Candidate-for-UH Council - Pamela Cameron
PAMELA CAMERON
2171 Jackson Blvd. Univerity Hts. 44118 Age:54
BIOGRAPHICALINFORMATION:
Education: Univ of Akron - Assoc Arts - Sociology '88; Cleve State Univ - Bachelor of Arts - Sociology '90
Occupation: Murtis Taylor Human Services System - Community Psychiatric Support Team caseworker (Adult Mental Health)
Qualifications: I have eighteen years of public service (county-wide) in child welfare at Cuyahoga County Children Family Services.
Community: I have three years of volunteer experience with the Wiley MS PTA, last year serving as an officer - Recording Secretary.
QUESTIONS and RESPONSES:
1. The most important thing: The most important thing the city must do is to reconnect and reengage the citizens in the process of public service. Our citizens are talented and our resources are many, yet in recent years we have struggled with our identity as a small town. Our public welfare is dependent upon our ability to be relevant to our citizens and the satellite constituents connected to us. We must acknowledge the abilities of our citizens and ask directly for their aid and service to the city.
2. Regionalism: Generally, I believe in collaborative relationships with nearby cities for consumer services; such as recreational activities with S Euclid - Lyndhurst, and collaboration with safety forces in Shaker Heights (not every city needs SWAT teams.) However, regionalism doesn't justify merging with a larger city or contracting out a popular city service (backyard refuse collection). This is a feature serving as a marketing and branding opportunity for the city. Save it.
3. Housing market: The foreclosure problem is first, a personal one and therefore city government is limited in its response. However, one option is to provide citizens with a resource packet of foreclosure/financial aid information at a mutual key point - a missed property tax payment.
4. CH-UH levy: I support the levy. I believe consistent investment in public schools are a key feature in marketing our city as inclusive, and progressive. University Heights would be represented as having a vigorous tax base with strong and stable property values. University Heights would embody the message that we respect our educational history and value the future for all of our children.
5. Development: I want the city to refocus its self-image as a "city of beautiful homes". That is to develop a comprehensive marketing and economic plan around this concept. Perhaps the "bedroom community" can reinvent itself as a "mecca" for all things home related. For example, UH should be the model to others seeking information to develop at-home businesses. We may be land-locked in terms of physical commercial space but the internet is an open medium for business savvy entities.
6. John Carroll: It is said; "The devil is in the details." All parties must first understand its mutual interests and then establish a process to regularly communicate and engage with one another in contact moderated by a neutral third party. Fortunately, talk is cheap. But make it mandatory that problem-solving issues are decided within a specific cycle or time frame.