Welcome to the Oakwood Register

November 22, 2005 - Volume 14, Number 47

a Winkler Company publication

Also featuring photos from our monthly supplement...

Craftsman Bungalow on Ivanhoe

Dayton Peacemaker prizes awarded to Holbrooke, Musanovic

By Dolores Wagner

The Dayton Peace Prize Awards dinner, one event in the week-long commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords, took place Thursday evening Nov. 17 at the Schuster Center with over 450 people attending the gala affair. Guests were welcomed by Doris Ponitz, chair of the Dayton-A Peace Process (DAPP), the organization responsible for the week of events surrounding this celebration.

The evening’s program recognized two individuals who have made a real difference in Bosnia – Farida Musanovic was awarded the Dayton Peacemaker Prize and the Honorable Richard C. Holbrooke received the Dayton Peace Prize.

Former Ambassador Holbrooke was introduced to the audience by German Ambassador to the United States, Wolfgang Ischinger. The honor was given to Holbrooke for his role as the chief architect of the 1995 Dayton Peace agreement which ended the war in Bosnia. In other capacities he has continued as an ardent promoter of world peace. He held the post of ambassador to both the United Nations and to Germany; he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Europe; and he was President Clinton’s special envoy to Bosnia and Kosovo, to name just a few of his many involvements in the international scene. Holbrooke also participated in the Vietnam Peace talks.

Farida Musanovic , the winner of the Dayton Peacemaker Prize, was introduced by Oakwood resident Ann Simms. Masonivic was honored for her efforts on behalf of women who were victims of the war in Bosnia. Through the Women for Women International, an organization formed in 1994, Musanovic helped create a “sister-to-sister” program in which one woman from Bosnia was matched with one woman from the United States. In the first month of its operation, 14 women received assistance. By 1997 more than 600 women were helped with financial and moral support. For Simms, presenting the award to Musanovic held special meaning since she, herself, is a participant in the sister-to-sister program. Today, Woman for Women International serves 52,000 women survivors of war and has distributed $21 million in direct-aid loans in Afghanistan, Colombia, the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria and Rwanda.

The evening gave evidence to the fact that Dayton has come to mean more than a place on the map. It has come to mean a process of negotiation toward peace. DAPP strengthens that meaning.

Atmosphere of distrust gave way to Peace Accords

By Carol Holm

Attorney Carol Holm was one of dozens of Oakwood citizens who attended the 10th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords at the U.S. Air Force Museum on Nov. 18. Following is a narrative of her insightful experiences at the celebration…

I joined a long list of local leaders and dignitaries from around the Atlantic rim to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords which ended the fighting between religious groups in the fragmented Yugoslavia. Guests were welcomed inside the door and directed to the WWII galleries where a small reception was held for Gen. Wesley Clark.

At 7:30 p.m., soft bells rang to signal that we were to go to the Stealth bomber gallery. The rooms were darkened so that the planes receded from view. There in the center of the room were round tables set for three hundred people. In the center of each table was an ice sculpture commemorating the Accords. Around two sides of the dining area were 12-foot-high mahogany structures into which were placed photos of the negotiators of 10 years ago as well as important documents for display.

I sat at a table with federal Judge William Clark and his wife Cathy, Erik Reinerman of the World Bank. Also nearby was the president of the USAF Foundation and his wife, and members of the Bosnian delegation.

Gen. Wesley Clark was the keynote speaker. He spoke of how is it was determined to have isolation for the peace process for Bosnia, Serbia, and Herzegovina to occur. He spoke of the atmosphere of distrust between all the Yugoslavian factions. Ultimately, Clark drew the map and had to enforce it together with NATO troops. None of these troops were killed in action during the enforcement period. Clark noted that the use of force is not sufficient to solve problems but that diplomacy and law must be used. A political problem is to be solved by dialogue, understanding of perspective, moderating views, changing minds, and allowing peace. Even in this turbulent area, there were no secret detention centers. The European community had called for an end to the fighting.

Clark felt that the Americans and President Clinton were orchestrating the proceedings like a jazz musician plays music – there was no score, just improvisation. Sometimes it was negotiation and sometimes mediation. Ultimately, all were asked to look to the future and consider what could be accomplished with vision and courage and tolerance.

The government there is unique. There is a tri-presidency and there are two armies and 6000 EU troops. There is a plan and it will evolve. At this point there is still a list of people from whom representatives are picked AFTER an election. In the future, candidates need to stand for election. Also, those governing must separate private personal interests from what they advocate in public. There must be ethical and financial disclosures. What are the lessons to the world at large?

• Great struggles are not won by force of arms alone – changing the mindset of what motivates people is important.

• People should always be treated with respect and communities nurtured.

• Wise leadership must be sought – divisiveness is poison.

• The Rule of Law must organize societies, even in distress.

• The U.S. must demonstrate U.S. values of fairness, justice, compassion and fair dealing.

The people I met there were committed to working for peace. This is important for our future and the safety and well-being of our children.

Miller-Valentine ends NCR Sugar Camp option

By Lance Winkler

After six months of research and much due diligence on the part of both the Miller-Valentine Group as well as the City of Oakwood, the option to purchase NCR’s Sugar Camp complex fell through due to a number of economic and mitigating factors. Miller-Valentine ended the contract on Nov. 11.

“I was informed by Miller-Valentine that their contract with NCR to purchase Sugar Camp has been terminated. Miller-Valentine and NCR were unable to reach final terms on the deal. After all of Miller-Valentine’s study, they determined that the purchase price was several million dollars higher than what they could pay to implement their redevelopment plan, even with some public tax dollar assistance from the City of Oakwood,” Oakwood City Manager Norbert Klopsch said.

“The bottom line is that the market can’t support the investment needed to purchase and improve the property. The money it would take to buy the property and create commercial office space that the market needs and to build the condominium-style housing that many of our citizens desire is far greater than what commercial office sspace users and residential buyers would be willing to pay,” Klopsch said.

“In the past, we’ve fielded a lot of interest. Right now we’re currently evaluating our options, said John Hourigan, director of corporate media at NCR. “There was a multitude of reasons for the decision,” he said.

On Nov. 2, the Oakwood Planning Commission reviewed Miller-Valentine’s proposed redevelopment concept and made a strong statement in support of the plan. However, since specific details about that development plan were not yet completed, it was not appropriate for the planning commission to formally grant approval, nor was Miller-Valentine expecting such action.

“City Council and I clearly understand the significance of the Sugar Camp property and continue to retain hope that the property can be reused to the benefit of our city. We will continue to work hard to achieve this goal. Yet at the same time will exercise fiscal responsibility before committing public tax dollars to the endeavor,” Klopsch said.

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