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By David Jacobs, Blade Staff Writer
The Blade (Toledo, OH)
09-28-96
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner has opened a battle with another suburban city.
The mayor, locked in a dispute with Sylvania over the sale of Toledo water since last year, is now taking on Maumee over the historic Fallen Timbers battle site.
In a sharply worded letter, Mayor Finkbeiner has accused Maumee Mayor Stephen Pauken of "highly inappropriate" actions involving Toledo-owned land linked to the 1794 battle site.
Mr. Pauken wants up to 185 acres of Toledo-owned land in the Maumee area preserved as a national historic site, affiliated with the National Park Service.
That would be made possible under legislation introduced earlier this week by U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine (R, O.). Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) introduced a companion House bill.
Mr. Finkbeiner opposes Senator DeWine's legislation, though he is willing to donate about 15 acres of Toledo-owned land in the area for a historical memorial.
He said his position is clear on the rest of the land: "I feel that it is necessary that I obtain the highest reasonable price possible..."
"Your campaign to take this land from the city of Toledo through a basically political process without consultation with the city of Toledo is a most adversarial approach," Mr. Finkbeiner told Mr. Pauken in a letter this week.
Mr. Finkbeiner accused Maumee's mayor of inserting himself between Toledo and the Isaac Cos., which has an option on Toledo- owned land in the area for possible development.
Mr. Pauken is not surprised by the claims, which he disputes.
"You try to do something good, and somebody doesn't agree, so they lash out," he said yesterday.
Mr. Pauken denied interfering with the Isaac Cos., which is headquartered in Maumee. But he said he did discuss the land and other matters with a company official in July.
"The land in question is in the corporate limits of Maumee...I always think it's a good policy to be candid as to what we'd like to see done there."
Mr. Pauken said he is determined not to lose "my good nature and demeanor" in dealing with Mayor Finkbeiner.
"I don't think anything I have done is inappropriate...Sometimes, the way he handles things is inappropriate," Mayor Pauken said. "What more can I say?"
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