Welcome to Part II of responses to the person wondering if he should locate a business in Conneaut.

If you remember, a man contacted me who is from Cleveland originally, lived in California for years, has returned to the Cleveland area. He was interested in Conneaut for a location but is concerned about politics.

Before we delve into more responses (I printed the first crop last week) I will assure we will take a break from this topic next week and I will have a different, fresh, well-thought out column. (Yeah, it's my New Year's resolution.)

That's not to say this topic won't be revisited, but not for a few weeks. OK, letter time:

BOB,

Anyone can live anywhere and enjoy their surroundings. It's all in what you make of it. Much depends on the family or individual and what makes them happy. If you're looking for an extraordinary night life close to home, great shopping or ongoing daily excitement & entertainment, then maybe Conneaut is not the place to live. But if you're looking for the other great amenities in life that Conneaut has to offer in a small, laid-back town, it can be most enjoyable. The lakefront, fishing, youth sports, etc. I agree, the city of Conneaut needs some growth, but not too much. Then people will be complaining about congestion & traffic and this town has it's share of complainers. It's nice to be out and about and feel comfortable in your environment, seeing people you know, not sitting in traffic, a fairly low crime rate and not feeling like you’re lost in the crowd running daily errands.

I grew up in a small town in southwestern Pennsylvania, lived in a busy suburb in Cleveland & Pittsburgh. I moved to Conneaut 30 years ago and I guess the one thing that has annoyed me most about the area over the years is the people and their attitudes. Many people are just not friendly and have an all-about-me attitude, just a little too full of them selves. I think that is one of the drawbacks of this town not moving forward! It's not about them , it’s about the City of Conneaut! We need more we's, us and less me's!!!

Name withheld at request

Mr. Lebzelter,

I am writing in response to you question about locating in Conneaut. We will celebrate — and we do mean celebrate — our third anniversary of living in Conneaut on Jan. 25. We chose to semi- retire in Conneaut. We could have gone anywhere. So why Conneaut?

Of course, the lake lured us here. We live on Lake Road on the edge of the lake and we wouldn't have chosen anywhere else. It is a source of free, endless entertainment, pleasure, inspiration and a terrific stress reducer.

We think we can feel our blood pressure lower the minute we hit Lake Road! Once we were lured here by the lake, we discovered the town. After spending 36 years in southern Ohio in a busy mega-suburb where we could get to countless shopping areas if we could wind our way through endless traffic jams, we found the quiet community of Conneaut to be most welcoming. We also found that once removed from the lure of endless shopping areas, our needs could easily and inexpensively be met in Conneaut or in nearby Ashtabula. Yes, Mentor and Erie are not far but we choose to shop in those areas less and less. This whole holiday season I visited the Mentor Mall area only once and never ventured to Peach Street in Erie. The only good thing about Pennsylvania is that there is no tax on clothes! Everything else is expensive, including gas! Ashtabula County, especially routes 193 and 45 exits, has the cheapest gas in three counties!

Then there are the restaurants. You can enjoy a top-notch meal compared with any I've had in big cities all over the country at Biscotti's in Conneaut, Hil Macs in the Ashtabula Harbor, or at Tarsitano Winery in Monroe Township or you can get great food for less at the Crow's Nest, Crazy Dave's or any of the smaller restaurants in Conneaut or Ashtabula , not to mention the wonderful church and community dinners.

Grocery shopping is easily accomplished. We buy fresh, wonderful meat and bakery goods at Orlando's Golden Dawn and fill in with everything else watching the sales at Kmart Super Store, Wal-Mart and every now and then we venture up to Giant Eagle. We have kept our Sam's Club Card and use the Sam's in Mentor about twice a year to stock up.

What if we had children? What a great place to raise children!! The schools are rated EXCELLENT and it doesn't get better than that. Yes, we'd like to see a levy passed but the community supports its schools in other ways and the young people in this community and the parents are getting true value for their tax dollars, which is a benefit to all in the community. Good schools should lure people to this community. The arts programs at the Conneaut Community Center are excellent, we enjoy free concerts in the summer, there are Scout troops that are looking for members, sports teams to join, an abundance of strong churches with excellent congregations and clergy. Then there’s the lake! We love seeing young people fishing and swimming and hiking all summer long! In three summers we have never run into a disrespectful young person in the lake area or anywhere else.

