To the Editor:
I’ve known and worked closely with Neocles Leontis for decades, first at Bowling Green State University
on many committees and then on mitigating the dangers of global warming and other human rights projects
in and beyond the city.
Leontis is a person who, when he sees a problem, investigates it and acts in the local and global
community. It’s not an overstatement to say that he qualifies as a Renaissance man, a polymath, a person
whose expertise spans a wide variety of fields.
An example: Eighteen months ago one of his students and his friends had rented a run-down house in the
city. The landlord had promised to clean the house and provide working stove, washer and dryer. When
they tried to move in, it was so dirty they couldn’t sleep and the utilities were not working. They
asked for help.
Leontis didn’t walk away as many would have. Instead, he suggested they call the Fire Department for an
inspection. The landlord was cited for 13 violations. The conditions in the house posed “danger of fire
and of electrocution.”
Leontis learned that in fact our city administration does not require any fire or health inspections
before an older house is put on the market. He has called this situation to the attention of theMayor
Dick Edwards, the city council and the Bowling Green Human Rights Commission.
So far no action has been taken for all would-be renters to make sure rental properties are safe before
they go on the market. His opponent Bruce Jeffers has failed to address these issues. This is why he is
running, to provide a progressive voice and vote for change in BG.
As a scientist with a specialty in chemistry, Leontis is able to see the social and material complexity
of situations involving public health. Such a skill-set gives him insights into our recycling of waste
and our landfills. His immediate goals as a council member include lowering utility costs with safe
housing, revitalizing neighborhoods with safe walkways and bike paths, and initiating a city-wide
composting program.
Tom Klein
Bowling Green