Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights
Vice Mayor Phyllis Evans excused.
Designations sought
Mary Dunbar of Fairfax Road said that she was working with city officials on the designation of the Fairfax neighborhood as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places and of Cleveland Heights as a bike-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists.
Step It Up concerns
About 12 members of Step It Up Cleveland Heights were present. Susie Kaeser, of Compton Road, and Mark Chupp, of Edgehill Road, spoke on behalf of this “informal group of residents who got together last summer to think about ways they could have a positive impact on the city and its future.” Kaeser urged council to address five core concerns: 1) environmental and financial sustainability; 2) close and supportive relationships with the public schools; 3) a plan for the community’s future; 4) collaborative and creative approaches to the housing foreclosure crisis; and 5) engaging and valuing a diverse community. Chupp promised that the group would continue to brainstorm ideas and partner with council and local nonprofit organizations.
Bid authority granted
Council granted City Manager Robert Downey authority to advertise for bids for the purchase of sand, gravel, and limestone and for utility billing services.
Housing amendments to city code
Council amended the city code to permit the city manager to establish regulations pertaining to an expedited process for selecting companies for the demolition of homes under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program without formal bidding procedures. (The current process pertains to the selection of contractors for renovation work; this legislation enables similar rules for demolition projects.) An additional amendment clarified that the process for the selection of contractors for home renovation included emergency repairs to those homes. It was noted that the city has a number of housing programs to maintain and improve housing stock. There is $1.6 million committed to renovating 13 homes, along with $226,000 for demolishing 8 homes; 11 HUD homes are being monitored. The city has a history of addressing issues related to vacant and foreclosed homes. Federal and state funds are important in this effort.
HOME funding extended
Council approved extending, through the end of 2011, the contract period of an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners for funding, through the Cuyahoga Housing Consortium’s HOME Program, for the city’s Deferred and No-Interest Loan Program.
City Manager Downey lauded
Council applauded Robert Downey on his 25 years of excellent service as city manager. His open leadership style and respect for all, his ability to work effectively with vastly different persons and entities, and his success in hiring and maintaining a diverse, talented and committed staff dedicated to public service were noted with appreciation.
Volunteers requested
Council Member Cheryl Stephens requested volunteers for membership on the city’s various boards and commissions. Information and an application forms are available on the city’s Web site.
LWV observer: Katherine Solender and Lisa Peters.
FEBRUARY 1, 2010Vice Mayor Phyllis Evans excused.
Betty Nelson recognized
Betty Nelson, who was stepping down from the Board of Zoning Appeals after 19 years of service, was thanked and praised by all the council members for her dedication, intelligence and integrity. Council Member Dennis Wilcox noted her ability to strike a balance between the interests of individuals and the welfare of the community.
Oakwood property
Fran Mentch, of Lynn Park Road, representing the Severance Neighborhood Organization, spoke of the group’s hope that the Oakwood Country Club property would become a public green space. The organization has a Web site: www.heightssno.org and a Facebook page, “Help Save 144 acres of Green Space in South Euclid-Cleveland Heights.”
Houses purchased by city
The city has purchased three properties, 1035 Helmsdale Road, 3199 Sycamore Road, and 950 Dresden Road, which are located in Neighborhood Stabilization Program priority target areas, for the purpose of demolition or rehabilitation and eventual resale.
Funds for fair housing study
Council approved the reprogramming and reallocation of $1,500 in Community Development Block Grant funds in order to undertake an analysis of impediments to Fair Housing Choice study.
City business analysis
Council Member Mark Tumeo noted the presence of Professor Susan Barnes and MBA students from Cleveland State University, who, as a class project, will be undertaking a business analysis of the city, looking at its efficiency and effectiveness.
Doan Brook Watershed expenses
Council authorized an agreement with the nonprofit Doan Brook Watershed Partnership for partial funding, in the amount of $18,000, of the organization’s operating expenses. Council Member Bonnie Caplan is now the council representative to this organization.
Police car purchase
The city police department will purchase 9 new Ford Crown Victorias from Statewide Ford Lincoln Mercury through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services Cooperative Purchasing Program. The agreement passed by council limits the total cost to no more than $215,000, which represents most of the police department’s capital budget for the year.
Recycling importance
Council members Bonnie Caplan and Kenneth Montlack both spoke about the importance of recycling. Mr. Montlack noted that recycling produced income for the city of about $25 per ton. Landfill costs are about $35 per ton. The revenues from recycling and the savings from not sending everything to the landfill are critical to the city’s budget.
LWV observer: Katherine Solender.
This is an expanded version of the report published in the printed Heights Observer.
These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by 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.