The good news: Squabbling Toledo-area politicians are finally united on something.
The bad news: That something is hiding the real identity of the "U.S. Coking Group."
May 12, 2004
On April 26, Sandy Buchanan, Ohio Citizen Action Executive Director,
wrote to all public officials in Ohio involved in the "U.S. Coking Group"
undertaking, noting that "never in Ohio history has the government at all
levels gone to such extremes to run interference for a project whose backers'
identity remains concealed from the public." Buchanan said "So far, all statements by and about the company have identified Frank Stella as its leader. Mr. Stella is chairman and CEO of the F.D. Stella Products Company in Detroit, a firm that designs and distributes food service and dining equipment. He founded the company in 1946, and is reputed to have been a good businessman and a civic leader in the Detroit area. We know nothing to the contrary. It is quite another thing for anyone to believe that at this stage in his career, he would suddenly decide to become the prime mover in a $300 million investment in a coke complex in Toledo. We don't buy it, and we doubt you or anyone else does either."
The letter asked each official -- (1) Do you know who the real backers of "U.S. Coking Group" are? (2) If so, who are they? and (3) Why has this information been withheld from the public to this date? Their answers are tallied below.
The new coke plant hasn't even been built, yet it already emits an odor that can be smelled all over the county.
MORE ON U.S. COKING GROUP
| Public official | Response |
| Toledo Mayor Jack Ford | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Louis Escobar | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Pete Gerken | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Karyn McConnell | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember George Sarantou | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Betty Shultz | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Frank Szollosi | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Wilma Brown | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Rob Ludeman | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Bob McCloskey | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Michael Ashford | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Ellen Grachek | No reply |
| Toledo City Councilmember Wade Kapszukiewicz | No reply |
| Toledo Environmental Services official E. Jeanette Ball | No reply |
| Toledo Environmental Services official Matt Stanfield | No reply |
| Toledo Environmental Services official Karen Granata | No reply |
| Oregon Mayor Marge Brown | No reply |
| Oregon City Administrator Kenneth Filipiak | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Michael Sheehy | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Jerry Peach | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Jim Seaman | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Sharon Graffeo-Rudess | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Matthew Szollosi | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Jeff Keller | No reply |
| Oregon City Councilmember Mike Seferian | No reply |
| Lucas County Commissioner Harry Barlos | No reply |
| Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak | No reply |
| Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Thomas Palmer | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Doni Miller | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Bruce Baumhower | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember David Boston | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Kenneth Dobson | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Opie Rollison | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Thomas Schlachter | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Daniel Smith | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember William Carroll | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Margarita De Leon | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Dennis Duffey | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Carleton Finkbeiner | No reply |
| Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Boardmember Michael Frank | No reply |
| Ohio Governor Robert Taft | No reply |
| Ohio EPA Director Christopher Jones | May 11 letter |
| Ohio EPA official Bob Hodanbosi | No reply |
| Ohio EPA official Steve Fruh | No reply |
| Ohio EPA official Tom Tucker | No reply |
| Ohio EPA official Sudhir Singhal | No reply |
| Ohio EPA official Bill Spires | No reply |
| U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur | No reply |