City

The City of Lakewood is proud to announce its new, discounted applicant screening service. The City has partnered with CoreLogic SafeRent to offer a full line of resident screening services utilizing SafeRent’s vast databases of landlord-tenant and criminal records.

CoreLogic SafeRent is a comprehensive suite of screening services designed especially for the smaller landlord. SafeRent DIRECT includes the same vital leasing-decision services used by the nation's largest real estate investment companies and property managers, including the only statistically validated tenant score.

The 24th annual Lakewood Community Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Madison Park, 13029 Madison Avenue. The festival celebrates community, cultural heritage and families. It is a day of fun and activities for everyone.

There will be a Flag Raising Ceremony at 11:00 a.m. by various military organizations. Entertainment for the day will include Silhouette Dance Studio, Edelweiss 5, The Polka Pirates, The Pop Tarts, Riley Brothers Band and more.

The Lakewood Division of Refuse and Recycling will host a Composting Seminar conducted by the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the Woman’s Club Pavilion at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue. Participants will learn how to compost household yard waste and food scraps. Compost bins will be available for sale after the seminar.

Composting is an inexpensive way of adding nutrients back into the soil to improve its texture, structure, aeration ability and water holding capacity and can save time and money spent on yard waste bags.

I wanted to update our residents on the recent  power outage situation in Lakewood and let you know we are working with the electric company to try to resolve the issues we are having. I met with Trent Smith, President of The Illuminating Company, on July 27 to discuss the situation. The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (CEI) is a First Energy subsidiary and delivers the electical power to the entire city of Lakewood. We had a frank discussion about the condition of our power supply and the outages Lakewood experienced last week. Mr. Smith was very interested in understanding what our specific experiences were. I was able to relay this experience thanks to the many, many calls and messages received from our affected citizens. It was very helpful to know the frequency and duration of the outages which were reported in many of the messages. Mr. Smith reported that CEI used thermoscan technology to identify five critical circuits that need serious attention. An additional 18 circuits are being reviewed. Additionally, a review of the substations, including Lauderdale, is being conducted.

More recognition and another reward for the City of Lakewood! Cuyahoga County held a call for proposals for Neighborhood Stabilization Funds- $250,000 for the top proposal and $150,000 for the second. We are proud to announce that, through the hard work of the Planning and Development Department, the Division of Community Development and Melinda Burt, our city has been awarded $250,000 to invest in our community.

The Rotary Club of Cleveland chose Amy Johnston of Lakewood as their “Rotarian of the Year.”

The award honors those who exemplify the values of the Rotary including tireless service to others. Amy is one of Rotary’s most active volunteers.

Visitors to Cleveland’s most recent Tall Ships Festival have likely benefited from just one of Amy’s volunteer projects. The Rotary Club of Cleveland sponsored the 2010 festival as part of the chapter’s 100th birthday celebration. Amy is working on the Tall Ships return visit in 2013.

I am proud to a represent Keep Lakewood Beautiful as it’s newest board member. Keep Lakewood Beautiful is a volunteer based, city organization. We hold several events throughout the year with the same mission, to quite simply... Keep Lakewood Beautiful!

I first became involved with the organization by way of the Apopt-A-Spot program. I “adopted” the gardens in front of the Lakewood Park walls at the Lake / Bell Ave entrance.

We believe Lakewood homeowners deserve acknowledgment for their hard work maintaining their home and grounds. There will be a special awards breakfast in their honor on November 12, 2011.

Council President, Mary Louise Madigan, called the July 18, 2011 Council Meeting to order at 7:33 P.M. She then asked the members of Council to excuse the absence of Councilman Brian Powers, which Council did.

The first item on the agenda was a bit of old business from January, in which Council introduced a resolution thanking Ed FitzGerald for his service and leadership as Lakewood’s mayor. In his new position as County Executive, FitzGerald has not had the time to come to a meeting to receive the resolution therefore it had been tabled until he could do so. Finally Mr. FitzGerald was able to make a meeting, and Council reintroduced the resolution.

