MARTY MOHR FINED….FOR VIOLATIONS
 “MAIN STREET PROGRAM” WANTS HANDOUT FROM CITY….
SOLICITOR DAVID KUHN REPORTS ON MARTING “DEAL” …..
COURT OF APPEALS REJECTS APPEAL BY CITY COUNCIL …..
 
Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2005.
 
Monday night’s City Council meeting began with a disciplinary hearing against Sixth Ward Councilman Marty Mohr for calling members of the audience “pieces of crap,” for provoking other councilmen into loud replies and for threatening to remove a news photographer’s teeth.  Fellow councilmen decided to fine Mr. Mohr $100.00 (money will be paid to a charity chosen by Councilman Mohr; fine will be paid to the City Treasury and City Auditor will send a check to the charity.)  Mohr admitted difficulty with self- control and at the close of the meeting apologized for past actions and words.   Some of the members of the audience applauded the Council action and Mr. Mohr’s acceptance of the decision by his fellow council members.
 
A member of a local radio station appeared before Council to promote a new plan called “Main Street” for development of downtown Portsmouth.
The “Main Street” group is seeking money from the City to help put their plan into action.  A resolution to assist “Main Street” passed the first reading by the council.
 
Nothing was finalized on a proposal for a new tax levy for Flood Defense to be put on the November ballot for a vote by citizens.  Councilman Bob Mollette said there is now $690,000 in the account; he wants more information on expenditures to ascertain if the proposal will provide sufficient money, or not enough money.  Expect more discussion on this item next meeting.
 
Council President Howard Baughman still has difficulty recognizing citizens’ right to speak; he repeatedly gaveled down a young lady who contested his actions; she called Baughman’s decree, “violating my First Amendment Rights.”  The lady continued to assert her right to speak until Mr. Baughman asked the police to intervene.  After a brief talk with the police and a few more words to the Council she finally relinquished the speaker’s stand and retired to a seat in the audience.
 
Four of the councilmen may be recalled in the next election.  Signatures on petitions for the recalls are now being gathered. The main complaints against these councilmen are support of new taxes proposed by the Mayor and support of Mayor Kalb’s continued efforts to spend huge sums of money to renovate the Martings Building. 
 
Facing recall are Marty Mohr, Sixth Ward, Howard Baughman, Fifth Ward, Jerrold Albrecht, Fourth Ward, and David Malone, Second Ward.  The Mayor has repeatedly asserted his determination to go ahead with plans for the Martings Building; he has acknowledged that citizens would vote against the Martings Building if given an opportunity, but said he has made up his mind not to allow any vote by citizens.
 
TheMayor has plans to renovate the Martings Building, no matter what the citizens want.  Costs may run as high as $12.5 Million and will be paid by additional real estate taxes.
 
Concerning the Martings litigation, Solicitor David Kuhn reported that the Fourth District Court of Appeals, on Tuesday, July 19, 2005, had returned the case to Common Pleas Court Judge William T. Marshall . The Judge ruled the purchase of the Marting Building in May, 2002 was  illegal because of violations of the “Sunshine Law” by the City Council.  The Court of Appeals agreed with this ruling.
 
Judge Marshall handed down his ruling in November, 2004 and ordered that the sale was null and void; he also ordered the Martings Building be returned to the Martings Brothers and placed a lien of $2 Million against the building in favor of the City.  He also ordered that the deed and title to the building be reversed and ordered the records in the proper Courthouse Offices to be changed. 
 
Costs of the case and the attorney’s fees for the winning attorney, Joe Griffith of Lancaster, Ohio had not been paid as City Solicitor David Kuhn had contested paying the amount claimed by Attorney Griffith; a hearing was to be held to decide what amount would be paid by the City to Mr. Griffith.
 
The City filed an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeals in December, 2004.  This decision to make the appeal occurred in December, 2004 on the night Councilman Marty Mohr, at a regular council meeting, announced that he had secretly met with Clay Johnson/Martings Brothers, and had made a “deal.”    According to Councilman Mohr, Johnson, who had defrauded the City in the sale of the overpriced building, had offered to return $1.4 Million and to also return the building to the City.  Councilman Mohr recommended “emergency” legislation to appropriate money to pay an out-of-town lawyer $1,000 to begin an appeal. 
 
Mayor Jim Kalb also admitted that he also had been in secret conference with Clay Johnson.  Kalb and Council President were in favor of Clay Johnson’s "deal" and the Council passed “emergency’ legislation to begin the appeal.
 
The Court of Appeals returned the suit to Scioto County Common Pleas Court and noted that the attorney fees had not been paid and a request by the Plaintiffs for a mandamus action and an injunction had not been decided.   The Appeals Court indicated that they did not want to hear an appeal on only part of the issues in the suit and returned the case to Judge William Marshall for finalization of all items.
 
