Private effort to save COSI

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It appears the Toledo Community Foundation already has the ability to accept donations for COSI online right here. You just need to enter "COSI Toledo" in the "Gift Purpose field."

posted by bassam on Dec 07, 2007 at 10:01:00 am     #

Good for Jerry Jakes!

posted by MaggieThurber on Dec 07, 2007 at 11:38:13 am     #

40,000 voters voted FOR the COSI levy last month. Those are only Lucas County voters, of course. We know COSI draws people from around the region, so the support number is probably at least 80,000. Those are individuals and not households. But still, if 80,000 individuals from around the region each donated $10, that's $800,000 and close to the minimum of what COSI needs.

posted by jr on Dec 07, 2007 at 12:07:11 pm     #

Two Facebook groups related to COSI Toledo but not specifically related to this private fund raising effort.

• Save CoSi Toledo
• COSI 1997-2007 - (more active)

posted by jr on Dec 07, 2007 at 12:22:34 pm     #

MySpace page : http://www.myspace.com/cositoledo

Facebook and MySpace are a couple more places to spread the word.

What's disappointing but maybe not surprising is the 'whatever' attitude by the COSI board president over Jakes's effort. From the TFP story :

COSI board president David Waterman lauds Jakes' effort, but said it's unlikely to make a difference. The museum will close unless a big-time donor or investor steps forward. COSI needs $1.5 million to stay open.

The combined population for the counties of Lucas, Wood, Fulton, and Ottawa is about 600,000. Throw in some more counties from northwest Ohio and a few counties from southeast Michigan, and surely it would be possible to encourage 80,000 individuals to donate at least $10. That would allow COSI to remain open for six more months, right? And during that time, some changes can be made that will hopefully give COSI a chance to remain open longer without the need of a levy.

But man, what a piss-poor attitude by Waterman. I'd say Waterman is being extremely negative, and I thought that wasn't allowed around here.

posted by jr on Dec 07, 2007 at 12:44:17 pm     #

What else do you expect from Waterman? He only wants to get on the public dole. Donations? Fund raising? Fuck, all those are MUCH TOO MUCH effort.

Waterman's not being negative; he's being ELITIST instead. He'll take a can opener to Gov Ctr before he'll dirty his hands with appealing to the donating public. There's money in Gov Ctr that you can obtain through pumping a few egos ... as opposed to many thousands of egos when seeking public donations.

Really, if YOU were a work-avoiding elitist piece of fucking shit like Waterman, wouldn't YOU do the same?

posted by GuestZero on Dec 07, 2007 at 07:59:27 pm     #

At any rate, wastes of flesh like Waterman aside, private donations are EXACTLY what it should take to save a failing business. I applaud the effort. I wish them luck.

posted by GuestZero on Dec 07, 2007 at 08:01:51 pm     #

When virtue doesn't sell, there's always vice.

Why not have a casino celebrating speculative housing bubbles, obscene PE ratios, insider trading, limited liability negligence, creative bookkeeping, corporate doublespeak, the open bribery of public officials, usurius interest rates, 18th century banking, numismatic blue sky laws...

Similar to Vegas but replace all the cheeseball pretensiousness with tongue-in-cheek cheeseball pretensiousness.

Point Place had a casino with a boardwalk at one time, right? It will be an ode to repetitive history.

A moving statue of Fred Nietsche trying to kick a football with Lucy as the holder...

Pure fool's gold, unless we use Euros.

posted by charlatan on Dec 08, 2007 at 01:11:55 am     #

I have just found out that one of key functions of COSI is to provide Distance Learning to schools in the region. Who knew that? Most people believe that you have to go to COSI and pay an admission fee. How does Distance Learning get paid for?

If COSI closes, Distance Learning will DISAPEAR!

posted by lew on Dec 08, 2007 at 07:36:56 am     #

If COSI's Waterman was interested in helping with the private fund raiser, he'd notify every grade school and maybe high school as well in the area, so the kids could let their parents know about the fund raiser. Of course, this would require effort. School gets out on Christmas break in a couple weeks, so time is short.

