Moving Closer to Dogs in Lakewood’s Parks?

Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called the February 16 meeting of Council to order at 7:40 P.M. Even though this meeting was taking place at the same time as the much anticipated School Board meeting, in which they would vote and decide which elementary school to close, there was a sizable audience at City Hall.

The first order of business was brought forth by Councilwoman Nickie Antonio (At-Large). She introduced a resolution recognizing 11 Lakewood High students and their two teachers for their recent trip to the White House where they were part of only 120 students from across the country to participate in a workshop on the impact of music on the Civil Rights movement. The students were selected due to their participation in their Human Rights and Conflict class, as well as their involvement with LHS’ Race and Diversity Club and the Cleveland chapter of Facing History and Ourselves. The students were Kladijah Baker, Seth Baker, Kristina Hila, Celia Lamb, Adrienne Mahone, Annalisa Perez, Sarah Speice, Chelsea Stenger, McKenzie Stenger, Jamil Thomas, and CaNada Tate-Griffin. They were escorted by their teachers Joe Lobozzo and Alisa Nazelli.

Council unanimously passed the resolution and offered them their congratulations, asking the students some questions about their experience.

Councilman Butler then moved onto reading a communication from the Committee of the Whole regarding an appointment to the Civil Service Commission. This is the last of several positions appointed by Council. After discussing it in committee they decided to appoint former Council President (At-Large) Michael Dever to the position. Council voted and approved the appointment.

Councilman Tom Bullock (Ward II) then read a communication from the Public Works Committee regarding a pilot program for leashed dogs in two of Lakewood’s parks. He said that after much discussion and preparation from over the last year, and two committee meetings discussing the issue, he believed they have created a sound ordinance that would allow the City to try, and succeed, with this program. The pilot program would allow leashed dogs only in Lakewood and Kaufman parks with restrictions around playgrounds, ball parks, pavilions and the ramp down to the lakefront promenade. The pilot would start at the passage of the ordinance and would last for 12 months, unless Council votes to end it before that deadline. Stations with waste collecting materials will be set up around the parks, as will signs indicating where leashed dogs may or may not be. Although the ordinance was being read for the third time and was, therefore, eligible to be voted on, Councilman Bullock moved to defer the vote so that other members of Council may look at the final version of the ordinance and that they may discuss it.

A member of the community, Jack Hagen, who had attended a few of the committee meetings, made a few comments to Council about Bullock’s proposed ordinance. He raised several issues he did not believe the ordinance covered, but should. First, he was concerned that the ordinance says that no dog should be within 30 feet of a playground, however, at Lakewood Park the walking path comes within 30 feet of the playground. Likewise, the ordinance lays out the same restriction for ball fields in the parks.  However, many of the ball fields don’t have defined borders, so how is one to know if they are violating the ordinance or not. He made the same argument for how is an officer to know if a person is violating it or not. His other concern had to do with the finances it will cost the City to facilitate the program.

Councilman Brian Powers (At-Large) responded to Mr. Hagen’s concerns about the financial burden by letting him, and Council, know that the expenses for all of the materials will be picked up by outside investors, such as the Lakewood citizen group, which is the driving force behind this effort. He also said  this program will not start until those waste stations and signs are purchased and installed. Therefore, if the funding does not cover the cost within the 12 months of passage, the program will never take place.

Councilwoman Mary Louise Madigan (Ward IV) told Councilman Powers she appreciated his clarification; however, had some real concern because nowhere in the language of the ordinance did it state that the program would not start until the materials had been purchased and installed. Councilwoman Antonio also was concerned that the ordinance does not establish by who or how the ordinance will be enforced. She sees a cost to enforce the ordinance and wants to know how that is going to be handled. She noted that, even though dogs are currently not allowed in the parks, they are there already. If this ordinance is passed it will greatly increase the need for enforcement.

After many questions were raised, Council deferred the matter to be discussed in more detail at a later date.

