Cleveland Heights

On Feb. 10, Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren announced his appointment of former CH Council Member and former state Rep. Janine Boyd to city council. She will serve out the unexpired term of Josie Moore, who resigned from council on Dec. 16. That term ends on Dec. 31, 2023; the seat will be on the ballot this November.

The mayor's announcement came after the six Cleveland Heights City Council members failed to appoint a seventh.

The city charter stipulates that council has 45 days in which to fill a council vacancy, once it has voted to accept a council member's resignation. Council voted to accept Moore's resignation on Dec. 21, giving council members until Feb. 4 to appoint someone.

FEBRUARY 6, 2023, regular meeting

• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council’s report
• Council actions
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr. and Davida Russell. Also present were Clerk of Council Addie Balester and Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran 45 minutes.

FEBRUARY 2, 2023, special meeting

• Council seat appointment
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr. and Davida Russell. Mayor Kahlil Seren was not present. Also present were Clerk of Council Addie Balester and Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran for 13 minutes.

JANUARY 23, 2023, special meeting

• Mayor's report
• Vehicles purchased
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., and Davida Russell. Also present were Clerk of Council Addie Balester and Finance Director Andrew Unetic. The meeting ran 15 minutes.

JANUARY 17, 2023, regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council’s report
• Council actions
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., and Davida Russell. Also present were Clerk of Council Addie Balester and Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran 55 minutes.

Much of Severance Town Center (STC) is owned by Namdar Realty (namdarrealtygroup.com) and is managed by its partner, Mason Asset Management. Namdar bought STC at auction for $10.4 million in 2016. 

Namdar Realty, based in Great Neck, N.Y., is family-owned. Founded in 1999, it owns several hundred shopping malls across the United States. Igal Namdar heads Namdar Realty, and Elliot Nassim, the cousin of Namdar’s wife, heads Mason Asset Management.

Namdar Realty is known for buying "B" and "C" level malls that are “distressed” and “struggling.” Many lost their anchor stores as national chains (e.g., Sears, J.C. Penney, Macy’s) reduced their number of locations or went out of business.

A special meeting of Cleveland Heights City Council, scheduled for Monday evening, Jan. 30, had a single agenda item: Appointment of a Council Member.

With the same-day cancellation of the Jan. 30 meeting, that agenda item has moved to a Feb. 2 special meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. 

CH City Council has until Saturday, Feb. 4, to appoint a new council member to fill the seat formerly held by Josie Moore.

According to the city charter, council has 45 days in which to appoint a new council member. If council were to fail to appoint someone by the deadline, the mayor would then have 10 days in which to fill the seat.

Cleveland Heights City Council extended its original deadline for applications for the city's new Charter Review Commission (CRC), setting a new deadline of Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 5 p.m. To apply to serve on the CRC, fill out the application at www.clevelandheights.org, and include a résumé.

Council has not ruled out extending the CRC deadline further; that discussion is on the agenda for its Jan. 17 Council Committee of the Whole meeting. As of Jan. 15, there were 19 applicants for the nine CRC positions.

As of Jan. 17, CH City Council is weighing 24 applications for the open council seat formerly held by Josie Moore, who resigned in December. (There were 26 applicants originally, but two have withdrawn from consideration.)

JANUARY 3, 2023, regular meeting

• Public comments
• Clerk of council report
• Mayor’s report
• Council actions
• Council member comments
• Committee of the Whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for one hour.

DECEMBER 27, 2022 - regular meeting

• Insurance contract

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, and Anthony Mattox, Jr. Davida Russell was not present. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and Laure Wagner, assistant law director. The meeting was very short - three minutes - with only one agenda item.

In 2019, 60% voted for having an elected-mayor government in Cleveland Heights. The people then elected Kahlil Seren as mayor, by about a 60% vote, to implement the new government in 2022. As president of council, I had a vision of a council that works together harmoniously to enact a common vision. Since we were transitioning to an elected-mayor form of government, part of that vision and our responsibility is to make that transition go smoothly. The future of our city depends on it.