Start with the schools in Toledo, Sylvania, and Ottawa Hills, since that's where the levy passed. Then branch out to the rest of the schools in Lucas County and then at least into the counties surrounding Lucas, including Michigan. We hear Michigan people go to COSI, so shake them down for $5 or $10 per head. I bet COSI could notify the schools pretty quickly about this if they wanted to. It would probably be easier for COSI to do this than one of us shmoes.

posted by jr on Dec 08, 2007 at 09:35:43 am     #

This kind of fund raising is only a temporary solution. COSI needs a steady source of revenue to ensure continued operation.

If there is enough money raised to keep it open for three months that is great but is it really fair to COSI's employees? In order to keep a quality staff, they need to know that their jobs are not going to disappear. Being threatened with shutdown every few months is no way to live if you are trying to support a family.

It is kind of like a cancer patient. He can keep undergoing treatments to extend his life but at what cost? Eventually, just let the poor thing pass with dignity.

If we as a community cannot, or will not, step up to the plate with support, then maybe it is time to just let it go.

I support COSI and its mission and will miss it if/when it shuts down.

posted by MaumeeMom on Dec 08, 2007 at 12:18:00 pm     #

Dec 8, 2007 Thurber's Thoughts blog posting titled Saving COSI???? which pointed to the TFP story above and to a Dec 8, 2007 Toledo Blade story titled COSI rescue plan may be in works as time ticks away.

From the Blade story :

"There have been no really new ideas, though some of the ideas having been getting support from new people," COSI Chairman David Waterman said. "We're continuing to proceed in our orderly shutdown. … Nothing has happened yet to stop that in the short term," he said. "But we continue to meet with officials and other interested parties. We have had good support from everyone except the voters."

Waterman is an asshole. More from the Blade :

Whether local business and political leaders can turn that around remains to be seen. But what may be the start of an eleventh-hour effort to keep COSI running is scheduled as a "working lunch" in Mayor Carty Finkbeiner's office on Tuesday. Mr. Finkbeiner yesterday invited to the "working lunch" the 14 co-signers of a letter to him, U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), and Tina Skeldon-Wozniak, president of the Lucas County commissioners, urging them to "sustain the ef-fort to keep COSI alive in our community. Mr. Waterman, who was on a list of "copy" recipients for the mayor's letter, could not be reached for further comment yesterday.

First order of business at Carty's working lunch should be to tell Waterman to leave because he's out as COSI chairman. COSI management is solely responsible for COSI possibly closing, not the voters. COSI's attendance has declined since 2001, so COSI has had plenty of time to make changes.

From the Thurber's Thoughts posting :

But local 'leaders' aren't letting two defeats at the ballot box stop their efforts to find a way to keep COSI open. Fourteen 'members of the community' sent a letter to Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak and Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, saying they stand 'ready, willing and able to work with you and others to do what it takes to keep COSI Toledo alive in our community.' (italics were in the letter)

Those leaders are:

• Richard Anderson, Chairman of The Andersons
• Bruce Baumhower, President UAW-Local 12
• Jim Hoffman, President of Key Bank
• Billie Sewell-Johnson, President/CEO of the Area Office on Aging
• Steve Mickus, President/CEO of Mercy Health Partners
• Fr. Ron Olszewski, President of St. Francis High School
• Rev. Willie Perryman, Jr., Jerusalem Baptist Church
• Thomas Brady, President of Plastic Technologies, Inc.
• Jack Ford, member of Toledo Public School Board
• Jimmy Jackson, President of The JAJ Company
• Francine Lawrence, President of Toledo Federation of Teachers
• Pat Nicholson, President of N-Viro Energy Systems, Inc.
• Thomas Palmer, Managing Partner of Marshall & Melhorn
• George Tucker, Executive Secretary AFL-CIO

Maggie added in her posting :

Now, why Billie Johnson is a signer, I don't know. Her agency, the Area Office on Aging, is funded primarily (if not solely) by public dollars, including a levy in Lucas County. Of the signers, James Hoffman and Jack Ford are members of COSI's board.

Boot Waterman and let Richard Anderson or one of the other business people on the above list manage COSI for the short-term.

posted by jr on Dec 08, 2007 at 12:37:18 pm     #

Hey Maumee Mom, the community is the region, area,Metro Toledo, whatever you like, except not just Toledo proper, or just Lucas county!