Mr. Andrew Brickman, developer, provided an overview of his firms development concept for the southwest corner of of Sloane Avenue and Sloane Subway called - Le Metro, on Wednesday July 6 in the basement of the St. Peter's Episcopal Church. In general Abode Living expects to construct 19 new units on the site of three existing structures, which will be razed in due course.

Council President Mary Louise Madigan called the July 5, 2011 Council Meeting to order at 7:39. She then read a communication asking Council to pass a resolution thanking Steel Valley Credit Union for their participation in and support of this year’s Bike Rodeo. Councilwoman Madigan relayed the statements of the police involved, saying that any time they asked if they could use something, the people at Steel Valley said, “whatever you need, we will help you get.” She continued, saying that the Bike Rodeo is only possible because of generous donations and volunteers such as those from Steel Valley and other businesses.

H2O’s Summer Service Camp 2011 has had an amazing first two sessions, full of fun, energy, reflection, service learning and plenty of ACTION! Each day the campers assemble in groups with their counselors and take off for service sites, including Ronald McDonald House, the Cleveland Foodbank, Laura’s Home, local daycares, Crestmont Nursing Home, and ASIA (Asian Services in Action, a summer learning program for children who have recently arrived to the area as refugees). In addition, campers maintain two garden plots at the Madison Park LEAF community garden to donate food to Lakewood Community Service Center, they organize the huge Clothes 4 Kids clothing drive, recycle school supplies and create crafts to sell as a fundraiser at the Lakewood Arts Festival. Several groups helped Catholic Charities prepare homes for arriving refugee families by cleaning, moving and assembling furniture, and making beds. While they were working, they heard the moving background stories of the families they were helping.

The main auditorium at Lakewood City Hall on the night of June 20, 2011 was packed beyond capacity for the City Council Meeting. Council members arrived a bit late from their committee meeting immediately preceding the Council meeting. Council President Mary Louise Madigan called the meeting to order at 7:40 P.M.

The first order of business was a communication delivered by Councilwoman Madigan (Ward IV) on the behalf of all members of Council concerning Dignity of Human Rights and Pride Week. The week of June 25th is designated Dignity of Human Rights and Pride Week and the communication was asking Council to declare it so in the City.

The June 6, 2011 council meeting started with a report given by Councilman Ryan Nowlin (At-Large) from the Rules and Ordinances Committee. His report discussed a few items, most notable among them was the ordinance he introduced eliminating the three reading rule for resolutions of a non permanent nature. Also discussed by the Committee was the Community Relations Advisory Board report on how to best implement and educate the community on the excessive idling law that was passed last year. The Committee decided to recommend adoption of the three reading ordinance as well as favorably referring the CRAB report to the administration recommending implementation.

Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers today announced that Mickey Krivosh, owner of Around the Corner Restaurant and Three Birds Restaurant, will serve as the Grand Marshall for the City’s Fourth of July parade. The parade is scheduled to step off on Monday, July 4, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. on Lake Avenue at Kenneth Drive and conclude at Lakewood Park.

Mr. Krivosh has owned Around The Corner Restaurant since 1974 and recently made another huge investment in the community by purchasing Three Birds Restaurant. He is a long-time Lakewood resident and a 1970 graduate of Lakewood High School.

The City of Lakewood is pleased to announce the 2011 schedule for its Summer Band Concert Series. A long time Lakewood tradition, these free concerts are held on Sundays at 7:00 PM at the Bandstand in Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue.                                                

Due to the Fourth of July holiday, there will be no refuse or recycling collected on Monday, July 4, 2011. Residents whose refuse is normally collected on Monday will have collection on Tuesday. Residents whose refuse is normally collected on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday should have their refuse and recyclables available for collection on their regular day, and it will be collected either on that day or the day after. Residents whose refuse is normally collected on Friday will have collection on Friday.

The city of Lakewood should refurbish and re-open the Detroit theatre rather than replace it with another fast-food restaruant serving junk food and bringing noise, traffic and congestion while eliminating culture and entertainment. Why allow it? We would not allow an abortion clinic, strip club, or noisy, smelly factory. Leave McDonalds on Sloane where it fits in.