Day-to-day operations of council have gone well. City business is enacted, and some groundbreaking legislation passed. Economic development projects are also moving ahead. In-fill housing is being built in multiple neighborhoods.

We have much to be proud of and to look forward to.

DECEMBER 5, 2022, regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council report
• Charter review commission
• Other council action
• Legislation presented with no vote
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for one hour and 45 minutes.

NOVEMBER 21, 2022, regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council’s report
• Agreements approved 
• Speed limit reductions
• Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook
• First readings of new legislation
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for one hour.

NOVEMBER 7, 2022 - regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Barbara Boyd
• Clerk of council’s report
• Sharing facilities
• Other council action
• Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook 
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for one hour.

OCTOBER 17, 2022, regular meeting

• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council report
• Council actions on emergency
Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook
• Lead safe ordinance
• First readings, no vote
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present was William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for 45 minutes.

OCTOBER 3, 2022, regular meeting

• Public comments
• Clerk of council report
• First reading adoptions
• Crossing guards
• First readings, no vote
• Lead hazards ordinance
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for three hours and 12 minutes.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022, regular meeting

• Public comments
• Clerk of council report
• Council actions
• Lead-safe legislation 
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran 46 minutes.

The city of Cleveland Heights is asking residents how they would like it to spend its remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

A public input form (survey) posted on the city's website, clevelandheights.gov/arpa, asks residents to prioritize areas of investment, and suggest specific ways in which the funds might be spent.

Cleveland Heights received $38.8 million ARPA state and local fiscal recovery funds. Of that total, $10.84 million has not yet been allocated.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

• Public comments
• Clerk of council
• Mayor’s report
• Racial Justice Task Force
• Union agreement
• Legislation presented
• Lead-safe ordinance
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Council Vice President Craig Cobb was not present. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council; and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for one and three-fourth hours.

AUGUST 22, 2022 - special meeting

• Clerk of council
• Other council action
• Committee of the whole

Present were Council Members Melody Joy Hart (council president), Craig Cobb (vice president), Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell, as was Law Director William Hanna. Mayor Kahlil Seren was not present. The meeting ran 12 minutes.

AUGUST 15, 2022 - regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Charter amendment
• Other council actions
• Consent agenda. 
• Council member comments on charter amendment
• Other council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren and Council Members Melody Joy Hart (council president), Craig Cobb (vice president), Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell, as was Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran for one and one-half hours.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 has designated $38.8 million to the city of Cleveland Heights.

To date, the city has allocated ARPA funds to: lost revenue ($10 million), sewer repair ($18 million), first responders ($460,000), local businesses ($1 million), Noble Road ($2 million), and Taylor Road ($2 million).

The remaining balance ($4.54 million) could be spent in a variety of ways. The city of Cleveland Heights has posted a survey on its website, asking residents to weigh in on where they would like those funds to be used.

JULY 7, 2022 - special and executive meetings

• Public comments
• Mayor’s comments
• Passed on first readings
• Classification change of safety chiefs

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council Vice President Craig Cobb and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., and Josie Moore, Council President Melody Joy Hart and Council Member Davida Russell were not present. Also present was Law Director William Hanna. The regular public meeting ran for 50 minutes following an executive session.

AUGUST 8, 2022 - special meeting

This meeting included emergency legislation and an executive session to consider the terms of sale or lease of city-owned property.

Present were Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., and Josie Moore. Davida Russell was not present.

Council actions

Council approved implementation of the public services plan for the Cedar-Fairmount Special Improvement District (SID). This allows collection of $120,000 annually from property owners in the SID for marketing, beautification, maintenance, economic development, and physical improvements.

AUGUST 1, 2022 - regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Council action
• First readings without a vote
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Jose Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present was Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran one hour and 18 minutes. 

JUNE 27, 2022, special meeting and executive session

• Mayor’s report
• Staff presentations
• Council actions

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Council President Melody Joy Hart and Council Member Tony Cuda participated remotely. Also present was Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran two and one half hours. An executive session was convened to consider the terms of a sale or lease of city-owned property.