The City Council of Portsmouth, in their haste, apparently has wasted our money on this attempt to reverse the Court ruling.
 
It is estimated that, after holding hearings on the attorney fees and other issues, the Common Pleas Court may issue a further ruling sometime before the end of this year.
Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 2005
 
Council consideration of Mohr's unruly, and corrupt actions has been 
removed from Agenda for tonight's meeting.  Mayor Kalb is following
Clay Johnson's orders in this matter, it is believed, as Councilman Mohr
is also known to be "in Johnson's pocket" with plans to renovate the
Martings building.  Clay Johnson needs to keep Mohr on the City Council to
vote for Johnson's plans of further personal enrichment.
Petitions were filed for Mohr's recall at 9:30 a.m., July 22, 2005,
SIXTH WARD CITIZENS WANT A CHANGE, THEY HAVE HAD ENOUGH.
 
Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 4:00 p.m. Friday, July 22, 2005.
 
One Hundred and Ninety-Six (196) Sixth Ward residents signed
petitions for the removal of MARTY MOHR from the City Council. 
Mr. Mohr was elected in November 2003; he had no opponent in
that race.  He took office in January, 2004.
 
During the first eleven months of 2004 Mohr appeared to be a
reasonable man; he did come to council meetings better prepared
than most others and did question and explore issues before the
council in a sensible, mature manner. 
 
But, after publicly announcing, in December, 2004 that he had
“made a deal” with Clay Johnson (SOGP/Martings Brothers)
Mr. Mohr has repeatedly performed with an arrogant, unreasonable, bullying attitude in Council, Councilman Marty Mohr has:
 
1. used the safety of his Council seat to tyrannically abuse members of the audience with offensive language, on one occasion he called the citizens sitting in the two front rows, “pieces of crap,”
 
2. met in secret, unlawful meetings with other members of the Council who support Clay Johnson (Martings Foundation, SOGP) and Mayor Jim Kalb who favor spending a great wealth of money to renovate the old, department store,
 
3. secretly planned, along with some other councilmen, to eliminate the public from speaking during meetings about any items not on the agenda.
 
4. attempted publicly, during a meeting, to deny citizens the right to speak on items not on the agenda.  When Mohr’s attempt to stifle the citizens’ right to speak was questioned during a council meeting, Mohr angrily shouted, “You people have used up all your rights.”  Mohr then expelled the citizen from the meeting room.
 
5. publicly, following a council meeting, threatened bodily damage to a local videographer who video-recorded one of the unlawful meetings in a backroom.
 
6. during a Council session, attempted to keep a fellow Councilman from revealing history of past violations by Council that have caused severe damage to the City and the Citizens of Portsmouth.
 
7. according to citizens of his 6th Ward, failed to respond to requests
for assistance in difficulties occurring in his ward that have caused affliction and damage to citizens of the 6th Ward.
 
Because the above stated reasons, and other actions, Councilman
Marty Mohr has been found to be undesirable to the Citizens of the
Sixth Ward to continue as their councilman.  Recall election for
Mr. Mohr will be held along with the regular November election;
there are no extra costs to the City.
Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 4:00 p.m. Friday, July 22, 2005.
Moe's Forum FOR VIDEOS OF CORRUPT COUNCILMEN -
News video reporter has asked for criminal charges
against Sixth Ward Councilman Marty Mohr.
TREATMENT FOR MARTY MOHR
BEHAVIOR SUGGESTED
 Wednesday, July 13, 2005 by Austin Leedom at 3:00 a.m.

City Council agreed at the Monday night meeting on July 11, 2005 to hold a hearing in the matter of the disturbances by 6th Ward Councilman Marty Mohr at council meetings on January 24 and June 27th.
 
Councilman Mohr left the Monday night meeting early and was not present when the other councilman discussed his case. 
One Councilman suggested that Mr. Mohr be fined $100.00 for misconduct.  Other citizens have privately suggested that Mohr be examined for a psychological evaluation determination and persuaded to undergo anger management training and/or other prescribed treatment.

Stifling of free speech is dictatorial goal

of Baughman and Mohr.

By Austin Leedom, Tuesday, May 24, 2005

According to their rehearsed plan to halt any citizen from speaking on subjects not on the legislative agenda, Council President Howard Baughman and Sixth Ward Councilman Marty Mohr attempted to alter the printed agenda during the council meeting with a proposal to eliminate the freedom of speech.

Councilmen Bob Mollette and Tim Loper objected and Councilman David Malone briefly commented.

Baughman and Mohr persisted in bringing the unscheduled resolution to a vote, to silence the citizens.  The councilmen’s demeanor was overbearing and aggressive; they reminded me of two second-rate ‘heavy’ actors playing the role of Nazi Gestapo Judges in a Class C World War II movie.  These hypocritical men, only a few minutes before, had stood in front of the citizens for a silent prayer led by Council President Howard Baughman; they then both swore allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and apparently promptly forgot both their prayer and their pledge.