Welcome to the second edition of the City of Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission Report!

The primary function of the City of Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission is to serve as a general advisory liaison between residents of the city and city officials. The commission also works on projects and sponsors events that focus on community empowerment and involvement. The Commission consists of thirteen members all appointed by either the Mayor or a Member of Lakewood City Council. The Commission meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 pm in the Jury Room at Lakewood City Hall. We invite and encourage the public to attend!

When a governmental executive gives an annual “state of” speech the presentation is really a description of how that person views the subject entity. The choice of topics, the themes used, and any consistent emphasis or terminologies all are insights into the executive. The “state of” description is secondary.

On the first sultry day of the summer more than a hundred people turned out to hear Lakewood Mayor Michael P. Summers deliver the state of the city address in the Armory at The Beck Center for the Performing Arts.

Summer has finally arrived in Lakewood. And what better way to kick-off the season than with city-wide savings? That's right folks! It's time for the Second Annual Lakewood CityWide Street Sale, running Thursday, June 23 through Saturday, June 25.

Merchants throughout Lakewood are joining in, along with many individual residents and entire streets. The merchants will be offering deals or specials in their stores, and many will contribute to the festive atmosphere by displaying their bargains on tables outside. A sampling of the many businesses participating include, at the West End- Breadsmith, Lakewood Antique Mall and India Garden; on Madison Avenue, Goddess Blessed, Beer Engine and Crafty Goodness. 

Jon Tallman will tell you that it a sense of pride in order to build community. He will also tell that building a sense of pride begins with acknowledging what you have to be prideful of.

Tallman, a Lakewood resident and general manager of the Lakewood Donatos Pizza, will be very prideful when the new firefighter memorial is unveiled later this year. The monument, which will include two steel beams from 9/11 wreckage of the World Trade Center, will stand as a testament to the 343 firefighters who died during the attacks and the four Lakewood firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

Council President Mary Louise Madigan called the May 16, 2011 Council meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. She then gave the floor to Fire Chief Scott Gilman. Chief Gilman asked Council to pass a resolution congratulating Captain James Pheain on his retirement and thanking him for his 32 years of service to the City.

Councilman Brian Powers (At-Large) said the he is always impressed to see someone who has worked for the City so many years. He continued saying that there is a long line of fire fighters in his family so he knows the dedication it takes. He finished thanking him for his dedication and service.

Council voted to suspend the rules and pass the resolution on its first reading and then did so.

The City of Lakewood and the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA invite you to attend the 6th Annual Meet the Trucks on Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue. Come see, touch and explore the City’s fine fleet of trucks and vehicles.

Vehicles on display will include an aerial truck, dump truck, refuse truck, fire truck, ambulance, police car, police motorcycle, SWAT vehicles, Cleveland MetroParks Eco Explorers Traveling Bus and more. In addition, the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA will offer crafts, face painting, a D.J., bounce houses, Jungle Bob, a bike raffle, a balloon artist and much more. Refreshment will be available.

The Lakewood Family YMCA, Lakewood Hospital, Lakewood Recreation Department, Lakewood Public Library and many other organizations will have tables at the event offering children’s activities. Spin Bike Shop will also offer a Bike Repair Clinic.

Attendees are asked to bring a canned good which will be donated to the Lakewood Christian Service Center, the City’s food bank.

The following organizations helped to sponsor this event: Met-Chem Inc., The Kiwanis Club of Lakewood, Romp n Stomp, Donatos, Lakewood Family YMCA, Midway Oh Boy, Jungle Bob, Dunkin’ Donuts, Zap Entertainment and Music Connection.

Lakewood Mayor Michael P. Summers will present the 2011 State of the City address on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Avenue.

Mayor Summers is serving in his first year as Mayor. He was appointed on January 1, 2011 to serve out the remainder of Mayor FitzGerald’s term who was elected to the Cuyahoga County Executive position. His State of City Address will focus on the City’s successes and achievements over the past year and the opportunities and challenges in the year 2011 and beyond.

This event is sponsored by Beck Center for the Arts, Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, LakewoodAlive, Lakewood Observer, Kiwanis Club of Lakewood and Lakewood/Rocky River Rotary Club.

