First Step Taken Toward The Creation Of The New Health And Wellness Foundation

Council President and Ward II Councilman Sam O’Leary called the April 4, 2016 Council meeting to order at 7:38 P.M. All the members of Council were wearing some form of maroon in support of Councilman Nowlin’s sick daughter who would be getting a bone marrow transplant the next day. Councilman Nowlin was not at the meeting due to preparations for the transplant, so the first order of Council was to excuse his absence, which they did.

Councilwoman Cindy Marx then read a communication regarding bedbugs. At the end of the previous meeting a number of residents addressed Council regarding a bedbug issue in Lakeshore Towers. The residents shared their frustration at how the building was handling the situation and at lack of education being provided regarding the spreading and treatment of bedbugs. The administration informed the residents and Council that they had convened a Bed Bug Work Group. “The purpose of the group is to bring together Lakewood municipal and community partners to deliberate on the issue of bedbugs and to determine productive and innovative strategies to address the issues and prevent further infestations.” Councilwoman Marx said, “It is now time to bring the Bed Bug Work Group together with Council to collaborate on how best to manage the issue of bed bugs in our community.”

Councilwoman Marx asked that her communication be referred to the Health and Human Services Committee for discussion. Council did so.

Next, Councilwoman Marx read another communication, this time regarding lead safety in Lakewood. She noted an article in the New York Times that was titled “Flint is in the News, but Lead Poisoning is Even Worse in Cleveland.” The most recent statistics from the County Board of Health indicated that 52 children in Lakewood had elevated levels of lead in their blood. Unlike Flint, however, this lead isn’t from the water, but rather from household paint.

Considering the age of the homes in Lakewood it is reasonable to believe that most have contained lead paint at some point in time. Since the 1970’s great strides have been taken to eliminate lead from our surroundings, but despite these efforts many houses still have some lead paint remaining that has the potential to cause health issues. Both the County Board of Health and HUD offer grants to people who are income-qualified to help abate lead paint issues from doors, windows, porches, and the exterior of houses. The grants offer up to $8,000 to both home owners and renters with children of age five and under to help eliminate lead.

Councilwoman Marx requested that the flyer for the grant program be posted to the City’s website, and requested that her communication be referred to the Health and Human Services Committee for further discussion. She also made special note that if people need help applying for the grant that they can reach out to LakewoodAlive who can assist them with the process.

Council referred the matter as requested.

Mayor Mike Summers then read a letter to Council initiating a process that will likely to take months, and which in the end will be responsible for creating the new Health and Wellness Foundation. In the Master Agreement that was passed by Council in December, which approved the closing of Lakewood Hospital and the creation of the Cleveland Clinic emergency room and health center, the City was required to create a new Health and Wellness non-profit that would, in a sense, pick up where the Lakewood Hospital Association (LHA) left off. According to the Master Agreement, within 12 months of its passage the City has to come to an agreement with the LHA on a process for creating the new non-profit, developing the new non-profit’s governing documents, filing for incorporation, and applying for tax-exempt status.

The Mayor said that he submitted his letter to Council to officially initiate the process; however, he made it clear that the Administration had already been doing some legwork. They have already begun looking at other conversion foundation processes and trying to understand what can be learned from them, reviewing types of non-profit tax organization options, reviewing foundation governance structures and the process for creating them, and seeking recommendations about potential non-profit facilitators and/or advisers.

Although he openly expressed that what he has learned is “by no means exhaustive or definitive,” he offered to share it with Council, and express his initial thoughts.

Council referred the Mayor’s letter to the Committee of the Whole.

Next, Director of Public Works, Joe Beno asked Council to consider a resolution which would authorize the City to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for upgrading the traffic signals along Franklin Boulevard and Hilliard Road. The new traffic lights and poles will match those that have been installed on Clifton, Detroit, and Madison in recent years. The total cost of the project will be about $2.3 million with the City being responsible for about $476,000. The City will additionally be responsible for a $33,000 payment to ODOT for managing the project, which will bring the City’s total responsibility to $509,000.

Council referred the resolution to the Public Works Committee.

The Law Director, Kevin Butler, then asked Council to consider updating an ordinance that currently requires the City’s Director of Health to sign off on a demolition before it can be completed. In 2008 the City contracted all health services through the County, therefore no longer employing a Director of Health. Due to the current paradox in the City’s code, Director Butler requested the City amend it by simply removing the superfluous clause.

Due to the straightforwardness of the requested change, Council decided not to refer the ordinance to committee. Instead, they decided to run it through its required three readings, and have it handled by the full Council.

With no further items on the agenda, the floor was opened up for public comment. Several residents addressed Council on two main topics. The first were those who had attended the last meeting to discuss their issues with Lakeshore Towers and bedbug infestation. The second group was comprised of regulars to Council meetings over the last year. They were representing Save Lakewood Hospital, and expressed their displeasure with Council, the Administration, and the hospital deal passed in December.

Once everyone had a chance to speak, Council President O’Leary adjourned the meeting at 9:57 P.M.

Christopher Bindel

I have been a Lakewood resident my entire life and have been covering the Council meetings for the LO since March of 2009. I am a former Mayoral appointee to the Citizens Advisory Committee, a Council appointee to the Board of Zoning Appeals, on the Board of Directors for Pillars of Lakewood, and President of Eaters of Lakewood.

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Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 4:37 PM, 04.12.2016