JUNE 21, 2022

• Public comments - agenda items
• Public comments - general
• Mayor’s report
• Council actions on second reading
• Passed on first reading
• First readings, no vote
• Community block grants
• Committee reports
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present was William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran a little over an hour and 20 minutes.

With the expansion of the Park Synagogue building in Pepper Pike well underway, the future of the historic 1947 “Park Main” property and its iconic sanctuary building in Cleveland Heights remains an open question. [The congregation announced a year ago that the Cleveland Heights landmark was for sale.]

Located in a heavily wooded site between Mayfield Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, east of Taylor Road, Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights was designed by internationally renowned architect Eric Mendelsohn and is considered one of the premier examples of modern religious architecture in the United States.

JUNE 6, 2022

• Public comments - agenda items
• Other public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Horseshoe Lake presentation
• Council actions
• First reading of legislation, no vote
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole (COW)

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present was Laurie Wagner, representing the law department. Mr. Cobb functioned as clerk pro temp.

MAY 23, 2022 – special meeting regarding clerk of council

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. Council President Melody Joy Hart joined the meeting virtually. The meeting was five minutes long.

Clerk of council

Council approved a job description, compensation, and job posting for clerk of council. They approved a salary grade 19 and salary range from $51,542 to $77,313.

MAY 16, 2022

• Public comments
• Staff reports
• Horseshoe Lake Dam Project
• Council actions
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. The meeting lasted one and two-thirds hours.

Public comments

Four residents opposed the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Horseshoe Lake Dam project, citing the value of the lake to migratory birds and the health value of bodies of water, and challenging the severity of the flood risk. One resident praised the public engagement plan. Another questioned the lack of publicly available detailed data that had informed the plan. 

Cleveland Heights launched its new, automated refuse and recycling collection program in mid-April, distributing thousands of new refuse and recycling carts to every residence in the city. By now, all residents should have received their carts, and begun using them.

The program's benefits go beyond making the city's streets cleaner and more attractive. Automated collection is a single-sort recycling system, in which one must only determine whether an item is recyclable and place it in the appropriate cart—no extra sorting is necessary.

Automated collection is faster, more efficient, and safer for city employees, too, and should help reduce the environmental impact of Cleveland Heights’ waste.

The green cart is for garbage going to the landfill. EVERYTHING that goes in the green cart should be in a trash bag.

The blue cart is for recyclables. Recyclables should NEVER be put in bags.

The following is a list of items that are, and are not, recyclable in Cleveland Heights. To search additional items, visit www.cuyahogarecycles.org.

RECYCLABLES

Plastic bottles and jugs
Aluminum cans
Steel/tin cans
Newspapers
Cardboard
Mixed office paper and junk mail
Glass bottles and jars 

NON-RECYCLABLES 

Butter/margarine containers
Clamshells

On May 2, Mayor Kahlil Seren and Cleveland Heights City Council members honored Susanna Niermann O'Neil on her last day of work for the city, and thanked her for her 46 years of service.

Niermann O'Neill began working at CH City Hall in 1976; the building's atrium has now been renamed in her honor.

From left to right: CH Council Member Tony Cuda, Council Member Josie Moore, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, Council President Melody Joy Hart, retired CH City Manager Susanna Niermann O’Neil, CH Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council Member Anthony Mattox Jr., Council Member Gail Larson, and Council Member Davida Russell.

MAY 2, 2022

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council report
• Actions passed on first reading
• Passed on second readings 
• Purchases approved on second reading
• Taylor Tudor Plaza
• Declarations
• Committee reports and member comments
• Council president’s report
• Susanna Niermann O’Neil

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil (performing clerk duties in Ms. Himmelein’s absence) and Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran about one hour and five minutes.

APRIL 18, 2022

• Public comments
• Denison Park splash pad
• New police officers
• National Poetry Month
• First readings
• Street assessments
• Executive session permission
• Appointments
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. Council Vice President Craig Cobb was absent. The meeting ran from 7:30 to 8:48 p.m.