With school out soon, there will be more kids out riding their bikes, and Lakewood’s Neighborhood Police Officers want to do something proactive to help keep them safe while they enjoy their summer. Towards that end, The Bike Rodeo, a safety program for kids, will be held Saturday, June 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Madison Park.

Council President Mary Louise Madigan called the May 2, 2011 Council meeting to order at 7:37 P.M. Council started the meeting by reading ordinances for the second time and voting to place them back into their specific committees for further discussion. They then moved on to announcing a few appointments. Councilman Shawn Juris (Ward 3) appointed Bryan Schwegler, and Councilman Ryan Nowlin (At-Large) appointed John Mitterholzer to the Citizens' Advisory Committee.

As a member of the City of Lakewood’s Housing Nuisance Abatement Appeals Committee and an owner of investment property, I was eager for the release of the City’s Best Rental Practices Manual. Released earlier this month, the manual provides landlords with a useful handbook, complete with best practices in managing the rental process, tenant relations, and interfacing with the City of Lakewood. It is must read for any new investor or the seasoned investor looking to augment his or her knowledge.

Hello. First and foremost, I would like to introduce myself to the readers of the Lakewood Observer!  My name is Greg Mahoney; I serve as the Secretary of the City of Lakewood, Community Relations Advisory Commission. I have served on the Community Relations Advisory Commission since 2009 when Councilman Tom Bullock appointed me. My commission colleagues elected me Secretary in 2010.  I am a lifelong resident of Lakewood. I am a 2002 graduate of Lakewood High School. I then went on to Cuyahoga Community College, Western Campus in Parma, Ohio where I received an Associate of Applied Business degree in Paralegal Studies in 2009.

Council President, Mary Louise Madigan called the April 18, 2011 meeting of Council to order at 7:30 P.M. The first item discussed was presented by Councilman David Anderson (Ward I) and regarded the National Children’s Study.

Councilman Anderson reported that the National Children’s Study is a study being performed in the United States that is going to be the largest of its kind ever done. It will follow children from birth and look at a number of factors including family history and environmental influences of the places they live, play and go to school and how they all may impact the health of the individual child.

The City of Lakewood Division of Fire’s annual fire hydrant testing program began on Monday, May 2, 2011. Testing will be done on weekdays throughout the month of May. Annual hydrant flushing is necessary to assure proper hydrant operations during fire emergencies.

The testing may cause temporary discoloration of the water supply and residents should check the color of their water before washing clothes to guard against discoloring fabrics. After a few hours, the sediment will settle and the water should run clear again. While the water may appear unsightly, discoloration is due to the release of built-up mineral deposits present in all water mains.

Council President Mary Louise Madigan called the April 4th Council meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. She quickly moved to the first item on the agenda regarding an ordinance to make leashed dogwalking in Lakewood and Kauffman parks permanent. With this meeting marking the item's third reading in Council, it was eligible to be passed; and considering it was recommended for passage by the Public Safety Committee at the last meeting, there was a high probability it would pass. Before putting it to a vote, Councilman Brian Powers (At-Large), who introduced the permanent ordinance, wanted to make a few comments.

The Refuse & Recycling Collection Schedule has changed for the Easter holiday. Refuse & Recycling employees will work on Good Friday and use the Monday after Easter as their holiday to improve service and cause less confusion.

Exciting news coming out of Lakewood’s Division of Community Development office! The 1598 Wyandotte house has been sold!

After purchasing the property from foreclosure in early 2010, we have spent the last year doing extensive renovations to this historic home. This former foreclosure now has a brand new bathroom and kitchen as well as a breakfast nook with built-in cabinets and large windows overlooking a beautiful backyard and a rebuilt garage. A new HVAC system was also installed, replacing the old boiler and radiator heating. All of the natural woodwork and unique character of the home was restored including the detailed front door, pocket doors, hardwood floors, moldings, wood windows and the home’s original butler’s pantry! The interior also got a fresh coat of paint. Outside, the foundation was repaired, a new roof was installed as well as a new driveway, chimney, and front porch stairs! The Cleveland Restoration Society picked historic paint colors for this century home, built in 1903. Renovations took just under a year to complete. The home, valued at just over $50,000 a year ago, today is appraised for $133,400!

