Letters To The Editor

To the Editor:

On Jan. 8, the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas accepted my complaint—a writ of mandamus—requesting the court to compel the six members of Cleveland Heights City Council to appoint someone to the seat vacated by Melissa Yasinow's resignation on March 2, 2020.

The CH City Charter requires them to do so. It's been over 10 months, and, quite simply, they have quit trying.

There is something seriously wrong with this city council.

To the Editor:

I have seen the rooftop of the stable of the old Severance estate from Severance Circle for years now, so last month I decided to take a drive by Millikin school to see firsthand the property over which there has been so much controversy. What I found was possibly the last little hidden gem left in Cleveland Heights. (Michael Morse’s and Jim Miller's opinions in the December 2020 Heights Observer gave me even more insight into this little oasis. Check out Jim Miller's YouTube videos on Dugway Brook!) The stable has a fairly new roof and appears to be structurally sound.

While I have no objection to new development in the Heights, we can all see from the architecturally unattractive and inappropriate development of the Top of the Hill project that the city hasn't the ability to do the job correctly. 

To the Editor:

After months of contract negotiations culminating in an all-night session, the Cleveland Heights Teachers Union (CHTU) and the CH-UH City School District reached a tentative agreement on the morning of Dec. 2. The union ratified it with 94% approval. On Dec. 8, the agreement will be presented to the CH-UH Board of Education (BOE) for a vote. We are happy to be able to move forward united and, above all else, we are relieved that our teachers are exactly where they’re needed most—with their students.

The battle we continue to fight together is one against our district’s common enemy: the impact of disastrous EdChoice legislation and inequitable school funding. The CH-UH schools lost $7 million last year, and we expect to lose more than $9 million this school year, due to the way EdChoice vouchers are funded in Ohio.

To the Editor:

The open green space. The designated boundaries. A contradiction? Not to four-legged friends having somewhere to share their daily news with one another, as they bark and freely leap and bound. 

What space? Why, [the intersection of] Meadowbrook and Lee! When dogs freely join together, they all have a lot to say. Whatever their dialect, their raucous cacophony brings joy to their ears and satisfaction to their biped companions. 

To the Editor:

I am a recently retired woman with lots of time on my hands. I spend a certain amount of it walking around our city. We have lovely areas in which to live in Cleveland Heights—I am fortunate to live in one of them—and I take great enjoyment in these walks. Cleveland Heights has some beautiful old homes—homes that would cost far more in other cities. The low property values compared to other suburbs balance out our somewhat higher tax rate.

What saddens me is to see the anti-school-levy signs at some of these lovely properties. Their message of “We love living in the Heights – keep the Heights affordable” rings selfish to me.

To the Editor:

As many have noted, we should not approve a tax increase that many of our neighbors cannot afford in the midst of a deep recession with a still-uncertain outcome. Now, there is an additional reason to “Vote No” on Issue 69, the school tax levy.

Due to its “potential to incur a deficit during the first three years of the five-year period” [based on the district’s five-year forecast], the Ohio Department of Education has recommended the CH-UH City School District to the Auditor of State as one that should undergo a performance audit.

This will review the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and assets, and identify cost-saving options for the district. Voters should not approve additional funding increases until the district has addressed structural deficits.

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to Eric Silverman’s opinion, published [online at www.heightsobserver.org] on Oct 12.

I am not taking a position on the school levy vote, and I have not supported EdChoice vouchers in the past. I respect people making informed decisions for themselves. However, informed decisions need to be made with accurate information, and the cost of EdChoice vouchers as stated in Mr. Silverman’s opinion are absolutely incorrect.

Yes, the 2019–20 deduction for EdChoice vouchers was $7,074,113. In his piece, Mr. Silverman omitted the $4,286,412 the state of Ohio funded for EdChoice vouchers.

To the Editor:

For those trying to cut through all the nonsense and figure out whether to vote for the school levy this fall, here’s a simple check to see if the levy request is reasonable:

• In Ohio, the dollar amount raised from levies is fixed, so as prices (and hopefully home values) rise with inflation, the amount raised to fund the schools does not rise. That means if we don’t pass a levy every few years, we are effectively defunding public schools. 
• With inflation hovering around 2 percent per year, prices rise about 8 percent every four years. 
• The CH-UH district receives about $72 million per year in local property taxes; 8 percent of $72 million is about $6 million.

