Cleveland Heights City Council—meeting highlights
DECEMBER 21, 2009
Vice Mayor Phyllis Evans excused
Millard Fillmore Society
Resident Alan Rapoport of Compton Road inducted retiring Council Member Nancy Dietrich into the Millard Fillmore Society, a group created by former local public officials and dedicated to the preservation of the “historic irrelevance of former municipal officers.” He also praised Dietrich’s contributions on council.
Cedar-Lee businesses worried about crime
Speaking on behalf of the owners and operators of businesses in the Cedar-Lee business district, many of whom were present, John Zagara, owner of Zagara’s Marketplace, expressed frustration with drug activity and related crimes at Quinn’s and other locations in the neighborhood and the insufficient action being taken. Declan Synnott of Cleveland Heights Boulevard and owner of Parnell’s Pub stated his displeasure with drug activity near CVS and the high school and hoped that the city would not let it get out of control. Mayor Kelley responded that business people should call the police readily about any type of questionable activity. He stated that five police officers would be reinstated early next year.
Preservation program renewed
Council authorized the city manager to renew an agreement with the Cleveland Restoration Society: Preservation Resource Center of Northeastern Ohio for historic preservation consulting services in connection with the Heritage Home Loan Program, which provides below-market interstate loans to owners of historic properties for repairs and improvements.
Home funding assistance continued
Council approved an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners for continued funding through the end of 2010 for the successful Owner-Occupant Down Payment Assistance Program to encourage owner-occupancy of one-to-four-family homes and condominiums in the city.
Secondhand dealers to be licensed
In order to make it more difficult to turn items obtained illegally into cash, council adopted an ordinance amending the city code to require licensing of secondhand dealers and recording of specific information about the persons selling the items. Not-for-profit entities holding rummage sales and residents holding garage or yard sales would not be considered secondhand dealers.
Quinn’s Bar declared nuisance
Council Member Mark Tumeo introduced a resolution declaring Quinn’s Bar, 13179 Cedar Rd., to be a nuisance with hazards to the health, safety, and welfare of patrons, neighbors and the public, including numerous criminal activities, such as a homicide and gun, gang and drug activity. This resolution authorizing abatement of the nuisance was declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the preservation of public peace, health and safely and passed immediately.
Recreation rates
Council set the rates for recreational activities in city facilities in 2010. There will be a 10% increase in season pass, swim instruction and some other fees at Cumberland Pool. The only rates to increase for entertainment and recreation programs at Cain Park and other locations for 2010 will be a 10% increase for day camp. Rates were also set for annual and monthly passes for specified categories of nonresidents permitted to use the field house.
Budgets approved
As described by Council Member Kenneth Montlack, the “almost final wrap-up of the 2009 budget,” which had been reduced by almost $3 million from the original budget, was approved. Also passed was the 2010 budget totaling $40,530,177, an increase of less than 1% from 2009. Notable changes include a cut of $125,000 in Cain Park expenditures and an increase of $240,000 for police officers.
Tributes to Nancy Dietrich
Every council member in turn praised retiring member Nancy Dietrich, describing her as enthusiastic, optimistic, responsive and kind. All considered her a trustworthy friend and a true collaborator with special concern and achievement in the areas of the environment, equal rights, the public schools and regionalism. Dietrich spoke individually to each of her six colleagues and nine senior staff, referring to them as “all part of one team.” She said that it had been “such an honor” to have had “the most wonderful 12 years” on city council. Mayor Kelley closed the meeting by reading a formal tribute to her.
LWV observers: Blanche Valancy and Katherine Solender
JANUARY 4, 2010Vice Mayor Phyllis Evans excused.
Newly elected council members sworn in
The first meeting of the year is the council’s organizational meeting. After Clerk of Council Thomas Malone announced the November 3, 2009 election results, the newly elected officials Bonita W. Caplan, Cheryl Stephens, Mark A. Tumeo, and Edward J. Kelley were sworn in. With a unanimous vote, council elected Mr. Kelley mayor for a fifth term and Ms. Evans vice mayor.
Comments and congratulations
After recognizing many elected officials and community leaders, Mayor Kelley invited State Representative Barbara Boyd and Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones to offer comments. Both congratulated the council and warned of the difficult times that lay ahead due to fiscal constraints. Each council member congratulated the newly elected members, thanked voters, articulated goals for the year and the hope of working together, and commented on challenges and possibilities that lay ahead.
Committee appointments
The mayor announced the membership for council’s six standing committees:
Administrative Services: Stephens, chair; Caplan, vice chair; Evans, member
Community Relations: Evans, chair; Caplan, vice chair; Montlack, member
Finance: Tumeo, chair; Wilcox, vice chair; Montlack, member
Municipal Services: Caplan, chair; Montlack, vice chair; Wilcox, member
Planning & Development: Wilcox, chair; Evans, vice chair; Stephens, member
Public Safety: Montlack, chair; Tumeo, vice chair; Caplan, member
ButtOut Ohio
Joel Weinberg from the Ohio Department of Health extended thanks to the council for their support for the department’s new ButtOut Ohio initiative to discourage youth from smoking. The initiative targets gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, who have an especially high incidence of smoking.
Millikin School property concerns
Four residents, Vicki Knight, Sam Richmond and Harriet Applegate of Crest Road and Allyson Robichaud of Meadowbrook Road, expressed concern about the potential destruction of the natural area that is part of the Millikin School property on Crest Road if the school board sells it. Ms. Knight urged the city to use its powers to promote preservation of natural areas and to help stop changes to the Millikin site. Mayor Kelley encouraged them to take their concerns to the board of education with the assurance that the city would scrutinize whatever happens.
Waterline replacement
Council authorized a contract with Mackey Engineering and Surveying Company for waterline replacements in Runnymede Boulevard and part of Quilliams Road at a cost under $34,000. Runnymede has the worst waterline break record in the city.
On-street parking approval
As it must do annually, council approved suspending the prohibition against on-street parking between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. for all or part of Kensington, Hillcrest, Belmar, Glenmont and Eddington Roads. It also authorized sale of parking permits ($30 per month) for residents on those streets to park on the street. Other enumerated streets where all-night parking is permitted are portions of Euclid Heights Boulevard, Superior Park Drive, Mayfield, Derbyshire, Surrey, Bellfield, Middlehurst, Hampshire, Grandview, Yorkshire, and Norfolk Roads.
LWV observers: Susan Kaeser, Blanche Valancy
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.