Over $21,000 in grants have been awarded to Lakewood and Rocky River community organizations by the Rotary Club of Lakewood & Rocky River.

An additional $3,500 will be provided to recognize students who place in the club’s annual speech, music and art competition. The students will be recognized at an Awards Ceremony & Reception on Monday, April 11, at 5:30 p.m. at the Beck Center.

Beck Center’s visual arts program will receive $2,500 for club-sponsored scholarships, and $1,400 will be used to fund the club’s continuing commitment to provide a dictionary to every third grader in Lakewood and Rocky River.

The March 21, 2011 Council meeting was called to order at 7:31 P.M. by Council President Mary Louise Madigan. The first order of business was to excuse the absence of Councilman Ryan Nowlin (At-Large), which Council agreed to. They then recognized Human Services Director Dottie Buckon so she could give her report on the 2010 Census.

Director Buckon’s report discussed the work of over 20 individuals and organizations that volunteered their time towards U.S. Census outreach, and making people aware of the importance of everyone being counted. This was the first time a Complete Count Committee was established in Lakewood for the decennial Census and its impact was noticeable. By April of 2010, the mail-in rate of Census forms was 72% and Lakewood exceeded population estimates, by reaching a total population of 52,131 people. The committee’s “Every 1 Counts in Lakewood” campaign consisted of at least 10 presentations, dispersal of information at several committee events, outreach to hard to reach populations through community and faith-based organizations, community meals and door-to door-campaigns.

Every year, Cleveland area residents and businesses anxiously await the results of Scene Magazine's Best Of list. The eclectic categories encompass retail, restaurants, arts and nightlife, sports and recreation, and of course, the much coveted, "Best Suburb." Then it should come as no surprise that in addition to being named "Best Suburb," it seems we're best at almost everything else. Most romantic restaurant, best pizza, best middle eastern food, best hardware store, best chocolate, best sporting goods store, best local theater and director, and best health food store just to name a few.

As the list illustrates, Lakewood's appeal draws from its diverse offerings and diverse population. Scene describes the vibrant life found in Lakewood as, "An energy derived from residents young and old who share a determination to celebrate their city's countless virtues. Nowhere in Northeast Ohio do so many cultures mesh so harmoniously as they do in Lakewood." Just as the the young and old residents coexist, so do the businesses, e.g. the bustling Deagan's as "Best New Restaurant" thrives right down the street from the Lakewood classic, Pier W as "Best Restaurant for Romance."

Two hundred fifty-seven law enforcement officers graduated March 18, 2011, from the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico Virginia.  The 244th Session of the National Academy consisted of men and women from 49 states.  Included in the class are members of law enforcement agencies from the District of Columbia, 20 international countries, four military organizations, and four federal civilian organizations.

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy Program, held at the FBI Academy, offers 10 weeks of advanced investigative, management, and fitness training for selected officers having proven records as professionals within their agencies.  On average, these officers have 19 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions.  

The March 7, 2011 Council meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Council Vice President Mary Louise Madigan. As former Council President, and Ward I Councilman, Kevin Butler stepped down to become the City’s new law director, Councilwoman Madigan (Ward IV) was to act as President until Council elected a new one.

We live in a unique city that provides us with services that many other cities don't provide. One of the most important is the City of Lakewood's Department of Human Services, which provides a range of services to families, youth, and seniors. Our community is very fortunate to have the Division of Aging, the Division of Early Childhood, and the Division of Youth-all of which provide pertinent resources and support for Lakewood residents.

At last night's March 7, 2011 Council meeting two more important changes were made to Council. With Council President and Ward 1 Councilman Kevin Butler announcing in February that he would be taking the position of Law Director in the new administration, he had to give up his seat on council.

This meant Council once again had to appoint a new member to its body and select a new Council President. After thorough deliberations, which Council has become so good at over the last couple months, they decided on David Anderson to succeed Kevin Butler as Ward 1 Councilman.