So what are the drawbacks to living here? We have chosen to become involved in the community — notice I say chosen — we know many people who live along the lake and don't pay any attention to this community! We feel it's our responsibility to give back to this beautiful place. We have found that as newcomers we have walk softly. We have joined several groups in the community and are working to make this a place people will want to come to both to visit and to live and to establish businesses in. There's a willing work force here and lots of untapped resources, such highways, trains, the lake port and brain power including retired engineers with experience in many areas. We have found that the biggest issues in Conneaut are communication, organization, consistency, and working for the good of the whole. We have found these issues throughout the city government and other organization, however we have been able to overcome these issues to move the organizations we are involved with forward. We need new blood so please come here and give us a chance to show you the plus sides of this community! We'd be happy to meet you!!

Rick and Connie Naylor



Dear Bob,

I am a 29-year-old female who was born and raised in Conneaut, as were my parents. I graduated from Conneaut High School and did not go on to college, nor did I ever want or intend to. I wanted to be independent, so I worked hard and got my own apartment.

After some time I had the opportunity to move to Louisville, Ky., and I jumped at the chance. I stayed there for a year or so. It was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made because what I learned there about myself and about life will stay with me forever.

Ultimately I came back because I missed two things: My family and Lake Erie. I was tired of people calling a pond a lake. I wanted the real deal. So I came back to Conneaut, took some classes at the Ashtabula County Joint Vocational School and am now married with fur kids. Not a typo, four-legged children.

While I do love the area and its beauty in all four seasons, my husband and I have our home up for sale and are excited about getting out of this town. It makes me cringe to drive down Main Street. While some store owners have made an effort to improve their businesses’ facades, most have not. The rental properties that have taken over the area are truly deplorable.

Some would say there is low crime here but I disagree. I have personally had my home burglarized, a car broken into and items stolen from my yard all within the last four years here.

When I see new businesses struggling and levies failing and assistance for impoverished families being cut and the job industry dwindling, I want to find out if the grass is greener on the other side. But this time I realize I don't need to travel 500 miles to do it.

So, although it tears at my heart and my pride just a little, I would say,

"NO WAY! DO NOT RELOCATE TO CONNEAUT" to the gentleman contemplating the idea. Especially if he has a business he wants to take root here. However, I would not suggest he go the Pennsylvania route either, just because I can't bring myself to be THAT disloyal. Steelers? Ughhh.

Name withheld at request

Hi Bob,

. Conneaut does have a lot to offer. Whether it would be business or pleasure there is an abundance of things to do here in the northeastern part of the state. You mentioned many of them. And, for that, I thank you. As a new member of City Council , I am looking forward to working with the entire establishment to move the city in a positive direction. I truly believe that the two new additional members of council are willing to do the same. With some new ideas and direction I believe that the entire City Council will work together to provide the leadership and direction that the city needs and deserves. I am looking forward to the next four years and with the help of everyone, I believe that the citizens of Conneaut will see a positive effect.

Tom Udell

council president

Dear Bob,

I'll be the first to say that Conneaut has a ton of problems. Their schools are in financial ruin, the politics are crazy and there seems to be a mind set that if your not from Conneaut you must be a traveling snake oil salesman.

However, after living in Pennsylvania for years due to several different radio gigs, I can tell you Conneaut is a great place to raise your kids. They have little to no gang violence and a true small town pride that helps to give kids a firm and moral core that seems to be missing in many of our kids today.

Don't get me wrong about Pennsylvania. I'm not saying they are filled with thugs and immorality. I am just highlighting why Conneaut can be a great place to live your American Dream.

Commute to Erie for work, shop there if you desire. But smalltown USA Conneaut gets four out of five stars in my book. The politics are only a nasty tarnish that can easily be rubbed away to let the silver of the community shine once again.

Sincerely,

Roger McCoy

We'll leave this topic for awhile. In a couple of weeks, I will print a letter from someone who has taken me to task in this whole process. But again, that will be for another day. Thanks to all who participated.

Lebzelter is special sections editor. E-mail him at bobleb@starbeacon.com