CH mayor addresses State of the City

Mayor Kahlil Seren delivers his State of the City address.

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On Nov. 7, Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren delivered his third State of the City address.

“I'd like to begin our time together tonight focusing on what we have to be proud of and hopeful for in Cleveland Heights,” said the mayor in beginning his address. In it, he highlighted the following:

Development Updates: Mayor Seren outlined the major city development projects underway and forthcoming, specifically the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook mixed-use project, with phase one nearly complete; and the Cain Park Village project which aims to revitalize the Taylor Tudor business district and is estimated to bring in an additional $100 million in investment.

Targeted investment is underway in historically underserved neighborhoods. “For the first time in our history,” said Seren, “we are planning for the improvement of the Noble Road Corridor, both as a whole and with a focus on each of the several business districts through which it runs. We have begun a neighborhood planning project as well, beginning with a deep dive into the North Coventry neighborhood.”

The mayor also shared that, after decades of frustration and stagnation, the city is partnering with a master developer to work with the owner of Severance to reimagine the 40-acre space.

Of his development ethos, the mayor said, “The real reason we pursue development is because a community that doesn't change and grow with the times is a community that stagnates and dies. . . . And so that's why we're creative and aggressive and receptive with regard to development, but always with an eye toward what benefit it can bring to the people of our city.”

Strategic Restructuring: Seren described the restructuring of the Planning and Development Department: “Once a set of disparate groups within our city's administration, this department now includes Planning, Community Development, Economic Development, Code Compliance and Building and Permitting. This department has been busy this year and knocking it out of the park.”

New Hires: Seren described the work of several new employees:

Andrea Heim, the city’s first organizational performance coordinator, has made “major strides in project management [in] our Communications Department, and improvements in our procurement process.”

Todd Walburn, the Mayor’s Action Center (MAC) coordinator, oversaw the rollout of the Access CH software and mobile app to improve communication with residents, and staffs the MAC phone and email lines, providing “considerate and practical responses to concerns.”

Andrews Boateng, the city’s first sustainability coordinator, has led the charge this year in designing a comprehensive Climate Action and Resiliency Plan. A draft of the plan can be viewed at www.clevelandheights.gov/1719/Climate-Action-Resiliency-Plan-Review.

The mayor also cited city staff members who “are actively working to make choices that will increase our environmental and economic efficiency. We're doing that right now, whether it's through our continuing commitment to expanding our fleet of electric vehicles to get housing inspectors to the job site, or to lower our energy use by using energy savings themselves to finance improvements.” Those staff include: 

Eric Elmi, the city’s new chief building official, is a “keen example” of department leadership “planning and doing at the same time.” Elmi is in the process of bringing health and safety services and inspections back in house, after decades of outsourcing; he’s also crafting policy changes to help property owners avoid building failures in the future.

Andres Gonzalez has been the new director of parks and recreation for less than one month. The mayor noted, “I've got high expectations for the new director and, so far . . . based on his focus on true teamwork . . . I'm optimistic that we are already moving in the right direction.”

Tony Ferrone, the newly promoted assistant director of public works, under the direction of Director Collette Clinkscale, “will allow the municipal organization as a whole to be more efficient and prompt in the pursuit of the everyday provision of services, even while major projects need to be conceived, contracted, and completed.”

On Public Safety: “This June,” said the mayor, “we began a partnership with MetroHealth Recovery Resources [of] Cuyahoga County and the cities of Shaker Heights, University Heights, South Euclid, and Richmond Heights to expand the First Call co-responder program into our city. . . . Through this partnership, we have brought on board two social work professionals to assist and respond alongside law enforcement officers to offer a more holistic, effective, and sustainable answer to the mental health and substance use issues that are endemic in our communities right now.”

Final Thoughts: In his summation, Mayor Seren stated, “Cleveland Heights is fighting to become what we are meant to be. . . . Change is always difficult. . . . [W]e've experienced our share of trials that have made it clear that we will have to keep fighting for that change. I'm here to tell you that we, as a city and as a government, we are prepared to win that fight.”

To view a video of Mayor Seren's State of the City address, followed by a moderated Q&A session, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-UMMu63k7c&t=3s.