APRIL 4, 2022 - regular meeting

• Public comments
• New police chief
• Mayor’s report
• Budget amendment
• First readings, no vote
• NOPEC grants
• Consent agenda
• Council member comments

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. The meeting lasted 45 minutes.

MARCH 14, 2022 - special meeting on ARPA consultant

Present were, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Anthony Mattox, Jr.as were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. Mayor Kahlil Seren and Council President Melody Joy Hart were absent. The meeting was 17 minutes long. 

MARCH 14, 2022 - special meeting on ARPA consultant

Present were, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Anthony Mattox, Jr.as were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. Mayor Kahlil Seren and Council President Melody Joy Hart were absent. The meeting was 17 minutes long. 

MARCH 21, 2022 - regular meeting

• Public comments
• Staff reports
• Down Payment Assistance Loan Program
• City administrator
• Employee compensation, benefits, etc. 
• American Rescue Plan Act consultant
• Budget amendments
• Cain Park
• NOPEC Energized Community Grant Program
• Other council actions 
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., and Josie Moore. Staff members attending were Susanna Niermann O’Neill, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council; and William Hanna, law director. Davida Russell was excused. The meeting ran 35 minutes.

On Dec. 6, 2021, Cleveland Heights City Council unanimously approved a development agreement with Flaherty & Collins (F&C) to build a mixed-use development in the Cedar Lee Business District. The agreement was signed by the city and the developer on Dec. 9. F&C is working with City Architecture to design the project. On March 2, the team’s proposal received final design approval from the city’s Architectural Board of Review (ABR).

The development comprises two city-owned parcels (approximately 5 acres total): the Meadowbrook site, a 1.07-acre plot of land between Lee Road, Meadowbrook Boulevard, and Tullamore Road; and the larger Cedar-Lee site, which encompasses the existing parking lot and parking garage between Tullamore and Cedar roads, behind the Lee Road businesses on that block.

At the March 21 Cleveland Heights City Council meeting, council members voted 6-0 to confirm Mayor Kahlil Seren’s appointment of Joseph Sinnott, a former mayor of Erie, Pa.,  to the position of city administrator. (Council Member Davida Russell was not present at the meeting.)

Seren announced his appointment of Sinnott in a March 4 news release from the city. At city council’s May 7 meeting, Seren formally proposed a resolution, on first reading, asking council to confirm Sinnott’s appointment.

On March 14, city council conducted a public interview with Sinnott during its Committee of the Whole meeting.

On March 4, the city of Cleveland Heights announced that Mayor Kahlil Seren had selected Joseph E. Sinnott, a former mayor of Erie, Pa., to be the city's first city administrator. At the March 7 Cleveland Heights Council Committee of the Whole meeting, Seren formally proposed a resolution, on first reading, asking city council to confirm Sinnott's appointment.

Council President Melody Joy Hart stated that, per the city's charter, and unlike other administrative hires, council is charged with approving this position. She recommended that council announce its decision at its March 21 meeting, and asked Seren's office to reach out to Sinnott, to schedule an interview with council in advance of that date. All council members agreed that an in-person interview would be preferable to a virtual one.

In a March 4 press release, Mike Thomas, new director of communications for the city of Cleveland Heights, announced the following:

"Mayor Kahlil Seren has notified Cleveland Heights City Council members that he will present to them for approval his appointment for the position of City Administrator – Joseph E. Sinnott. City Administrator is a new position created as part of Cleveland Heights’ transition to a strong-mayor form of government, and if approved, Sinnott would be the first person to fill this role. In accordance with Cleveland Heights’ City Charter, City Council must confirm any appointment to the City Administrator position.

MARCH 7, 2022 - regular meeting

• Public comments
• Staff reports
• City administrator
• Made Cleveland, LLC
• Salaries/position classifications for city officers and employees
• Other council actions 
• Council member comments
• Next/upcoming meetings

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Staff members attending included Susanna Niermann O’Neill, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council; and William Hanna, law director. 