Their facial expressions were dark and threatening; their words were so bullying and  Un-American that a large, distinguished-looking gentleman by the name of James K. Wilson, Sr. stood up from his back row seat and shouted at Baughman and Mohr, “Shame on you.”  The elderly gentleman was promptly ordered from the council room by President Howard Baughman.  Mr. Wilson had earlier accompanied website operator Joe Ferguson of Moezine Productions when, just before the public meeting, reporter Ferguson had audio-video recorded four councilmen (Howard Baughman, Marty Mohr, Jerrold Albrecht and David Malone) holding an unlawful assembly in the office of City Clerk Joanne Aeh. Perhaps his presence with the video photographer hastened Baughman's swift decision to chase Mr. Wilson from the public meeting.

In protest, several other citizens followed Mr.Wilson from the room.

A vote on the unconstitutional resolution was pushed through by Baughman and Mohr.  They were the only two councilmen who voted in favor of the rule.  It failed 4-2.

Following the vote a brief one item legislative item concerning payment to an outside attorney was passed by council.

Then citizens were grudgingly permitted to speak by Baughman and Mohr.  Crystal Gilliam, a young lady representing Adelphia Cable was allowed to speak of business affairs concerning the City.  She had attempted to speak to the council at a meeting two weeks ago, but was denied by Council President Howard Baughman.

Citizen Teresa Mollette then spoke of the sacrifices of American military personnel and other patriots to obtain and safeguard the rights of citizens as guaranteed by the laws of the State of Ohio and the Portsmouth City Charter.  She talked of the ruling by the Scioto County Common Pleas Court in November 2004 that decreed the public has the right to speak on all items brought before the council and of the rights guaranteed all Americans under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the United States.

Richard Noel of Sciotoville then spoke briefly of the rights of Americans to freedom of speech.

Harold Daub then talked of freedom of speech and the recent turmoil in city council that had been created by the vicious vocal attack on the citizens by Councilman Marty Mohr.  Daub was referring to Mohr’s ferocious, maddening tirade on January 24, 2005 against the citizens in the audience.  Mohr had called the men and ladies sitting on the front two rows, “pieces of crap.”  One of the ladies on the front row was Darlene Daub, wife of Harold Daub.

Marty Mohr made this dirty, cowardly attack on the citizens from the safety of his council seat; he felt he was safe as the Chief of Police was in the audience.  Councilman Mohr said that if anyone disagreed with him they could talk to him face to face.  After the meeting was adjourned Harold Daub approached Councilman Mohr to talk with him face to face.  Mohr refused to talk, he refused to stand up; he slunk down in his chair and looked to the police chief to rescue him from any repercussions from his mouthing of the innocent citizens.  He left the room under police protection.

Tonight when Councilman Mohr’s name was mentioned by Harold Daub, President Baughman also rudely ejected Mr. Daub from the Council room.  Other citizens, in silent protest, followed Mr. Daub from the room.

Once again, by their bullying, Un-American actions Council President Howard Baughman and Marty Mohr have brought new unnecessary disgrace to our city, which is already suffering a widespread reputation for corruption. 

Yesterday, Monday, May 23, 2005, on the front page of the Portsmouth Daily Times, Reporter JEFF BARRON wrote of the response to Portsmouth Mayor Jim Kalb’s idea of annexing New Boston.

According to Barron’s report, New Boston Mayor Jim Warren responded, “With the statewide recognition they’re getting, they’re dragging the whole area down,” Warren said.  “An annexation to become part of it?  Never.”

The Martings scandal, un-prosecuted thefts by city officials, unbid contracts at inflated prices, low wages for city employees, high unemployment, a high poverty rate, and depleted city coffers that have been looted by unscrupulous, mendacious officials and their accomplices have marked Portsmouth as a City of Shame.  It is little wonder that Council President Baughman and Marty Mohr don’t want the citizens to be heard.  Judging from their performances as City Councilmen Mr. Baughman and Mr. Mohr could best serve the City of Portsmouth by resigning from the council seats they have defiled.

By Austin Leedom, Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

NAZI-TYPE ACTION BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

 BAUGHMAN AND 6^TH WARD COUNCILMAN

 MARTY MOHR ATTACKS CITIZENS’

RIGHT TO SPEAK

Report on City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m.on Monday, May 9^th, 2005.

The citizens of Portsmouth are once again a troubled, angry aroused people who feel that the proposal to assess more city fees is wrong.

The new proposal to discriminately charge rental fees affects landlords and the renters they serve, places a greater burden on the poorer residents who must share the new charges and unfairly burdens the property owners who have suffered increased insurance fees, higher water bills, increased garbage fees, and higher taxes, plus a multitude of other charges. It was pointed out that there is at present about $735,000 in unpaid taxes due the City of Portsmouth; more efficient and more reasonable collection procedures by the city would negate the need for more taxes.

