Sheriff Beck

While at Walmart today buying a "tie it to two trees and lay in it" hammock, and a very cute Solar Captain with a little lantern that lights up for Tim; I ran into Sheriff Dan Beck. Say what you will, but I like him. I like the fact that he has the balls to come out and say what problems Lima has, that he focuses on housing, employment and the crime. That he expects people to acknowledge the problems and find ways to improve the area. Anyway, we started up a conversation- I must say it was the first I have ever had. And to my enjoyment I like him even more in person. The city officials may be right, he's county and should deal with the county, but when you realize that Lima IS in the county, you understand that his position is what allows him to bring to light the problems. Lima should be cleaning up the drug houses, they should be creating a community that attracts business. They should be paying attention to the fact that in the past 20 years Lima has begun to sink into a dark place. At night the streets aren't safe and in the day the city looks worn and old. Not old as in nostalgic, but old as in dirty, rusty, needing serious repair. Yeah yeah yeah- if you sit in your pretty house around your $100,000 homes neighborhood and don't drive down the streets like Rice, Kibby, Cole, Elm (excepting that nicer party headed towards Shawnee) then no you wouldn't notice how ugly the city has gotten. You may not even notice the crime or the underemployed people standing in line for Welfare... but for the rest of us living in the real world- Dan Beck deserves the respect he has earned standing up and wanting to talk about the problems, and wanting to find solutions for them. To the conversation- I am glad I had it. I am glad to know that he knows how important what he is doing is to the people who are really being effected by the troubles of Lima. See even living in Shawnee- the troubles of Lima slip over the border line and hit here too. If Lima becomes a town of drugs and unemployed people- it won't be long before the smaller townships and communities begin to feel the effects of it. So Beck.. keep on speaking, keep on making the point until the rest of the officals begin to open up and hear you.