LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS / University Heights City Council meeting highlights [online 12-21-2015]

DECEMBER 21, 2015

  • Farewell party
  • Departing council members
  • Geraci family honored
  • Bronze medal winner
  • Gesu cross country teams
  • Law director
  • Mutual aid agreement
  • City engineer rates
  • Cuyahoga County Planning Commission
  • Sewer cleaning
  • Emergency sewer repairs
  • 3901 Silsby Road

All council members were present.

Farewell party

Before the meeting, a party was held to honor departing council members Adele Zucker and Nancy English and the Geraci family as the citizen of the year.

Departing council members

Two resolutions were approved honoring Adele Zucker and Nancy English for their service to council. Vice Mayor Susan Pardee noted their love of the city as evidenced by their time spent and attention to detail. English served as the clerk of council for 20 years before being elected to a single term on council. [Due to government rules regarding retirement benefits, English was prohibited from a second term for now.] Councilwoman Zucker served on council for 30 years, including time as vice mayor and chairman of the 1978 charter review.

Geraci family honored

A proclamation was presented honoring the Geraci family as the City of University Heights’s 2015 Citizen of the Year. The Geracis opened their family restaurant in 1966, first at Cedar and Green Roads for five years and then moving to their current location on Warrensville Center Road. Their three daughters now jointly operate the restaurant. Mayor Susan Infeld noted that she receives positive comments from people throughout the county of their fond memories of dining at Geraci’s.

Bronze medal winner

A proclamation was presented to Emily Infeld on winning the bronze medal in the 2015 IAAF (International Association of Athletic Federations) World Track & Field Championships in Beijing. Infeld first began running competitively at Gesu Catholic School and then at Beaumont School, where she won state championships. She competed at Georgetown University where she went on to win national championships. [Infeld is the daughter of Mayor Susan Infeld.]

Gesu cross country teams

The Gesu Catholic School boys and girls cross-country teams were recognized for their first and second place finishes in the 2015 CYO City Championship cross-country meet. The boys' team placed first among 21 teams, with Steve Zucca placing first in every cross-country race this year. The girls' team placed second amongst the female teams.

Law director

Council appointed Luke F. McConville as law director effective Jan. 1, 2016, for a temporary term expiring on Jan. 31, 2016. This was a technical step to delay the formal contract renewal of McConville so that the 2016 council may convene prior to voting on his appointment. New council members will be sworn into office on Jan. 4.

Mutual aid agreement

Council approved the 2015 revision to the mutual aid agreement between the City of University Heights Police Department and the John Carroll University Police Department. Revisions to the policing agreement were required by changes to Title IX funding.

City engineer rates

Council tabled a motion to accept the new hourly rates for engineering services provided by City Engineer Joseph Ciuni and the GPC Group until January, to allow council members time to review comparative data, which was provided immediately prior to the meeting. GPC Group charges the same rate to all of the cities that they serve. Their new rate does reflect an annual increase.

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

Council tabled a motion authorizing an agreement (at a cost not to exceed $8,400) with the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission for professional planning services for a University Heights community survey in conjunction with the master planning process. Council wishes to review the questions. Vice Mayor Pardee applauded the mayor’s effort to broaden input by conducting a survey, but asked if questions that are of interest to council members could be added. Mayor Infeld expressed concern with delays and the survey’s length. She planned to distribute the survey in January via bulk mail, with random recipients receiving stamped return envelopes to increase the return rate. Councilwoman Pamela Cameron, who felt the delay was unnecessary, voted nay. Councilman Steven Sims passed. An update on the master planning process is due in January.

Sewer cleaning

Council approved the 2016-17 contract with AAA Flexible Pipe Inc. for catch basin, inlet sewer cleaning, and televising program in an amount not to exceed $300,800. Five bids were received. AAA was the lowest bidder and has had the contract for the past two years. The price was higher this year because the city plans to clean 400 basins instead of the usual 300. There are approximately 1,000 catch basins in University Heights.

Emergency sewer repairs

Council approved a contract with Fabrizi Trucking & Paving Company for sewer and street repairs as needed when the city is unable to do the work, in an amount not to exceed $248,480. The prices per service are good for two years. City Engineer Ciuni has been pleased with the quality of their previous work. Three bids were received.

3901 Silsby Road

The house at 3901 Silsby Road has been removed from consideration for demolition by the county because, reportedly, information was missing from the file. The mayor will follow up. The other option is for the city to pay for the demolition itself.

LWV Observer: Wendy Deuring.

JANUARY 4, 2016

Regrettably, the League of Women Voters was unable to provide an observer for the Jan. 4 University Heights City Council meeting where League member Michele Weiss was sworn in as a new councilwoman. Also sworn in was John Rach, who was appointed by council to the seat left unfilled in last Novembers election.

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 of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.

 

:eague of Women Voters

Observer Corps editor for the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland

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Volume 9, Issue 2, Posted 2:53 PM, 01.20.2016