Wake up, people! 20%of Toledo's population lives north of the state line in Bedford Twsp. How do they get to put their two cents worth in to save this regional asset? How about Perrysburg? How about Swanton?

Once again,read about the potential of the region in which we live: click on Lake Erie West in the right hand column of this blog, and then click on Lake Erie West again on the left hand side of the page(above SEED).

We must take the Macro view if we are to grow and succeed!

posted by lew on Dec 08, 2007 at 04:53:52 pm     #

jr - I blame Waterman, as chairman of COSI's board - and all the board members for the failure. I recall when Mike Walsh, then chairman of the COSI board, came to me to let me know, as a commissioner, that they were going to try and change state law and then wanted to put a levy on the ballot. The discussion was not pleasant, considering my opposition to this type of funding, but the response to all my suggestions for alternatives was that, basically, the Board thought a levy was the best way to go - that the public would support them.

Perhaps they haven't yet learned their lesson - and the elected officials are not helping by continuing to support the public funding approach.

posted by MaggieThurber on Dec 08, 2007 at 05:27:50 pm     #

lew - I do understand that the region is more than just Toledo. If you read some of my past posts I talk about Perrysburg and other cities having to work together for the betterment of our area.

Unfortunately, I didn't see anyone in Perrysburg or Wood County or even up north jumping in to say, "Hey, we want to be a part of this too." Perrysburg seems to be doing its best to separate from the Toledo metropolitan area.

It really is unfortunate - we need to get the communities working together, identify what makes a good/healthy region, and find a way to fund things fairly.

The point of my post was that we have to consider the COSI staff. Is it really fair to keep them hanging? We either need a commitment and a plan ASAP or we need to let COSI go. Let these people get on with their lives, let them find new jobs. I cannot imagine how stressful this is on the workers.

posted by MaumeeMom on Dec 09, 2007 at 07:00:35 pm     #

I remember the days....in the '80's when there was a nervousness at the Toledo Zoo over each levy, now the Zoo is a staple in our community. Anyone else remember those times?

They made it. I like Cosi here and will donate. I've seen what Cosi does in Columbus Ohio and it's a great asset to the community. Sounds like it's a managment issue here.

A friend of mine lives in Kentucky. When not in season, the Derby space is rented out for functions. The point is, they got creative during the 'off peak' hours.

I liked Ford's thinking of wanting to do something, but not of making it a school per se, because that would make it difficult for others to attend etc... and I don't think that's the answer. But, the thinking outside the box was significant.

I'm curious if anyone knows -- in addition to the person from the office of aging, why is Fr. O from the private high school on the list of movers and shakers?

I don't think the answer is to 'move' Cosi like some say, I think the answer just like in the leaner days of the Toledo Zoo, is to get behind it while it develops its sea legs.

I really feel for the staff at Cosi too. That's rough at the holidays.

posted by anotherblogger on Dec 09, 2007 at 10:16:42 pm     #

Why is Father O on that list? Because he's the leader of one of the top private high schools in the region. (Although I will point out my bias, considering I am a graduate of SFS) Do you really think it's more important to have him on that list or Jimmy Jackson, a career journeyman basketball player who hasn't had much success in the world of business? I bet that Father O is in contact with some of those other "movers and shakers" on a regular basis. In my opinion, more educational leaders should be in full support of Cosi and I'm glad to see his name on the list. The private high schools have alot of pull in NW Ohio, and I don't see anyone from any other private high school on that list. Maybe they're too busy basking in the glow of their flat screen TV's in their new cafeteria.

posted by Jason on Dec 10, 2007 at 01:16:35 pm     #

Hey, Maumee Mom, and welcome anotherblogger & jason; there's more than one way to skin a cat:

Did you see Tom Brady's suggestion in the Blade Reader's Forum on 12/5? What a great idea!

Also, watch the Reader's Forum this week: a letter from Jerry Jakes will appear that goes the next step after Tom Brady's suggestion.

And, a large corporation is considering providing matching funds for the $5.- per family effort.

Perhaps the staff at COSI did too good a job. By providing distance learning to the area schools, attendance suffered.