After Councilman Anderson was sworn in with his family by his side, Council turned to the selection of Council President. In this decision they unanimously chose Ward 4 Councilwoman, and longest member of Council, Mary Louise Madigan. As she was the Vice-President of Council, they then chose At-Large Councilman Brian Powers for that position.

Hey, Middle School Students: Does winter have you down? There has to be something really fun to do to beat the winter blues...

At the February 7, 2011 Council meeting, the Council continued to discuss the ordinance they were considering which would raise the salaries for both the mayor and members of council. The original recommendations suggested by the Civil Service Commission were $100,000 dollars a year for the mayor and $11,000 dollars plus up to $3,000 dollars in selected medical benefits for members of council. This is in contrast to the current $75,000 dollars for mayor and $7,000 dollars for members of council.

Councilman Kevin Butler (Ward I) started the conversation by delivering an update on the discussion Council had while in the Committee of the Whole. Butler reported that they not only discussed the original recommendations, but also several alternatives in great length. However after much discussion, all members could not come to a consensus. The only part they could agree upon was in regard to the salary of the mayor. They came to a final agreement on raising the mayor’s salary to $90,000 dollars, starting in January 2012, and then to $100,000 dollars in January 2016. When it came to the council salaries they became deadlocked. Therefore with a 5-2 vote, Council decided to omit the council salaries’ portion of the ordinance, and only try to pass the mayor’s salary.

On the evening of February 7, 2011 the City Hall Auditorium had a number of people scattered about socializing while waiting for the arrival of Council. With the council meeting scheduled to start at 7:30 P.M., it appeared that something was keeping Council preoccupied in their Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting immediately precedinh the Council meeting.  Eventually, a little before 8:00 P.M., council members began filtering into the auditorium, and at 8:01 P.M. Council President Kevin Butler called the meeting to order.

On January 31, 2011, Mayor Michael Summers promoted seven Officers of the Lakewood Police Department to positions of great importance to the City of Lakewood.  Due to several recent retirements, openings developed in the command staff.  After a comprehensive testing process by the Lakewood Civil Service Commission, Mayor Summers held a promotional ceremony which was attended by over one hundred family members, fellow officers, city employees, and well wishers.  Summers noted that “Lakewood’s citizens will be well served by these dedicated, experienced, and competent Police Officers. They will provide effective leadership to our Police force, and thereby, our community”.

Today, Common Pleas Court Judge Carolyn B. Friedland ruled in favor of the City of Lakewood in the Lakewood Dog Park case which was filed by the City of Rocky River and its residents in 2007.  Judge Friedland found that the dog park does not constitute a nuisance and has denied the Plaintiff’s request for an injunction.
 
“We are pleased that the Court has ruled in our favor,” stated Mayor Michael P. Summers. “We are grateful that the residents of Lakewood and the surrounding communities will be able to continue to enjoy the use of the dog park and we will continue to strive to be good neighbors.”
 
In Judge Friedland’s Journal Entry, she found that the Lakewood Dog Park was not a public nuisance under Lakewood ordinances was not a common law public nuisance and was not a private nuisance.   The Journal Entry states “The Court cannot conclude that the operation of the dog park amounts to an appreciable, substantial, tangible injury resulting in actual material and physical discomfort to the High Parkway residents.  Nor can the Court conclude that the dog park is an unreasonable use under the circumstances.”
 
The Lakewood Dog Park opened in 2003 and provides a fenced-in area where owners may exercise their dogs off leash to play and socialize with other dogs.  The Dog Park is located at 1299 Metropark Drive in the Metroparks.
 
In 2007, the City of Rocky River and four residents from the High Parkway filed a lawsuit alleging that that barking from the dog park constituted a nuisance.  After numerous attempts to settle this matter, a bench trial was held in July of 2010 to decide this matter.  Today’s ruling was the decision from that trial.

