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Cleveland Fire Department Inspector shuts down art gallery for not having occupancy permit

State liquor agents raid a wine and cheese event at Ohio City's Naji Gallery, after getting complaints from a Tremont resident.

CLEVELAND, Ohio-- Despite the Memorial weekend shootings, authorities want Clevelanders to know they are safer now that the Loren Naji Studio Gallery has been shut down a second time in three weeks.

Friday night, a Cleveland Fire Department Inspector shut down the Naji Studio and Gallery during an event, for not having an occupancy permit. About 50 people were in attendance in the large space and no alcohol was being served.

Naji said he was in the process of obtaining the permit and was told by a city official he could proceed with the event.

Councilman Joe Cimperman backed up that claim with the following statement: "After two weeks of intense collaboration with Loren, the city and the neighbors, we were surprised as you that the Fire Department came to the studio."

"His application has been submitted for an occupancy permit. Loren- with the support of my office, Ohio City Incorporated and neighbors - has been doing everything to become compliant. He has the parking he needs and has done everything to become absolutely code correct."

Cimperman said it was his understanding that there was a valid temporary occupancy permit for Friday's event and that what happened, "should not have happened."

The opening at the Gallery was for the CAN Journal, a quarterly magazine for art in Northeast Ohio. Cimperman told the magazine that half the buildings in Cleveland don't have an occupancy permit. Because of the age of the gallery building, it did not have an original permit.

Fire Department Inspector James Ruffin, who shut down the gallery, said he was just doing his job. The question is, at who's behest? I don't doubt Cimperman's claim the half the buildings in town don't have occupancy permits. So is it just random chance that Inspector Ruffin shuts down Naji's Gallery within three weeks of state liquor agents doing the same?

Tremont resident Henry Senyak has acknowledged being the source of the complaints that reportedly prompted the May 2 raid by state agents. The state agent in charge of the Cleveland office confirmed Senyak was the source of many of the "multiple complaints" that resulted in the raid.

Senyak is a Tremont resident and activist. The Loren Naji Gallery is in Ohio City. According to Cimperman, the gallery's immediate neighbors support Naji and his studio gallery. One neighboring business has even allowed the him to use their parking lot.

In 2012 Senyak resigned as President of the Tremont West Development Corporation the day after several board members reportedly walked out of a board meeting. In an interview with a community paper, Plain Press, Senyak said the main reason he resigned as President was "the disrespect shown me by a handful of current board members" He also claimed Cimperman was trying to seize control.

There's a line where community activism can become harassment and bullying. When the system for filing citizen complaints can be abused and used as weapon against others. Senyak's critics believe he has crossed that line.

Last Saturday, I got a taste of Mr Senyak's tactics when I posted a cartoon sketch on the state's liquor raid. Within the span of 90 minutes that morning, I was slammed with 15 emails from citizen Senyak. Six of those emails were sent within 20 minutes. Unlike today's commentary, Saturday's cartoon and commentary did not even mention Senyak's name, but apparently, he recognized himself in them.

While I welcome hearing from readers, if you want to come off as stable, rational and have me read what you have to share, it's not wise to slam me with rapid fire emails for an hour and a half.

It was good to see Cleveland's Police Chief come out and ask the community to provide any information they have on those responsible for the Memorial weekend shootings, because I was beginning to think Loren Naji must be Cleveland's Public Enemy #1. Now I'd like to see Frank Jackson reassert that he's Mayor of the Cleveland and not Henry Senyak, because I'm beginning to wonder.

Being shut down Friday for not having an occupancy permit was bad timing for the Naji Gallery. But it was also bad timing for the City of Cleveland, coming on the heels of the report showing Cleveland's occupancy has shrunk again with more population loss. The City should be more concerned about its own occupancy rate, not that of an art gallery that is one of many seeds that help revitalize a community and is actively working to meet city codes. The Naji Gallery raids are a ratty 'Welcome Mat" for the city to put on its doorstep.

If the Republican Convention comes to town, they better have their occupancy and liquor permits in order, or Mayor Senyak and his state agents and city inspectors may be calling.