Let's all keep "thinking outside the box", maybe a combination of ideas will save COSI.

posted by lew on Dec 11, 2007 at 06:10:02 am     #

Are there any updates available? I am curious to know where we are with the fundraising effort - I still have my fingers crossed...

posted by MaumeeMom on Dec 11, 2007 at 10:17:22 am     #

Toledo Community Foundation set up the on line account on 12/9. COSI is also accepting donations. You can call them to check on progress.

There are rumors that a large corporation is preparing to offer matching funds for all donations.

posted by lew on Dec 11, 2007 at 02:43:00 pm     #

Here's a great idea submitted by a mom: send a note home with school kids asking parents to contribute $5.- Or better yet,present the COSI story in class and have the kids ask their parents for a Christmas gift of $5.- for COSI.

posted by lew on Dec 11, 2007 at 02:48:55 pm     #

I'm interested in hearing the outcome of today's COSI working lunch with Carty.

posted by jr on Dec 11, 2007 at 02:50:15 pm     #

lew, I suggested on Saturday :

If COSI's Waterman was interested in helping with the private fund raiser, he'd notify every grade school and maybe high school as well in the area, so the kids could let their parents know about the fund raiser.

But the King Master of Real Negativity for 2007, Waterman, seems to have zero interest in helping COSI.

posted by jr on Dec 11, 2007 at 02:55:01 pm     #

Dec 11, 2007 WTOL mid-afternoon story :

On Tuesday afternoon, several community leaders met at Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner's office for a working lunch. COSI's board chair raised a symbolic white flag, saying there's no hope of a last-minute financial miracle. "In the short term, it is closing because we have a lot of work to be done to develop a new partnership," Dave Waterman said.

Waterman is a regional embarrassment. Waterman and/or the other COSI management jackasses had six years to turn COSI around.

The local "think tank" effort continues to try to find a solution to save COSI in downtown Toledo. Options are being explored to try to re-open COSI sometime in 2008. One idea under serious consideration is creating a new science and technology school to share the space with COSI at its current home.

Just how a new partnership would be paid for is not known. While the mayor isn't ruling out some type of taxpayer support, he says there's growing interest from the private sector to save COSI.

"There have been individuals and there have been companies that have said, 'We believe in it and we would like to help,' and that's part of the exploration of the options and the collaboration we talked about," Finkbeiner said.

The magic figure to re-open COSI in the future? About $1.5 million a year.

posted by jr on Dec 11, 2007 at 08:49:28 pm     #

Dec 12, 2007 Toledo Blade story :

"About 13 or 14 years ago, Toledoans worked very hard to bring a science museum tailored to children to Toledo," Mr. Finkbeiner said. "We hope, in not too long a time, our COSI will be back on its feet."

Neither Mr. Waterman nor the mayor ruled out a third levy request to Lucas County voters. "We have a lot of community support," Mr. Waterman said. "The recent [levy] loss has done nothing but increase that level of support, but we are not there yet."

Mr. Finkbeiner said the committee yesterday discussed the possibility of a Toledo Public School geared toward science being opened at COSI.

Great. Taxpayer dollars could be wasted on utility costs to support a new Toledo public school located in a shitty building while TPS is building a bunch of new schools that are hopefully energy efficient.

posted by jr on Dec 12, 2007 at 08:23:07 am     #

It's too late to turn off the faucet! The region is responding with private $. They recognize COSI as a regional asset, and they want their voices heard (it only costs them $5.-).

If COSI does close, the $ contributed will be used for some sort of science/tecnology venture to benefit families that live in the Lake Erie West region.

posted by lew on Dec 12, 2007 at 08:41:35 am     #

A new Facebook group exists now called Save COSI! that seems to be centered more on the private fund raiser issue because it mentions the Toledo Free Press story, which the other two COSI groups that began weeks ago did not. I think this new Facebook group was started last weekend by some Sylvania Southview students. The group has has over 500 members.

One of the group admins said :

[We're] contacting the guy in charge of the whole $5 plan. On Dec 13 he is going to attempt to make it an official plan, so we'll see what happens. It would be rough to get something like that to work, but we'll see.

By spreading the word, maybe the high schoolers can get their parents involved.

posted by jr on Dec 13, 2007 at 01:12:27 am     #

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