Due to the Presidents’ Day holiday, there will be no refuse or recycling collected on Monday, February 21, 2011. Residents whose refuse is normally collected on Monday will have collection on Tuesday. Residents whose refuse is normally collected on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday should have their refuse and recyclables available for collection on their regular day, and it will be collected either on that day or the day after. Residents whose refuse is normally collected on Friday will have collection on Friday.

Residents are reminded that refuse and recycling should not be placed on the curb or tree lawn until after 6:00 p.m. on the night before your collection day and should be available for collection by 6:30 a.m. on the collection day.

In addition, all Lakewood City offices and the Lakewood Municipal Court will be closed for the holiday.

For further information, contact the Lakewood Division of Refuse & Recycling at (216) 252-4322.

With the election of Ed Fitzgerald to County Executive it signaled that there was sure to be some changes in Lakewood City government. Changes not only in the elected office holders, but also in the administration were to be expected. The Lakewood Observer caught up with the new Mayor, Mike Summers, who succeeded Ed Fitzgerald, to discuss these changes and some of things residents can expect in the near future. Starting with the first and most obvious question, the Observer requested Mayor Summers to comment on the departure of Nate Kelly, who headed the Planning and Development Department.

Mayor Summers states the departure of Nate Kelly is both a positive and negative. It’s a positive in that Nate is leaving for a much bigger role in economic development at the county level, but a negative in that the city is losing a very talented individual. He was quick to point out that the Planning and Development Department is staffed with many capable individuals and that they remain with their institutional knowledge. Why this is important is, because the work with complying with stimulus funds, housing and urban development grants, and block grants can be very complex. There are strict parameters the city must follow to make sure it is in compliance with these funds. The staff does an excellent job navigating the city through these issues and the work continues unimpeded. The overall vision for the development in the City has been put into flux though, and this is something the Mayor will be actively working on the next few months.

On January 18, 2011, Council President Kevin Butler called the Lakewood City Council to order at 7:41 P.M. The first order of business was to excuse Councilwoman Monique Smith (At-Large), who was absent due to a family emergency.

Next, Councilman Shawn Juris (Ward III) read a communication introducing a resolution sponsored by both him and Councilman Ryan Nowlin (At-Large). The resolution recognizes First Federal of Lakewood for their recent achievement of acquiring Century Bank and becoming the third largest bank in the region. Council voted and passed the resolution. Dave Shaw of first Federal of Lakewood was present at the meeting and thanked Council for the honor and recognition.

I was surprised to read in a recent Lakewood Observer that there are two Lakewood residents who are happy with, and appreciative of the RTA Shoppers' Shuttle. There may be a few other satisfied riders also, but there aren't many. A trip to the grocery store takes about 3 hours, counting the time it takes to complete the loop and the 1 1/2 hours between trips. A second stop, at the library, bank or whatever, will add 1 1/2 hours to the outing. Not many people are happy about spending 4 1/2 hours to complete two errands. This assumption is validated by the fact that very few people ride the shuttle. I rode it two times. The first time there was a total of 4 people, counting myself, who rode from the library, east to Winton Place. There was the same count the second time.

At the December 20th Council meeting, Councilman Kevin Butler (Ward I) introduced a proposed ordinance that was bound to cause quite a stir. The ordinance he introduced would raise the salary of the mayor from about $75,000 dollars to $100,000 dollars a year and that of all members of council from $7,000 dollars to $11,000 dollars a year, with the option of up to $3,300 dollars of medical coverage.

After introducing the items, Councilman Butler wanted to make a few things very clear. The first was that he introduced the legislation alone. That being said, he did so completely based on the recommendations of the Civil Service Commissions. Secondly, although he agrees with the recommendations, they are just a starting point. There is still lots of discussion to be had by members of council. Next, he wanted to make it very clear that he, nor anyone else on council, would be voting to raise there own salary. The City Charter strictly lays out the rules in this situation. The new salary would not take effect until the term of the office holder who voted for it would expire. Therefore, the only way any of the members of Council could receive the new salary would be if they were reelected. Which, if the electorate is unhappy with them passing it, they can simply vote them out.

Due to the Lakewood Observer printing schedule two regularly scheduled and one special Council Meetings have actually occurred since the last paper. Therefore this article will include all the happenings in Council since the last issue on December 14, 2010.

