Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 10-15-12

OCTOBER 15, 2012

• Citizen concerns
• Contract bids
• Salt storage facility
• Leaf pick up
• Home investment funding
• Zoning ruling
• Nuisance homes
  
  

Mayor Edward Kelley was excused.

Citizen concerns

City hall parking lot:Resident Fran Mentch maintained that passing as emergency legislation the resolution to develop a plan for the city hall parking lot reduces citizen input and the ability to have a referendum. The estimated cost is $250,000 and Mentch claimed there were many other pressing expenses for the city and other amenities might be desired by the community. She asked that residents judge if the parking lot project is a good use of tax dollars.

Lee-Meadowbrook development: Resident Garry Kanter said he has a problem understanding how “TBD” can be given as the name of a development enterprise. He has not heard from Law Director John Gibbon with the actual name, despite council members promising that Gibbon would contact him. Kanter questioned the feasibility of setting rents as high as the proposal indicates. Gibbon promised to call him the following morning.

Housing: A Nelaview resident (whose name was inaudible) said she was pleased with a city grant for painting her home and financial arrangements for cutting her grass. She praised the Taylor Road reconstruction project and asked for help with neighbors whose children are out of control and tampering with her car. Vice Mayor Dennis Wilcox referred her to Rick Wagner of the Housing Department who will help her communicate and negotiate with the neighbors.

Contract bids

Council approved advertisement for bids to purchase a stump grinder for the Forestry Division. A contract for the Middlehurst waterline project was awarded to Montay Construction for $166,539. 

Salt storage facility

Council authorized an amended agreement with CT Consultants Inc. for the architectural and engineering services for a new salt storage facility, with expenses not to exceed $18,000, and also an agreement with Legacy Building Solutions for the materials and installation services, expenses not to exceed $270,000. The salt storage facility at the old dairy on Warrensville Center Road is in terrible disrepair and is unsafe for occupancy. It must be demolished and rebuilt before winter. At least 15 companies were contacted, and the steel-framed tension-fabric structure from Legacy was the best and most economical. A different contractor will construct the concrete foundation. Vice Mayor Wilcox noted that the facility is shared with University Heights and the school board—an excellent example of regionalism.

Leaf pick up

Leaf pick up from tree lawns will begin Oct. 29 and continue for five weeks. Each street will have two or three collections. Before and after these dates, leaves must be bagged in lawn and leaf bags.

Home investment funding

Council authorized an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Executive for receipt of Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funding for homeowner rehabilitation ($179,701) and homebuyer assistance ($20,000). The term of the agreement is Dec. 1, 2012, through Dec. 31, 2013.

Zoning ruling

Council approved the construction of a two-car garage and driveway in addition to a one-car garage and driveway by Fred P. and Teri L. Runco of 14454 Superior Road. The lot is an unusual corner location that presents complex building problems. In addition, it is desirable not to damage trees. The plan will include landscaping and permeable paving.

Nuisance properties

Council declared the property at 3266 DeSota Avenue, owned by the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation, to be a nuisance and authorized abatement of the nuisance. In February 2012, the property was cited to be razed, which will cost $15,500.

Council also declared the property at 2920 Noble Road, owned by David F. Bolger Trust, to be a nuisance. This was previously a Medic Drug Store and a Pick ‘n’ Pay supermarket, and had been cited in June 2012 to be razed, which will cost $40,500.

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.