FEBRUARY 22, 2022 - Regular Meeting

• Public comments
• Charter amendment
• Budget amendment
• Park Initiative
• Medicare for All
• Committee of the Whole
• Council member comments

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Staff members attending included Susanna Niermann O’Neill, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council; and William Hanna, law director.

In cities like Cleveland Heights and University Heights, so often praised for being “walkable,” how do we see pedestrian safety being addressed, discussed, and prioritized? In her nonfiction book Right of Way: Race, Class and the Silent Crisis of Pedestrian Deaths in America, Cleveland-based journalist Angie Schmitt shines a spotlight on social inequities revealed by pedestrian accidents and pedestrian deaths.

According to the book’s publisher, Island Press, “[These accidents] don’t happen because of jaywalking or distracted walking. They are predictable, occurring in stark geographic patterns that tell a story about systemic inequality. These deaths are the forgotten faces of an increasingly urgent public-health crisis that we have the tools, but not the will, to solve.”

Last year, several Heights organizations hosted conversations about race and equity in our community.

At its Feb. 7 meeting, Cleveland Heights City Council appointed Gail Larson to the seat vacated by Kahlil Seren, who was sworn in as mayor on Jan. 3. The appointment runs through Dec. 31, 2022. Seren's full unexpired term runs through Dec. 31, 2023. The last year of it will be on the ballot in November 2022. Larson said she plans to run for the seat in that election, to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term.

The timing of the appointment came as a bit of a surprise, even to Larson, who happened to be at the council meeting.

Council Member Tony Cuda said that Larson was a “great choice,” but noted that, while council had discussed applicants in executive session just prior to its public meeting, there was no guarantee that council would agree on a candidate that evening. When the vote was taken, however, council unanimously voted in favor of appointing Larson.

FEBRUARY 7, 2022 - Regular Meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Clerk of council report
• Gail Larson appointed
• Cedar/Lee/Meadowbrook
• Other council actions
• Council member comments

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Anthony Mattox, Jr. Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran one hour and six minutes.

JANUARY 18, 2022 – Regular meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Council action
• Council member comments
• Committee of the Whole

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Anthony Mattox, Jr. Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director.

JANUARY 10. 2022 – Regular Meeting

• Public comments
• Mayor’s report
• Liquor permit
• Park ballot initiative
• Council committees
• Other council action
• Council member comments

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and council members Tony Cuda, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Anthony Wilcox. Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager; Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director; and William Hanna, law director. The meeting began at 7:38 p.m. and ended at 8:20 p.m.

Cleveland Heights City Council could decide at its Feb. 7 meeting whether to adopt, amend, or reject a citizen-led initiative to require the city to construct a park on the city-owned site at Lee Road and Meadowbrook Boulevard. That decision could determine whether the initiative will appear on the May 3 primary ballot.

At the Jan. 10 city council meeting, CH Finance Director and Clerk of Council Amy Himmelein certified that an initiative petition for an ordinance to require a public activity park be created on 1.07 acres of city-owned land at the corner of Lee Road, Tullamore Road and Meadowbrook Boulevard had obtained sufficient signatures for inclusion on the ballot.

A group of Cleveland Heights residents, led by Ralph Solonitz, Garry Kanter, Lee Barbee, Albert Oberst and Frances Mentch, had submitted the petition to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Nov. 29, but were told to collect additional signatures by Dec. 27. The group submitted additional signatures, and, on Jan. 9, the board determined that the initiative had met the 10 percent requirement for inclusion on the ballot.

A citizen-led proposal to designate the city-owned site at Lee Road and Meadowbrook Boulevard as a public park is one step closer to appearing on the May 3 primary ballot.

At the Jan. 10 meeting of Cleveland Heights City Council, CH Finance Director and Clerk of Council Amy Himmelein certified that an initiative petition for an ordinance to require a public activity park be created on 1.07 acres of city-owned land at the corner of Lee Road, Tullamore Road and Meadowbrook Boulevard had obtained sufficient signatures for inclusion on the ballot.