To the Editor:

My family and I have lived in Cleveland Heights since 2001. After beginning their education with wonderful years at Canterbury Elementary School, our daughters (now 20 and 17) switched to the private school where my husband worked. We continued to support every CH-UH levy during this time because we understand the value of strong public schools to the entire community.    

In 2018 our younger daughter, Lily, asked to tour Heights High. Coming from a small, high-touch private-school experience, I suspected we [might] receive an impersonal introduction. How wrong I was. Joy Henderson provided thoughtful, individualized support and guidance as Lily learned about Heights and considered making the change. Lily started Heights as a ninth-grader and has loved it from day one.

To the Editor:

[In the] November 2019 election: Some CH City Council members create, fund and campaign with a ballot issue PAC against the citizens' Elected Mayor charter change referendum. The city manager's trade union donates $30,000 to defeat the ballot issue.

March 2020 election: CH-UH school district illegally spends $34,675 of taxpayer funds as an in-kind donation for the campaign committee's voter survey, then lies about it to the state auditor. The school board president and vice president are on the campaign's steering committee, with their school board titles prominently displayed. The vice president held the campaign kick-off fundraiser at his home before the issue was even on the ballot. A school board member takes part in the planned sabotage of the Vote No campaign kick-off fundraiser at the New Heights Grille.

To the Editor:

What is wrong with accountability? What is wrong with asking how and why your tax dollars were spent in a particular fashion? Our school board has shown a complete lack of accountability toward how it spends our $130 million in taxes to run the school district.

We have asked [board members] for over seven months to have a performance audit done in the district. A performance audit is done by a neutral third party from the state auditor’s office to see if there are any cuts or savings to our budget that can be made, to allow our tax money to be spent in the best way, and to get the most for our tax dollars.

To the Editor:

As a board-certified psychoanalyst, and a licensed clinical counselor, respectively, we have both worked with children, teens and adults experiencing mental health crises. Sometimes these crises arise from an acute trauma, such as a sudden death or unexpected divorce, and sometimes they come about over time from the ceaseless burden of daily living.  

The CDC estimates that approximately 4.4 million children ages 3–17 suffer from anxiety, and approximately 1.9 million suffer from depression. We know, without question, that these and other mental conditions are being amplified by the COVID pandemic. These issues often remain invisible to the untrained eye, and can easily go undiagnosed and untreated. For many young people in our community, their crises are first spotted by concerned teachers, coaches, school counselors and social workers.

To the Editor:

We would like to introduce ourselves to the public: We are Tiger Nation for Strong Schools, a group of district parents and community volunteers campaigning for the 4.8 mill operating levy on the November ballot. 

Formerly known as Citizens for Our Heights Schools, we opted to change our name after the anti-levy campaign co-opted “Tiger Nation,” despite the fact that [its members] do not send their children to public schools, do not volunteer their time within district buildings, and do not identify themselves in any way with Tiger Nation. They were instead trying to intentionally mislead and confuse the public; something they were unfortunately successful in doing.

To the Editor:

I am a taxpayer of the district and always support local library tax requests, for two simple reasons:

• I am an ardent believer in the power of education and learning, and
• Heights Libraries does an excellent job of fulfilling its mission.
  
  

It has recently come to my attention the CH-UH libraries are being asked to continue being a landlord for a group of nonprofit entities that are currently renting space in the former Coventry School building.

To the Editor:

Ensemble Theatre, Greater Cleveland's home for modern American classics, culturally relevant plays, and significant new works, has been producing great theater with local talent for 40 great years. But, our doors have been closed to the public since March 1, and may continue to be for some time.

Like other arts, event, and theater organizations, Ensemble has faced, and continues to face, tens of thousands of dollars in losses due to the pandemic. There must be some type of industry-specific relief! 

Please help us #SaveOurStages by contacting Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman at www.saveourstages.com.

The CH-UH school board has placed a 4.8 mill levy on the November 2020 ballot. Voting for the levy makes financial sense for our community.

CH-UH has placed a levy on the ballot simply to keep up with inflation. Due to Ohio law, even when the value of district homes rises, the amount of property tax collected is kept constant (estimated at around $72.25 million). With annual inflation of 2 percent, a levy is necessary to keep pace with inflation.

