the primary election and in the general election as well,” O’Grady said. “We’re getting things where we need to be.”

He said the campaign also has sent out one piece of campaign literature recently and will send another out in the next few days.

“Our timing was designed to be this way so people have the information available to them and fresh in their minds as they get ready for the primary,” O’Grady said.

He said voters will have a very clear view of his more than four years as mayor to review. O’Grady moved from the council president’s job into the mayoral post in April 2005 after his predecessor Norman Musial resigned to deal with family health issues.

“It’s been a very successful administration,” said O’Grady. “We’ve reduced the size of city government and found cost savings in an efficient manner like farming out our engineering work and becoming self-insured.”

O’Grady also said the street program, whereby the city rates streets for priority of need is another example.

“We don’t have the old political selection process, people know they’ll get done,” he said.

Kennedy said he continues to go out and talk with citizens and groups throughout the city.

“We’ve definitely put in a lot of time on foot,” he said. “I’m out there talking to people about what’s going on and my people are out there as well talking to people about the issues. We’re going to continue to see what people have on their minds and communicate with them about what we’re doing.”

Kennedy said his blend of running a successful computer company and his time as City Council president should prove successful.

“We have a good mix of experience in different areas both with my own experience as well as the people who are supporting me,” he said.

All the current members of City Council as well as some previous council members, plus city and Cuyahoga County Democrats are supporting Kennedy.

“It’s a pretty big group and I appreciate their support and confidence,” he said.

Lasko said voters can see his campaign is unique from the others.

“No one else has my blend of professional experience as an attorney and as a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) which can be put to use for the citizens and groups in this community,” Lasko said. “We certainly can use my skills as well as the skills and enthusiasm of the people supporting me. If they want someone with those professional qualifications who has been outside the city process and all the problems of the last few years, then I would be the one people should support. Whether its’ having the city and schools work more closely together or working on development or a neighborhood issue, we will work together on this.”

Lasko discounts the contention by some that as a member of the school board and spending six years on the Municipal Planning and Design Commission – including the last four as chairman of that group – that he is not an outsider.

“The Planning Commission is a group of volunteers which only makes recommendations,” he said. “We can only recommend to the City Council and the rest of city government, which has the final say in matters. There have been a number of  recommendations made which the city has not accepted. So, I would sat that I am indeed outside that process compared to others.”

Smith said he’s happy with the reception his campaign has received.

“People are listening to us and talking with us about the issues,” he said. “There is definite interest in getting things changed in the city.”

Smith said he will work toward making the city more responsive to residents and businesses’ within the city.

“We have to make the city more helpful and have people want to come and locate here,” he said.

Smith said he will be active in the city in many ways.

“It’s something you need to do as a leader,” he said.