Monday, August 24, 2015

On restored UA president house, olive jars and Mike Williams

Inspired by the nearly $1 million makeover of  University of Akron  President Scott Scarborough & Family's new digs, I spent some time over the week end  making my office more presentable by emptying files and wastebaskets.

Among the old clippings that turned up was a Beacon Journal piece dated July 19,  2014 reporting the projected cost of the renovation as $375,000. Ted Curtis, UA vice president of  capital planning and facilities management, made it all seem worthwhile by saying "it's a great house in a wonderful neighborhood.  Very solidly built."  Not as solidly built was the rollout of the Team Scarborough's plan to cut UA debt.

Also quoted was Board of Trustees chairman Jonathan Pavloff , who noted that the trustees were "in agreement that the house is an appropriate piece of the presidential package". It was a reminder that the trustees were as useless then as they are now.

As we have come to learn, Curtis  missed the mark by a cool half-million dollars, even if you leave out that notorious olive jar...

* * * * *

Speaking of that jar, it could be reinstated with respect if it were offered as a trophy to the winner of the annual KSU-UA  football game, much like the Michigan-Minnesota Little Brown Jug trophy.  I know.  UA and KSU already have a wagon wheel trophy.    But who wants to reach for a wagon wheel to garnish a martini?

* * * * *

At last week's Akron mayoral debate Democratic candidate Mike Williams, a longtime foe of former Mayor Don Plusquellic,   talked of the improvements  in downtown Akron  over the past decade, sounding self-congratulatory as a city councilman.  But he forgot to mention that most of these improvements were produced during the Plusquellic administration.



1 comment:

David Gruccio said...

Read the Blog (Grumpy Abe) put togther by Abe Zaidan about the national coverage and knowledge of the public relations boondoggle or catastrophy, financial scandal and educational calamity at your favorite university. The president is going to Denmark to study transportation.