Another reason a levy is required is because our district has been uniquely harmed by how Ohio’s EdChoice voucher program is funded. Even though the state paid our district only $1,927 for each student, our district was required to send out $6,000 to private, charter and religious schools for each EdChoice voucher high school student—a loss of $4,073 per student.

To the Editor:

In last fall’s election, Cleveland Heights voters were clear that appointments don’t reflect the voice of the people. Residents rejected the most recent city council appointment by a large margin, with the challenger, Davida Russell, winning against the appointed council member, with more than 57 percent of the vote.

Just one year later, the council member rejected by the voters has somehow made it to city council’s top four applicants [for another open council seat], narrowed from a pool of 22. Hmmm, really? How did this happen?

To the Editor:

Cleveland Heights residents overwhelmingly supported Issue 26 [on the November 2019 ballot] because it was a vote for change—a change that gave residents the ability to vote for mayor. We supported Issue 26 because we wanted more transparency, accountability, and say in who runs our city by democratically electing our representatives instead of relying on city council appointments. After 100 years without having an elected mayor accountable to residents, Issue 26 was a vote for change that residents wanted.

More appointments to Cleveland Heights City Council would be a step in the wrong direction. Appointments undermine democracy and allow people to appoint their friends and allies, opening the door for potential corruption, bribery and favoritism.

To the Editor:

I have received a letter from 14 respected citizens regarding council having a duty to appoint a seventh council member. I agree with them.

I know the mayor said publicly that he thought we did not have to appoint someone, and at least one other council person has posted on Facebook that we might not appoint someone, but, in my view, making this decision is our duty.

Because the city manager resigned at our last meeting, we had to deal with her replacement and the transition to another executive leader. So we did not meet on the appointment, which we had intended to do, but will debate it in an August meeting. I only agreed to vote for an August recess when council agreed to have an August meeting to debate the appointment.

That said—there are four great candidates for the seat and only six current council members.

To the Editor:

This is an open letter to Cleveland Heights City Council Members:

It's often said "politics is the art of compromise," but that sentiment appears lost on CH City Council members. On July 6, they decided NOT to decide which of four vetted candidates would fill the vacant seat created more than four months ago, when Melissa Yasinow resigned on March 3.  

CH City Charter mandates council to choose a new member when a member resigns. By April 6, council [had] received 22 applications for the open seat. On June 22, it interviewed four finalists via Zoom meetings. Three weeks later, council members met, ostensibly to vote on the vacant-seat replacement, but, instead of fulfilling their mandated responsibility, they were unable to make a decision.

This lack of leadership could not have come at a more critical time for Cleveland Heights residents.

To the Editor:

During the COVID-19 crisis and school closure, I've been proud of our educators' dedication to their students and community. Our district is providing virtual learning, thousands of free meals to children, Chromebooks for students, along with hosting Red Cross blood drives. It's amazing seeing Tiger Nation “band together,” all while physically apart.

But in the midst of this, our reality regarding EdChoice vouchers has only grown bleaker. The new voucher legislation that was slipped into the COVID-19 relief bill will only bring us more financial pain. We anticipate losing an additional $1 million next fiscal year, raising next year’s total estimated loss to $8.5 million due to EdChoice.

To the Editor:

Cheryl Stephens is well known to us. Her economic development leadership for over 20 years, her progressive politics, and her Master of Public Administration [degree] make her a well-qualified candidate for Cuyahoga County Council. To see her credentials, go to the Cuyahoga County website and look her up.

Her opponent, on the other hand, has had 18 jobs in the past 13 years. He is significantly less qualified than Stephens. During a challenge of his residency, I received copy of his application and résumé from the South Euclid Lyndhurst (SEL) School District. 

He says he is an educator. Yet as of May 2019, when he applied at the SEL district, he had no permanent teaching certificate listed on his résumé.

To the Editor:

These past days and weeks have caused so much upheaval and uncertainty for our families, our community, and our world. We are benefitting from a governor who has taken decisive action, requiring sacrifices from all to curb what could otherwise be devastating to so many.

Likewise, our CH-UH school district, under the leadership of Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby, has taken quick action to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. But the district didn’t just comply with the state-ordered closure; it is doing much more.

To the Editor:

Nothing has made me prouder than returning home to the city of Cleveland Heights after 27 years and discovering that it hasn’t lost its commitment to cultural diversity.

This past January and February, within the span of three weeks, I attended stellar performances of “Intimate Apparel” at Ensemble Theatre, which is housed in the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus, and “Skeleton Crew” at Dobama Theatre, which is located in the Cedar Lee district.

To the Editor:

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen to you!

After nearly 40 years as a children’s specialty retailer—25 of them in Cleveland Heights—the time has come to say goodbye. Pinwheel Kids, at 3469 Fairmount Blvd., will close at the end of March so I can kick off my retirement.

I feel lucky to have called Cleveland Heights my second home for over two decades. Being on “main street” in this vibrant neighborhood has been so gratifying. The loyalty and enthusiasm of the Cleveland Heights community for its small businesses is exceptional.

To the Editor:

The following letter was sent to members of the CH Board of Zoning Appeals on Feb. 19:

Dear Members of the CH Board of Zoning Appeals,

FutureHeights has reviewed the proposed Integrity Realty Group project at 2235 Overlook Road and 2345-61 Euclid Heights Blvd., and offers its support of the developer’s request for variances to Code Sections 1123.08, 1161.11, and 1123.07.

We are pleased that Integrity plans to retain the historic buildings and stone wall on the site. We are also pleased with the developer’s efforts to address and incorporate neighboring property owners’ concerns into the plans.

To the Editor:

My family has been in the Heights for four generations. Both my husband and I are alumni. I have volunteered as a tutor in the elementary schools, and was campaign treasurer for two former school board members. That said, I am writing to ask people to vote “no” on the operating levy 

Understanding our community is primarily residential, we still have had an unprecedented number of levies and increases in spending in recent years—despite large decreases in school enrollment. Roughly 40 percent of our school-aged children opt out of the public schools, yet our spending is amongst the highest in Ohio.

To the Editor:

I am a homeowner, mother and teacher living and working in Cleveland Heights.

Living here was a no-brainer for me; [it’s] an inclusive, walkable, artistic community with historic homes, independent businesses and access to all of Cleveland’s cultural assets. When I was lucky enough to land a student-teaching placement at Noble Elementary School in my 20s, I knew this was where I wanted to put down roots.

Over the next decade I taught at both private and public schools before landing my dream job, teaching studio art at Heights High.

To the Editor:

Which pocket will the money come from? For a family of two adults and two children, with a house valued at $150,000 and income of $75,000, the school board’s tax increase of $414 will take a big chunk out of their disposable income.

I went to Taxformcalculator.com and to the liberal Economic Policy Institute for some estimates of a family budget in Cleveland Heights:

• Take-home pay after a 10-percent 401(k) contribution and all taxes: $58,560.
• Property tax: $6,114
• Housing: $9,239
• Food: $9,077
• Transportation: $13,047
• Health care: $10,476
• Necessities: $7,389

To the Editor:

If passed, the proposed school levy increase would give the Heights the highest property tax rate in Ohio. That is quite a severe burden when one considers the large number of low- and middle-income taxpayers here. Has any organization or elected leader in the Heights studied the impact on the community? How will this affect population, tax delinquencies, vacancies, home ownership, the quality of housing, and local businesses? The long-term trend of all of these is negative. 

Where are our city councils? Has any city found success in being #1 for property tax rates?

To the Editor:

On March 17, please vote “No” on Issue 26. The problem is school spending, not school vouchers, and here's why: Cleveland Heights already owns the title of highest-tax-burden city in the state of Ohio. We currently give more money to the schools than almost any other school district in Ohio—and we are not wealthy!

This monstrous school levy adds another $415 to the property tax bill of a $150,000 house. This is not sustainable.

And let me say something about Cleveland Heights and why this is so morally wrong: We are an aging city located next to Cleveland and East Cleveland. Our houses are all 100 years old and new families are not moving into our community.

To the Editor:

Attorney Geoff Johnson's letter [in the January issue of the Heights Observer] about excessive educational costs in Cleveland Heights is neither informative nor convincing. He needs to do his homework. He compared the total [district] budget of [CH-UH] to other cities, [and] fails to consider the many other factors he needs to consider in order to understand why costs are different from one city to another.

To name a few . . . how about per pupil cost? How about population characteristics? How about teacher pay?

To the Editor:

I am writing to encourage voters in the CH-UH school district to vote for the levy that will be on the ballot on March 17. Our district is faced with suddenly losing millions of dollars due to last minute changes to the EdChoice voucher program inflicted by the state board of education.

In 2016, the state took 7 percent of our district’s state monies to use for private school scholarships. This school year, it took almost five times that—34.6 percent of our state dollars. Next year, that number will go up by nearly $3 million more. Then, almost 50 percent of our state allocated dollars will be used to pay for private school scholarships instead of funding CH-UH schools.

To the Editor:

Good schools are the foundation of a good community. When that foundation is threatened, you shore it up. That’s what the March 17 CH-UH school district levy will do.

We’re in the midst of positive change. Voters chose two new CH City Council members. This month, CH council chose two new leaders. In two years, CH residents will elect a mayor for the first time since 1921.

These changes are built on the foundation of a community with wonderful assets: people, businesses, arts, neighborhoods, nature, recreation, location. And schools.

To the Editor:

Someone hit a skunk on the street in front of my [Staunton Road] home. I had two days and nights of sleeplessness. I was ill from the stench. It stunk to high heaven and was so strong it woke me up the first night. Headache and nausea weren't the only symptoms. I could taste the skunk all day long and when I was able to sleep at all I dreamt that a skunk was constantly following me around no matter what I did. I made multiple calls to Cleveland Heights City Hall—police, the service department, the mayor, council members, legal department, etc. The only answer I got was okay we know about it, or, we'll get to it when we can. [It was] mostly voicemail messages from me that were not returned. I then called the EPA and tried to find a functioning, real newspaper. No one could or would help.

To the Editor:

At a recent CH City Council meeting I heard a couple of council members say that the Top of the Hill (TOH) project will have a positive impact on Cleveland Heights' middle class. May I suggest that no members of the middle class will be able or willing to live there; it is not aimed at us.

TOH is a "luxury" project. Comparing it with the nearby One University Circle, a similar project, is instructive in learning what we are in for. At One University Circle, studio, or efficiency, apartments start at $1,500 per month. Each bedroom adds about $1,000 per month, so two- and three-bedroom units cost about $3,500 and $4,500 per month, respectively.

To the Editor:

This is a small detail with long-term impact:
 
At the last Architectural Board of Review Top of the Hill meeting, the developer and the architect unveiled a dog park for the project. At first, it doesn't sound bad, but it will be located across from the main entrance to the Buckingham Condominiums.

Very bad choice. The Buckingham's front door will be across from a potentially noisy and smelly space.

To the Editor:

As many in our community are already aware, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education has voted to place an operating levy on the March ballot. I am a member of Citizens for Our Heights Schools, a committee of parents and residents volunteering to ensure the successful passage of this levy. It is never easy to step up for this task, but I do it because I know it is necessary.

The way Ohio funds public education—long deemed unconstitutional—requires districts to return to voters every few years just to keep pace with inflation.

To the Editor:

We have an opportunity Nov. 5 to adopt a form of government better suited to our success as a city than our current one. That choice is FOR an elected mayor.

The opposition wants to carry on as things are. They claim the council-manager structure can solve the problems of a diminishing tax base, deteriorated housing, lack of future-oriented development, uneven distribution of services, etc. Its track record says otherwise. This form of governance was in place as these problems arose. If it can solve these problems, why hasn’t it?

To the Editor:

Peggy Spaeth is an engaged resident who has done much to enliven Cleveland Heights. Unfortunately, she does not understand Issue 26, and [in her recent opinion] incorrectly equates it with a loss of professional oversight of the city’s operations.

Importantly, in addition to an elected mayor, Issue 26’s proposed charter change includes a professionally trained city administrator to manage the city’s daily operations.

More distressing is Spaeth’s dismay “that this issue is on the ballot at all” and her question about what message it sends about Cleveland Heights.

To the Editor:

To clarify more misinformation from opponents of the citizens’ amendment for an elected mayor: Citizens for an Elected Mayor (CEM) did not reject an ethics clause as Jack Newman alleged last month. By law, a proposed citizens’ amendment can address only one issue; unlike council or a commission, citizens cannot offer changes across the entire charter, so we had to focus solely on sections related directly to the manager/mayor structure.

Newman should be more worried that CH City Council itself rejected a key ethics recommendation by the Charter Review Commission (CRC).

To the Editor:

Before deciding for or against the proposed amendment to the city charter, [I urge CH residents] read and think about what it establishes:

“Shall various Articles of the Charter of the City of Cleveland Heights be amended to change the form of government from its current elected Council and appointed Manager form, to an elected Mayor and Council form, and to provide for the powers, duties, four-year term, qualifications, and removal process for the office of the Mayor, and to create the position of the City Administrator appointed by the Mayor and subject to Council approval who shall be responsible for assisting the Mayor in overseeing the administrative functions of the City, commencing with the initial election of the Mayor to occur at the regular municipal election occurring in the year 2021; and to eliminate the City Manager position?

To the Editor:

Which new candidate for CH City Council has attended most Committee of the Whole and city council meetings for the past three years? Melody Hart. Because Melody has this unique view of city council, she has a very good understanding of how it functions.

Which candidate for CH City Council is a member of the Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) Housing Task Force? Melody Hart.

To the Editor:

I want to congratulate the following individuals for their induction into various sports halls of fame in 2019:

John Malloy and Otis Chapman will be inducted into The Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 17. Malloy was hockey coach at Cleveland Heights High School 1981–96 and won a state championship (1986–87). He was a great mentor to many youth players who aspired to play, and later played, for Heights High.

To the Editor:

Before Sarah West decided to “posit that CEM has already vetted possible mayoral candidates” (“CH and the strong-mayor dilemma,” Heights Observer, Aug. 1), she could have checked if her assumption was true. It’s not. All 10 members of Citizens for an Elected Mayor (CEM), listed on our website and easily accessible if she had chosen to ask us, would have told her we have not vetted possible candidates.

We also agreed to not endorse a candidate nor run for mayor ourselves. We have not even discussed possible candidates, other than to say we are optimistic many qualified residents will be interested in running.

To the Editor:

Several authors of opinions published in the August Heights Observer lauded Cleveland Heights’ current system of government as “collaborative.” I agree. But it requires collaboration between two branches of government that ought to be separate: the legislative and the executive.

With the current system, city council not only hires, and can fire, the city manager, it is also charged with supervising the manager, and therefore, indirectly, city staff. This means that council, which is supposed to be the legislative branch of city government, spends much of its time protecting and attempting to manage the executive branch.

To the Editor:

This letter is a response to Alan Rapoport's opinion article, "A city manager form of government works well," published in the Heights Observer's June issue.

As a former mayor, Rapoport understandably likes Cleveland Heights' government structure, citing history, progress and a contrasting example.

To the Editor:

A column by Deborah Van Kleef and Carla Rautenberg in the May 2019 Heights Observer called for changing from a city manager form of government to an elected full-time mayor for Cleveland Heights. The motivation for this call is stated as a poorly working city manager form of government. They state that CH City Manager Robert Downey "left a mess" and had a "sudden departure," in 2012.

To the Editor:

I'm a Cleveland Heights native, and I just wanted to say thank you to Heights Libraries for acquiring and preserving the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus.

The P.E.A.C.E. Campus is dear to my heart. In 1976 my mother, Ro Eugene, started a "Coventry Kids for PEACE" movement in the wake of disturbing bullying incidents at the school. Parents and kids had several meetings together, and made a plan to be nicer and more accepting of each other. It worked.

To the Editor:

By now, many Heights residents will have read or heard that a body of The United Methodist Church recently voted to maintain its discriminatory position regarding same-sex marriage and ordination. We want you to be aware that not all United Methodists are like-minded.

As the United Methodist clergypersons serving in Cleveland Heights, we affirm our passion for, and commitment to, justice and covenant with all of God’s children. Our congregations, though diverse, share a calling to love God and neighbor, and to include all souls in our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

To the Editor:

What’s the drive behind the city’s plan for the Top of the Hill project—the need for new housing, more retail? Would renovating existing space, or a scaled down mixed-use project be better, or just a parking garage make more sense? Are there any metrics showing that there is a market demand for these kinds of buildings?

Seems to me the driver—the appeal of the project—is that it is new, fun and exciting. Can’t we think of anything fun to build that is not heavily subsidized with our tax dollars? Are we all going to get our money’s worth of excitement out of the project?

To the Editor:

The survey results from the Cleveland Heights Branding Initiative bring to mind the adage that "your greatest strength begets your greatest weakness." The survey found that diversity is the city's most valued characteristic, and that the most cherished traits are openness, welcoming, inclusive and tolerance.  

Those qualities are indeed city strengths. But the weakness comes about when they are applied inappropriately and result in community harm.

To the Editor:

The FutureHeights Board of Directors sent this letter to the Cleveland Heights Architectural Board of Review on Dec. 19:

Dear Members of CH Architectural Board of Review,

FutureHeights supports moving forward with a mixed-use development at Top of the Hill (TOH) and urges the Cleveland Heights Architectural Board of Review to “conceptually approve” the project, with final approval subject to the developers’ final architectural design.

To the Editor:

The Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District (SID) is in support of the Top of the Hill Project at Euclid Heights Boulevard and Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights.

The area is on the former site of Doctor’s Hospital that was 10 floors. This was built in the Cedar Fairmount neighborhood, which was created for density in a planned community.

To the Editor:

If a vote would had been taken after each of the three public meetings concerning the Top of the Hill Project, I believe the majority of those attending would have said that they think the "look doesn't fit the location.”

The existing Cedar Fairmount buildings have four to five architectural styles. The most prominent have an English Tudor influence. That style is reflected in the Cedar Fairmount District logo. The basic materials are brick, stone, stucco, wood and glass. Those materials and some of that style can "easily" be incorporated into parts of the new design.

To the Editor:

Two questions about Diane Hallum’s opinion piece in the November issue of the Heights Observer (“There is systemic racism in CH”):

Question one: “In 1972, it was revealed,” Hallum writes, ”that the city had been redlining—limiting black families to homeownership only on the north side of the city.” [i.e., the Noble neighborhood.] What exactly does she refer to? Who revealed this? And to whom? This is a highly charged, very damaging, controversial statement, made with no supporting evidence.

To the Editor:

FutureHeights sent the following letter to Cleveland Heights City Council on Oct. 19:

FutureHeights supports a mixed-use development project at Top of the Hill and urges council to adopt the Planning Commission’s recommendation to initiate the Planned Development Overlay District Procedures and Rezoning Process. FutureHeights staff and board members participated in the Aug. 30 design focus group meeting, attended the Oct. 10 community meeting, and reviewed the updated plans and renderings.

We are pleased with the responsiveness of the developer to our comments and [those of] others in the community. However, we are also aware that there remain community concerns about several important issues: traffic/parking, compatibility/quality of architecture, and the 30-year tax abatement. In addition, we are unsure that all business owners and residents in the neighborhood understand the project and have had a chance to provide input and suggestions. It appears more communication and dialogue are needed.

To the Editor:

I urge my fellow Cleveland Heights residents to support Richard Cordray for governor because it will mean more and better funding for Cleveland Heights. Over the past eight years the state has slashed the Local Government Fund (LGF), and counties, cities, villages, townships, libraries and schools have been told to do more with less.

These cuts have directly impacted Cleveland Heights and caused our city and schools to lose millions of dollars. To offset these cuts, our residents graciously supported Issue 53, an income tax increase to protect our fire and safety forces. Had Cleveland Heights residents not voted to offset the cuts from Columbus, we would have seen drastic losses, and Fire Station 2, which responds to calls west of Superior Road, wouldn’t have had enough first responders to simultaneously send out the ambulance and the fire truck.

To the Editor:

The Cleveland Heights Charter Review Commission (CRC) had a meeting on June 21. I believe it was at that meeting that the decision was made to keep our city manager form of government.

It was published in the Heights Observer that, at a meeting in April, 53 of the people who attended indicated that they were in favor of changing to an elected mayor, while 31 favored staying with our current city manager form of government.

To the Editor:

Residents have submitted different opinions on trash collection to the Observer recently. I agree with Tom Diamond that we can do better.

As a dog walker, I am up close and personal with trash. It’s not a pretty site. Trash bags are ripped open every single week by cats, possums, skunks, raccoons and rats. Our hard-working trash collectors do not rake up the mess, and to make matters worse, neither do some residents. Garbage sits on tree lawns indefinitely. Plastics find their way to the sewers marked “Lake Erie starts here.”