Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 3-19-12

MARCH 19, 2012

• Severance Woods
• Fair Housing Month
• Cain Park schedule  
• CDBG funds
• Road salt savings
• Recycling equipment
• 3942 Delmore Road
• 1481 Rydalmount Road
• Personnel compensation

All council members were present.

Severance Woods

Michael Morse of Crest Road came forward to urge that any agreement for the sale of the Milliken School property include preservation of Severance Woods, one of the few remaining natural areas in the city.

Fair Housing Month

The city approved a resolution in which the city joins with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other communities nationwide in observing Fair Housing Month, and reaffirms the city’s 47-year commitment to open housing.

Cain Park schedule

Council Member Phyllis Evans reminded residents to watch for updates to the Cain Park summer schedule, as new performers are being added to the lineup.

CDBG funds

Council authorized the programming of additional Community Development Block Grant funds that have been awarded to the city, which received about $250,000 above the anticipated amount. The use of the funds must be approved by the Citizens Advisory Committee. The resolution covers $126,497 for street resurfacing and $40,000 for waterline repairs. The distribution of the remaining funds will be determined later.

Road salt savings

Council Member Cheryl Stephens noted that the city had saved money on road salt this year, due to the unseasonably warm winter.

Recycling equipment

Council authorized acceptance of a grant of $3,650 from the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District for the purchase of recycling equipment, including eight 38-gallon recycling cans and ten ClearStream recycling bins with 200 bags. The recycling cans will be utilized at outdoor community events at Cain Park, Forest Hill Park, and other city properties to encourage recycling of cans and bottles at such events. The ClearStream bins will be distributed by the city for block parties and other similar events, also to encourage recycling.

3942 Delmore Road

Council authorized the sale of the city-owned single-family property at 3942 Delmore Road, which has been rehabilitated with federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds. The sale price is $70,000, with an award to the buyer of $5,000 in down payment assistance. This is the tenth house to be renovated and sold under the NSP. Proceeds from the sale go back into the program to address problems with vacant homes in the city.

1481 Rydalmount Road

Council approved a resolution declaring the property at 1481 Rydalmount Road to be a nuisance and authorizing abatement of the nuisance.

Personnel compensation

Council approved an ordinance establishing salary schedules, position classifications, and other compensation for officers and employees of the city.

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, 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.