Councilwoman Antonio read a statement to Council supporting the Administration’s efforts to try and bring the once a week shopper circulator to Lakewood and also to give an update on other options being explored. She mentioned that Lakewood Businesses have been asked to report if they have noticed any changes in their business since the end of the circulator. Also, she discussed conversations resident Mel Page, Madison Ave. Merchant Association Chair, and she have had regarding the possibilities of setting up a circulator that would run on used oil collected from local restaurants. It would save the merchants disposal fees and save the circulator fuel fees.

Mel Page was present at the meeting and made a statement highlighting Lakewood’s history as a streetcar/public transportation city. She also made comments regarding studies done by the state that highlighted public transportation, as well as other forms of alternative transportation (not cars), as the direction to move towards, as well as documentation that ODOT has moved its concentration into those areas. Although she did not offer ideas as to where funding would come from, she said, “It will come even if it has to be labeled economic development."

Councilman Powers interjected briefly during the public comment portion to tell people that he doesn’t want them walking away with false hope. He said it is highly unlikely Lakewood will ever run its own circulator. He wanted to make it clear the City has been facing a financial crisis and that there is little, if any, chance of the funds ever being available to start such a system in Lakewood. “We do not receive the kinds of tax dollars as RTA does to run that kind of service,” he said. He did clarify that this doesn’t mean the City won’t do everything it can to bring the circulators back.  However, their best bet is to keep RTA in the business of offering it, as bussing is their business.

Moving on from the circulator topic, Councilwoman Antonio asked Council and the Administration to consider the implementation of a Keep Lakewood Beautiful Hotline which would be a general number anyone could call to report issues involving graffiti, trash and neighbors in the City. Her hope is that the hotline would bring issues to the City’s attentions sooner so they can be remedied. She believes this would happen because a large majority of people now have a cell phone on them nearly everywhere they go, making it easy for them to report issues if they see them.

Council received the communication and referred it to the Human Services Committee for further considerations.

Director of Planning and Development, Nathan Kelly, announced to Council that the City had been awarded $50,000 to do a streetscape study of Madison Ave., similar to the one already done on Detroit Ave. However, in order to continue with this, Council will have to extend contracting rights to the City for this program. Therefore, Director Kelly asked the Council to take that into consideration so that they might continue with the program. Council accepted the communication from Director Kelly and referred the matter to the Public Works Committee.

Director Kelly then asked Council to allow the City to open bidding up for a parcel of land on the corner of Thrush and Dowd Avenues. The property was acquired by the City because the site housed a nuisance structure. The City aimed to rehabilitate it, but in the end it was decided to demolish the home. The site was originally going to be used to rebuild a single family home, but when a better site opened up down the street the City decided to build there instead. As for this property, several different people have shown interest in buying it. Therefore the City would like to see what they are offered. Any money made from the property will be reinvested in the City’s nuisance abatement through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Council received the communication from Director Kelly and referred the matter to the Housing Committee.

At the close of the meeting, Council invited the Director of Building and Housing, Jeff Ashby, to give a presentation on the state of his department. Director Ashby discussed some of the improvements and changes they have made over the last year in identifying problem properties and how they have begun to more efficiently get things corrected. This includes issues faced with foreclosed and vacant homes. Director Ashby also discussed the implementation of their new software in the near future that will aid them in speeding up their actions in the office. The softward will allow things to go from on site observation to City action faster, as well as seeing a property’s entire history with the Building Department in one place.

After Director Ashby’s presentation, and some questions from the Council, the auditorium, that was earlier in the night full, was now empty except for City employees and myself. Seeing it as no better time to end the meeting, after it had dragged on for so long, Council President Butler adjourned the meeting at 10:16 P.M.

Council meetings are held every first and third Monday of the month at 7:30 P.M. in the City Hall Auditorium. The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be held on March 1, 2010. For a copy of the agenda or for any other information regarding the Lakewood City Council, you can find it at onelakewood.com/citygovern_council.html.