Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights – July 6
JULY 6, 2010
- Assessment notices
- Bonds to purchase equipment
- 2011 tax budget
- Water line repairs
- Street repairs
- Cumberland Parking Lot project
- Ice rinks maintenance
- Green zoning
All council members were present.
Assessment notifications
Responding to questions from Fenley Road residents, Director of Finance Thomas Malone explained that, as required by state law, the city sent certified letters to all property owners whose operating assessments for street lighting and forestry services will be more than $250 over the next three years. The rate of these assessments, which have been in existence for many years, is now $1.80 per front foot. It was $1.27 during the last assessment period, but First Energy has since increased its rates. More than 9,500 such certified letters were sent to city residents.
Bonds to purchase equipment
Council approved the issuance of $665,000 of notes in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to finance the acquisition of various types of motorized equipment for the city.
2011 tax budget
The city’s 2011 tax budget was presented on first reading. The public can examine the proposed budget at the finance department's office at City Hall and a public hearing on the budget will take place on Monday, July 19, at 7 p.m. in the council chambers before the regular council meeting. The budget, which is still in process, will be about $41 million, a one percent increase over the current budget.
Water line repairs
Council authorized an agreement with the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) for financing and construction of the Runnymede Road Water Main Replacement project. Under this agreement the city will apply to the OWDA for a 20-year loan of $362,000.
Council approved contracting Consulting Engineering Inc. for a waterline survey at a cost not to exceed $42,000. Such surveys substantially reduce water losses as leaks are detected and repaired.
Street repairs
Council approved contracting CT Consultants Inc. for engineering and support services related to the planning and implementation of the city’s 2010 street chip sealing and crack sealing project, at a cost not to exceed $15,000.
Cumberland parking lot project
Council approved contracting Neff & Associates for engineering services for the Cumberland Park Parking Lot Improvement project. This project is being funded through a grant of more than $250,000 received through the Ohio Surface Water Improvement Fund (SWIF). The fee to Neff, not to exceed $16,950, will be reimbursed from SWIF grant funds.
Ice rinks maintenance
Council approved five year-agreements with Tempest, Inc. for preventive maintenance for the Community Center ice rinks. The annual cost will be $21,540 for the South Rink and $25,140 for the North Rink. The agreements also provide for emergency repairs on a time-and-materials basis and a payment, not to exceed $45,000, for emergency repairs already performed.
Green zoning
Council approved an agreement with Camiros Ltd., an urban planning firm, for consulting services to incorporate sustainable practices into the city’s zoning code—the Green Zoning project. The total fee is not to exceed $40,000, half of which will be supported by Community Development Block Grant funds and the other half by the water fund. The process is expected to take six to seven months and will include opportunities for public input.
LWV Observer: Katherine Solender
These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse, Marilyn McLaughlin and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.
These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports