Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights for June 7
JUNE 7, 2010
- Purchase of homes
- Reallocation of block grant funds
- Funds to Home Repair Resource Center
- Funds to Open Doors
- Purchase of trucks
- Taylor Road Rehabilitation
- Norfolk project monies
- Extension of electric power agreement
- Design services for Denison Park
- New city plans
- Lead remediation monies
All council members present.
Purchase of homes
The city is purchasing three properties at 954 Dresden Road, 2057 Hanover Road and 1837 Lee Road. Earlier legislation allows the city to purchase vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed homes for demolition or rehabilitation and eventual resale.
Reallocation of block grant funds
Council approved the reprogramming and reallocation of $152,700 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the contingency fund to the public works fund. This vote also authorized moving $13,885 from the Home Repair Resource Center’s (HRRC) Deferred Loan Match Program to the Neighborhood Project Repair Program.
Funds to Home Repair Resource Center
Council also authorized an agreement with the HRRC for the use of $301,500 in CDBG funds for assistance with the nonprofit organization’s various home repair and home improvement programs, including Neighborhood Project Repair grants, the Assist 0% program, Assist Incentive grants, the Assist Deferred Loan Match Program and House Counseling. The agreement extends from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.
Funds to Open Doors
Open Doors Inc. will receive $5,000 in CDBG funds during the next 12 months to assist with the organization’s after-school programming for middle school-aged youths.
Purchase of trucks
Council voted to purchase three pickup trucks from 32 Ford Mercury Inc. through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services Cooperative Purchasing Program as well as snow plow packages and other necessary accessories from Best Truck Equipment Inc. These expenditures will be paid with proceeds from the city’s issuance of tax-exempt notes or bonds not expected to exceed $80,000.
Taylor Road rehabilitation
Mayor Ed Kelley noted that those residents who regularly drive on Taylor Road between Euclid Heights Boulevard and the north city line will be happy to know that the Taylor Road Rehabilitation Project will start in the summer of 2011. The city manager has been authorized to apply to the Ohio Department of Transportation State Infrastructure Bank for a $7,256,000 loan to fund the project. This will cover the city’s share of the costs and provide interim funding for the costs anticipated to be reimbursed with
$5,804,800 in federal funds.
Norfolk project monies
Council authorized amending an agreement with Mackay Engineering & Surveying Company related to the Norfolk Waterline and Sewer Replacement Project to provide $1,379.27 for additional services requested by the city.
Extension of electric power agreement
The city’s current agreement with First Energy Solutions Corporation to supply electric power to the city’s residents and businesses under the city’s Electric Aggregation Power Supply Program was extended three years to May 2018.
Design services for Denison Park
Council approved Behnke Associates Inc for design services for improvements to Denison Park, including the removal of the pool, the development of additional shelters and picnic areas, and a storm water management plan at a cost not to exceed $3,500.
New city plans
Councilmember Dennis Wilcox reported that the city is updating its Strategic Development Plan to include projects to increase the city’s tax base. The plan will be perused by the Planning Commission and posted on the city’s web site after at least one public meeting. Also underway is a Green Zoning Initiative, which will result in revisions to the zoning code with an eye toward environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.
Lead remediation monies
Council voted to renew an agreement extending through October 2010 with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health for a grant of $112,750 for lead remediation work in at least eleven dwelling units occupied by young children whose families are income-eligible.
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.