Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 9-19-12
SEPTEMBER 19, 2012
- Citizen concerns
- Coventry Village improvements
- City Hall parking lot improvements
- Gas Aggregation Program
- Mayfield Road rehabilitation
- Nighttown patio improvement
- Cedar-Fairmount improvements
- Free parking
- Fire department vehicle purchase
- 3417 DeSota Ave.
- Emergency management
- MYXX
All council members were present.
Citizen concerns
Meadowbrook-Lee project
Two residents, Fran Mentch and Garry Kantor, expressed opposition to the Meadowbrook-Lee development project. Mentch maintained that the 80-percent, eleven-year tax abatement would mean that citizens would have to make up the $3.8 million in taxes saved by the Orlean Company. She pointed out the public money already invested in preparation and cleanup of the site, and intends to urge the school board, which also has to endorse tax abatement proposals, to deny approval. Kanter claimed that the request for proposal did not include a market study and elicited only three responses. He asked council not to send the proposal to the school board.
Coventry Village improvements
Council approved a resolution that would allow business owners in the Coventry Village Special Improvement District (SID) to continue to invest in the public areas of the vibrant Coventry district, the second oldest SID in Ohio (after Playhouse Square). This will cover administration, professional services, marketing, streetscape, security, maintenance and beautification of public areas.
City Hall parking lot improvements
Council approved an agreement with Behnke Associates Inc. for conceptual design services for city hall parking lot improvements (similar to those creating a green lot at Cumberland Pool) for a lump sum fee not to exceed $4,850 plus expenses.
Gas Aggregation Program
Council approved an agreement with Integrys Energy Services - Natural Gas LLC for the continued provision of natural gas to Cleveland Heights residents and businesses under the Gas Aggregation Program for an additional two years commencing Nov. 1, 2012. This program, which began in 2002, provides annual, quarterly variable, and monthly variable rates, with no additional charges for new residents, persons who move to a new residence, or those who change from fixed- to variable-rate programs. The rate will be fixed at the last possible moment and will be announced in a few weeks.
Mayfield Road rehabilitation
Council approved application to the State of Ohio Office of the District One Public Works Integrating Committee for Ohio Public Works Commission funds for the Mayfield Road Pavement Rehabilitation Project. This project will extend from the west corporate limit to the east corporate limit of the city. It is scheduled to start in August 2013 and to finish in September 2014.
Nighttown patio improvement
Council approved an agreement with Nighttown Inc. to relocate its dumpsters to City Parking Lot 9 near Edwards Road. This will allow the restaurant to enhance outdoor patio dining behind the restaurant.
Cedar-Fairmount improvements
Council authorized an application, in conjunction with the Cedar Fairmount SID, to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) for federal funding for streetscape improvements. The city or the SID will provide 20 percent matching funding for the NOACA grant.
Free parking
The city plans to extend the popular free parking program in city lots during the last weekend of each month through December.
Fire department vehicle purchase
Council approved the purchase of three Ford Interceptor sport utility vehicles for the fire department. The vehicles will be purchased, at a price not to exceed $82,000, from Statewide Lincoln Mercury and through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services cooperative Purchasing Program.
3417 DeSota Ave.
Council declared the property at 3417 DeSota Ave., owned by Christine L. Niemeier, to be a nuisance and authorized abatement.
Emergency management
Council passed a resolution designating the Office of Emergency Management, Cuyahoga County Department of Public Safety and Justice Services, as the emergency management agency for the City of Cleveland Heights. It is neither cost effective nor efficient for the city to establish its own service, and the county service comes at no cost.
MYXX
Mayor Edward Kelley thanked Common Pleas Court Judge Gaul for his help resolving a solution at MYXX nightclub and stated that all should be quiet at that location by Oct. 1.
LWV observer: Blanche Valancy.
These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse, 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.