Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 6-17-2013

JUNE 17, 2013

  • Cumberland lifeguard action
  • Citizen concern - unsightly property
  • City Hall parking lot
  • Civil Service Commission
  • Lead remediation program
  • Heights Innovation Center support
  • Streetscape improvements
  • RapArt
  • Cleveland Tenants Organization
  • Road resurfacing
  • Property donation
  • Council meets with school board

Council Members Janine R. Boyd and Mary Dunbar were excused.

Cumberland lifeguard action

Council recognized five Cumberland Pool lifeguards for their effective response when a patron suffered a pulmonary embolism. Mayor Kelley, Fire Chief Dave Freeman, and Assistant Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Chris Kendel expressed appreciation for the life-saving actions taken by Julian Gilbert, Liam Robinson, Tyler Rudy, Max Hackman and Esther Bergson.

Citizen concern - unsightly property

Residents of Oak Road asked the city to help with grass-cutting and other maintenance on the unsightly lot next to their property where the city recently demolished a house. Mayor Kelley promised action by the end of the week.

City Hall parking lot

Council authorized advertisement for bids to improve the City Hall parking lot.

Civil Service Commission

James J. Costello was appointed to the Civil Service Commission, replacing William Lahman, who resigned.

Lead remediation program

Council accepted a $556,618 grant from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s Lead Hazard Remediation program. In housing units where there is at least one child age six or younger, the program provides up to $9,500 per unit to reduce lead contamination. Over 12 months beginning July 1, the Housing Preservation Office will administer the funds, which will improve at least 50 dwelling units. The city will match the grant with $106,875 of block grant funds.

Heights Innovation Center support

Council reallocated $30,000 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the East Derbyshire Rehabilitation Program to support equipment purchase for the Heights Innovation Center at the Heights Library.

Cedar Fairmount SID

Council approved implementation of the previously approved five-year public services plan for the Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District (SID), with 100 percent of the cost funded by the SID’s special assessment. Council also committed $5,000 of CDBG funds to support streetscape improvements in the Cedar Fairmount SID during a one-year period beginning July 1.

Cedar Taylor Development Association

Council allocated $5,250 of CDBG funds to partially fund a streetscape enhancements study for the Cedar Taylor Development Association during a one-year period beginning July 1.

RapArt

Council provided a one-year allocation of $15,000 of CDBG funds to support the Pinpoint Program of the Center for Families and Children at the RapArt Center beginning July 1.

Cleveland Tenants Organization

Council provided a one-year allocation of $6,000 of CDBG funds for telephone housing counseling services provided by the Cleveland Tenants Organization for low- to moderate-income residents of Cleveland Heights. The organization provides information to landlords and tenants on fair housing and landlord-tenant laws.

Road resurfacing

Council passed legislation for the resurfacing of Mayfield Road throughout Cleveland Heights and a section of Monticello Boulevard in cooperation with Cuyahoga County. The county is to contribute up to $860,362 of the cost of the Mayfield project and $250,000 of the Monticello project. Maintenance responsibility lies with the city. Council directed the city manager to apply to the county for use of County Motor Vehicle License Tax Funds for the improvements.

Property donation

Council accepted JP Morgan Chase Bank’s donation of the 1920 Powell Ave. property to the city. All transfer costs are to be paid by the donor.

Council meets with school board

Mayor Edward Kelley announced that the council would meet with the board of education on June 27 to learn about the new facilities plan.

LWV Observer: Susie Kaeser.

Please note: YouTube videos of Cleveland Heights City Council meetings may be accessed at youtube.com/clevelandheightsoh

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.

League of Women Voters

Observer Corps editor for the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters, Cuyahoga Area

Read More on Cleveland Heights
Volume 6, Issue 8, Posted 11:34 AM, 07.19.2013