No one spoke in favor of the new taxing proposal. Two people spoke of the illegality of the new proposal and noted that this same type of wrongful taxation has been tried in other cities and has been declared unconstitutional by the courts. The dissenters presented copies of relevant documents to Council through the City Clerk. Several other persons spoke against the new fees.

Many citizens came to the meeting unhappy with the proposal; many apparently feel they have "had enough" of the constantly increasing taxation.

When Council considered the proposed new rental charges, the ordinance was quickly tabled by a vote of 5-0. Mayor Kalb appeared to be highly disappointed by this action.

UN-AMERICAN ATTEMPT TO SUPPRESS FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Many citizens came to the meeting feeling damaged; many left the meeting feeling even more injured after their traditional right to speak on other concerns were denied. Council changed the rules tonight; they are tired of hearing their constituents complaining of their actions and inactions.

In a Nazi-style move Council President Howard Baughman and Vice-President of Council Marty Mohr attempt to use disturbances they themselves have created to suppress freedom of speech by Citizens.

After the irate citizens had spoken against Mayor Kalb’s proposed new fees 6^th Ward Councilman Mohr interrupted the beginning of the council legislative session to bring forth a resolution to deny citizens the right to speak on "items not on the agenda."

Traditionally, after a legislative agenda is completed citizens have had the right to speak about items of concern that they feel council should consider in future meetings. Under Council’s resolution this right will be forever removed.

This resolution to hinder citizens’ participation in government was apparently illegally pre-arranged by Council President Howard Baughman, and Marty Mohr who mentioned that 4^th Ward Councilman Jerrold Albrecht had, before the meeting, already agreed to their effort to suppress citizens’ freedom of speech.

As he proposed the resolution Marty Mohr’s manner was dark and angry; his face was flushed and he appeared to have difficulty restraining himself. The disturbed Councilman spoke of too much abuse to councilmembers by citizens and mentioned that a citizen verbally abused a Councilman at the previous meeting on April 25, 2005. The citizen had allegedly spoken about the lack of budget knowledge of a councilman who was running for the Mayor’s Office in the primary election of May 3^rd.

Marty Mohr's RESOLUTION VOTED DOWN

The vote on the resolution to limit "freedom of speech" was 3-2.  Voting no were 3^rd Ward Councilman Bob Mollette and 1^st Ward Councilman Tim Loper, who allegedly said that others had, before the meeting, tried to persuade him to vote with them.  Four votes were needed to pass the resolution.

Councilman Mohr has a record of instability at council meetings and has been the most abusive speaker of all people at council meetings.

Marty Mohr ferociously abused the audience at a council meeting on Monday, January 24, 2005 after Council President Howard Baughman left the meeting early and Mohr, as Acting President, went into a mad tirade and verbally attacked the women and men in the "first two rows" as "pieces of crap." Councilman Mohr also threateningly invited anyone who objected to what he had said to talk to him face to face.

On that occasion Mohr’s lengthy threatening and insulting language created an air of hostility among the threatened persons and most all others who heard his wild outburst.  After the meeting, when confronted by the husband of a lady Mohr had called "crap," Mohr refused to stand; he slunk down in his chair and looked to the police for help.  He was escorted safely to his auto under police guard.

Councilman Mohr’s behaviour has noticeably improved since Joe Ferguson, owner of Moe’s Forum, has been video-recording each session and publishing significant parts of the meetings on the Internet.

Don’t miss the next council meeting two weeks from now. It’s your money they are spending and your taxes they are raising. If you can’t come to the meeting you may listen to the proceedings broadcast by Lorenzo Bentley on WPAY-AM RADIO.

COUNCILMAN MOHR’S OUTBURST DISCOURAGED CITIZEN FROM FURTHER ATTENDANCE T COUNTY MEETINGS.

I attended my first city council meeting on Monday, Jan 24, 2005 and was appalled at the events that took place.

My MO does not put me in situations that are eruptive to the point of police intervention.

It was embarrassing to me, as a professional, to be involved as an attendee with no involvement in the melee.

I have no idea what the accusations were about regarding internet accusations.

And, personally, I do not care. I was there to find out more info regarding my sewage backup in my basement. My personal property is much more valuable to me than accusations resulting in loud, uncontrollable, verbal abuse.

Thank you for your time.

I will probably refrain from future city council meetings. My dealings will be through an attorney."

Was Marty Mohr’s loud, belligerent, threatening rage a planned act, designed to intimidate further attendance by citizens at council meetings so it would be easier for him to run a devilish ordinance through council for the benefit of Clay Johnson (Marting’s Foundation/SOGP)?