Mayor Carty Finkbeiner kicks Marines out of Toledo

[thirtyonebravo]

http://www.nbc24.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=94192

1-24th Marines were scheduled for weekend urban warfare training in downtown Toledo, when Carty gave them the boot

By Darsha Philips
Posted: Saturday, February 09, 2008 at 2:05 p.m.

TOLEDO, OH -- Mayor Carty Finkbeiner on Friday ordered some 200 members of Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines from Grand Rapids, Michigan, out of Toledo just before the unit was suppose to start a weekend of urban warfare training downtown.

The mayor’s spokesperson Brian Schwartz said, “the mayor asked them to leave because they frighten people. He did not want them practicing and drilling in a highly visible area."

Toledo police said they knew about the training and had approved the unit’s use of the Madison Building and the Promenade Park area. The training was scheduled to start Friday afternoon and last until Sunday. Police said the unit’s presence would have a minimal impact on the city. Police issued a press release earlier in the week saying the marines would be wearing green camouflage uniforms, operate military vehicles, carry rifles, perform foot patrols, and fire blank ammunitiion during the exercise.

Schwartz said there was a breakdown in communication between police and the Finkbeiner administration that led to the mayor’s action.

“The marines drilled here three times during the Ford administration and once under the Finkbeiner administration. After the last visit, the mayor told then police chief Jack Smith, that he did not want the marines back. Smith failed to inform the current police administration of the mayor’s feelings,” Schwartz said.

NBC24 spoke to Jack Smith who recalled that after the marines last visit, he and the mayor had a heated exchange about the training.

“He told me he did not want them, as he put it, “playing war in Toledo’”, Smith recalled. I told him, as a former marine, “that if one young marine’s life is saved because of training he or she received in Toledo, Ohio, then it was worth the inconvenience.”

Smith said if the mayor objected, then he should have been the one to convey those feelings to police. Smith took his run-in with the mayor as an objection to that last visit, and not future training in Toledo.

As a result, the Toledo police went ahead, granting approval to the 1-24th Marines to conduct the routine exercise. The police notified members of the Finkbeiner administration, who were not aware that the mayor objected to unit’s training in Toledo.

When the mayor found out, he sent a member of his staff to tell marines they could not conduct urban operations in Toledo.

The unit was notified about 3:30 p.m. after an advance team arrived in Toledo. Five buses carrying some 200 marines traveled four hours from Grand Rapids, only to find out the training had been shot down.

The unit briefly stopped at a another 1-24th marine base in Perryburg Township, then returned back to Grand Rapids where training was expected to be held this weekend.

A spokesperson for the marines said they were disappointed by the mayor’s decision especially after the city had been so helpful in the past.

[larrymeyer]

F Him he'll be the first to holler for help if any thing happened. Let him start his own militia

[RocketFoot]

Add Toledo to the SUCK list!

1. Cincinnati
2. Cleavland
3. Toledo

[LowFlyer]

Add Toledo to the SUCK list!

1. Cincinnati
2. Cleavland
3. Toledo

Is there anyplace in Ohio that shouldn't be on the list???

C.R.

[billamj]

Personally, I think that every vet or current member who is on this board should send a nice little note to Mr. Mayor telling him how much we appreciate what he did. I now know that I do NOT have to spend 1 red penny in the town of Toledo. I'll be sending him that email just as soon as I post this. What a freaking asswipe! Here is his email addy if anyone wants it mayor.toledo@toledo.oh.gov just got if from their website.

[XD45]

F Him he'll be the first to holler for help if any thing happened. Let him start his own militia

also he'll be the first to bitch that something wasn't done right

[billamj]

In case anyone is interested, this is what I sent the moron.

Sir;
Due to your decision to disallow the training that the members of Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines had anticipated having in your city this past weekend, I would like to assure you that neither I nor any member of my family will be spending any time or money in your fair city. These men and women have volunteered to potentially give up their lives for people such as you, for you to show such complete and utter disdain makes me ill. Let me say sir, that I hope you never have to call on them for assistance only to have them turn you, or your city, down.

[CG1492]

Is there anyplace in Ohio that shouldn't be on the list???

C.R.

Darn you for beating me to it, if ohio was renamed would it then become cool or would it still suck under it's new name?

[Reactor Jack]

I just remember when the Browns left Cleveland:
"Baltimore Sucks! You can take the team out of the Cleveland, but you cannot take the suck out of the team!"
Ohio leaves a taint on things.

[Holleta]

We all have the people of Toledo to thank for this one....they voted the scumbag in.