With the new year fast approaching, Cleveland Heights leaders are once again facing the prospects of a tough financial year. The national economic crisis has wreaked havoc on local government budgets and the mortgage foreclosure challenges have further plagued many communities.

Cleveland Heights City Council passed a resolution at their September 15 meeting to establish an Owner-Occupant Down Payment Assistance Program for the purchase of one- or two-family homes and condominiums in the city.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6

(All council members present)

Tribute to Oliver Schroeder

Mayor Edward Kelley asked for a moment of silence for Oliver Schroeder, who passed away recently. Schroeder had served on city council from 1956 to 1977, including one term as mayor. Kelley pointed out that Schroeder’s leadership helped keep the city viable when it chose to be integrated and diverse.

If you spend time in your automobile in Cleveland Heights, you may wonder how the city decides which streets to maintain and when. Carl Czaga, assistant to the city manager, capital projects, is responsible for any city project exceeding $25,000. Czaga offers some enlightenment.

Pride in and consistent care of homes, businesses, and streets are long-held values of Cleveland Heights residents reflected in the annual Community Improvement Awards Program. The program recognizes and celebrates recent, significant improvements which are visible and beneficial to neighborhoods and commercial districts.

A ceremony held at Cleveland Heights City Hall on Oct. 23 honored the winners for 2008. Awards were made in the categories of Residential Improvement, Commercial and Institution Improvement, Tender Loving Care, and Street Improvement.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2008
All council members present.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Mayor Ed Kelley held a moment of silence and read a proclamation to memorialize the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Councilmembers’ tributes highlighted her remarkable impact on the region, her level of knowledge, her availability to constituents, and the difficulty the community will have filling her shoes.

REGULAR MEETING—MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2008

Mayor Edward J. Kelley, Nancy J. Dietrich, Dennis R. Wilcox excused

Boarded up houses

A resident, referring to the Shaker Heights policy of tearing down problem houses, asked why Cleveland Heights chose to restore some when there is a glut on the market. Several councilmembers responded throughout the course of the meeting. Generally, the city tries to avoid boarding up houses, but in some cases the owner or agent cannot be found and the city must board up the house to keep out vandals. Councilman Tumeo commented that the United States Constitution protects property, even if the owner is irresponsible, complicating the question of demolition. Councilman Montlack noted that the county has set aside funds for home demolition especially for member cities of the First Suburbs Consortium.

Recognize your neighbor’s home improvements by nominating them for a Cleveland Heights Historic Preservation or Community Improvement Award by September 22.

MONDAY, JULY 7, 2008

(All Council Members present)

Special Improvement Districts

Council passed public services plans for the Cedar-Fairmount and Cedar-Lee Special Improvement Districts. For 2009–10 the Cedar-Fairmount budget will be $51,000 and the Cedar-Lee budget, $125,000, both with a 3% annual increase through 2013.

Monday, June 2, 2008 meeting

(Mark Tumeo excused)

Special Improvement District plans

Council approved petitions for adopting five-year renewals of public services plans for both the Cedar-Fairmount and Cedar-Lee Special Improvement Districts. The budget for Cedar-Fairmount will be $50,000 and for Cedar-Lee, $125,000 per year; both with three percent increases each subsequent year.

The League of Women Voters reports on the latest Cleveland Heights City Council meeting.

 

Mayors and councilpersons perform some pleasant chores like cutting ribbons at grand openings and riding in parades. Much more time, however, is spent in meetings, working to balance budgets, addressing complex legal questions and responding to resident concerns. In difficult times, balancing budgets may require cancelling the fun stuff like parades.

They had to set up extra chairs to accommodate the overflow parents attending the Cleveland Heights City Council meeting on Monday, April 2nd. The parents were there to voice their disapproval of the city’s decision to discontinue paying for crossing guards and to cancel the community center’s after school program. The city of Cleveland Heights had announced these and other cuts to the city’s budget in response to the March defeat of a proposed income tax increase.