A group of Cleveland Heights residents, led by Ralph Solonitz, Garry Kanter, Lee Barbee, Albert Oberst and Frances Mentch, had submitted the petition to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Nov. 29, but had been told to collect additional signatures by Dec. 27.

JANUARY 3, 2022 – Regular Meeting

• Clerk of council report
• Council action
• Council member comments

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, and council members Craig Cobb, Tony Cuda, Melody Joy Hart, Davida Russell, and Anthony Mattox, Jr. Council Member Josie Moore was excused. Also present were City Manager Susanna Niermann O’Neil, Clerk of Council and Finance Director Amy Himmelein, and Law Director William Hanna. Council met for about one and a quarter hour.

DECEMBER 20, 2021 – Regular meeting

• Public comments
• City manager’s comments
• Council actions
• Council members’ comments

Present were Council President Jason Stein, Council Vice President Kahlil Seren, Craig Cobb, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Michael N. Ungar. Melody Joy Hart was home due to COVID and, while unable to vote, participated in the discussion by phone. Also present were City Manager Susanna Niermann O’Neil, Clerk of Council and Finance Director Amy Himmelein, and Law Director William Hanna. Council met for about one and a quarter hour.

DECEMBER 13, 2021 – Special Meeting

• Public comments
• Desota Avenue infill construction

Present were Council President Jason Stein, Council Vice President Kahlil Seren, Craig Cobb, Josie Moore, Davida Russell, and Michael N. Ungar. Melody Joy Hart was absent due to illness. Also present were City Manager Susanna Niermann O’Neil, Clerk of Council and Finance Director Amy Himmelein, and Law Director William Hanna. Council met for five minutes.

With Kahlil Seren, a Cleveland Heights City Council member, set to become the city's mayor in January, his council seat will become vacant upon his resignation, which was expected to be tendered on Dec. 31.

On Nov. 29, a special meeting of the Cleveland Heights Council Committee of the Whole brought together some current council members, as well as those who will begin serving on council in January, to discuss “vacancy-filling procedures in anticipation of vacancy resulting from Kahlil Seren’s election as [m]ayor.”

Subsequent to the meeting, the city announced that council would accept applications from residents interested in being considered for the council vacancy.

The deadline to apply was Dec. 17, and there were 22 applicants. Since the January issue of the Heights Observer went to press, the applicants' names and applications have been posted on the city's website. Because one of the applicants dropped out, there are 21, not 22, names and applications posted online.

With Kahlil Seren, a current Cleveland Heights City Council member, set to become the city's mayor, his council seat will become vacant in January.

On Nov. 29, a special meeting of the Cleveland Heights Council Committee of the Whole brought together current council members, as well as those who will begin serving on council in January, to discuss “vacancy-filling procedures in anticipation of vacancy resulting from Kahlil Seren’s election as [m]ayor.”

Subsequent to the meeting, the city announced that council would be accepting applications from residents interested in being considered for the council vacancy.

The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 17. The application is available at www.clevelandheights.com/CouncilApplication.

NOVEMBER 29, 2021 – special meeting

• Public comments
• Cedar-Lee Meadowbrook resolution
• Committee of the whole
• Council vacancy

Present were Council Vice President Kahlil Seren, Craig Cobb, Melody Joy Hart, Josie Moore, and Michael Ungar. President Jason Stein and Davida Russell were excused. Also present were City Manager Susanna Niermann O’Neil, Clerk of Council and Finance Director Amy Himmelein, and Law Director William Hanna. The meeting was 18 minutes. 

NOVEMBER 22, 2021 – special meeting

• Public comments
• City boards and commissions
• NEORSD Horseshoe Lake proposal
• Other council action

Present were Council President Jason Stein, Council Vice President Kahlil Seren, Craig Cobb, Melody Joy Hart, Davida Russell, and Michael N. Ungar.  Josie Moore was absent. Also present were City Manager Susanna Niermann O’Neil, Clerk of Council and Finance Director Amy Himmelein, and Law Director William Hanna. The meeting ran for one hour and ten minutes.