The December 20, 2010 Council meeting marked the end of another year for Council, and was the last before many changes in Lakewood's government. This meeting was the last one for Mayor Ed FitzGerald and Councilwoman Nickie Antonio (At-Large), before they took their positions as County Executive and Ohio State Representative, respectively. It was also Councilman Mike Summers' last meeting as the Ward III Councilman, before replacing FitzGerald as Mayor. On top of all these pending changes, Council was sitting on a very full docket.

The new shelter, benches and planters in front of the INA and Bailey Building near the intersection of Warren and Detroit are not your typical bus stop. Completed in November and funded by a grant from the Greater Cleveland RTA and the Federal Transit Administration and designed by City staff, the new Transit Waiting Environment (TWE) provides a place for bus patrons to more comfortably wait for their ride.

TWE’s are bus stops that have been upgraded to improve the pedestrian and rider experience and are typically located in areas with higher ridership. They include elements such as shelters, seating, planters, bike racks, improved pavement and public art. For more information on TWE’s visit the GCRTA website at www.riderta.com and click on Planning & Development; Transit Waiting Environments.

The upward mobility of Lakewood office holders into larger arenas has created two vacancies on City Council. Nickie Antonio (At Large) will take her seat in the Ohio Legislature and Mayor Ed FitzGerald will assume the duties of the Cuyahoga County Executive on the first of the year.

These advancements create an outright vacancy for Antonio’s seat. To replace FitzGerald as Mayor, Council is expected to appoint Mike Summers (Ward Three) thereby creating a second vacancy.

Council met as a Committee of the Whole on Saturday, December 11.

Council President Kevin Butler outlined the process for the selection by council of appointees to those vacancies. In November Butler asked for interested individuals to submit resumes and respond to a questionnaire. Over 40 Lakewoodites responded. Those responses can be viewed on the Observation Deck.

In the warmth of the City Hall Auditorium amongst the first real snow of the year, Council President Kevin Butler called the December 6, 2010 meeting of Council to order at 7:40 P.M. Butler explained that the slight tardiness of the beginning of the meeting was due to a Committee of the Whole meeting that immediately preceded it and had to go into executive session to discuss the Council’s appointments process of the two open Council seats.

Next Councilman Butler (Ward I) introduced a resolution commending Fire Chief Lawrence Mroz for his excellent work with the city and thanking him for his over 37 years of service. Butler then asked the Clerk of Council, Mary Hagen, to read the resolution in its entirety, something which is usually only done on such occasions. The resolution highlights Chief Mroz’s hard work at keeping Lakewood’s fire codes up to date while seeking advice and council from all those around him, including those under him, to try and find the best practices in fire prevention. He also had a great desire to educate the public on the importance of fire prevention and life saving techniques, introducing automatic external defibrillators to Lakewood along with the Start-A-Heart program. The first Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) on the West Shore was also initiated by him. Chief Mroz helped usher Lakewood’s Fire Department into the modern age bringing the first computers into the department and laptops into the field with emergency crews. He also helped bring many innovations and improvements to the department including an additional apparatus bay, the reconstruction of Fire Station #1 and over saw the assimilation of Lakewood Hospitals paramedics into the department. Throughout his over 37 years Chief Mroz risked his life to help keep the Citizens of Lakewood safe, and worked his way up the ladder earning the respect of everyone around him. Closing the resolution with some good natured humor it finished with, “Lastly but equally important our handsome and nimble chief illustrated uncanny skill in the line of duty for never having once singed his trademark mustache.”

On November 15, 2010 Council President Kevin Butler called the meeting of Council to order at 7:33 P.M. The first order of business was to excuse Councilwoman Nickie Antonio (At Larger) who was absent due to orientation in Columbus for her new position as an Ohio State Representative.

Moving on to new business, Councilman Butler (Ward I) read a report from the Committee of the Whole regarding their process of looking for Mayoral candidates to replace our current Mayor, Ed FitzGerald, who was recently elected County Executive. He will take office on January 1, 2011. Leaving an during an unexpired term, the position of mayor then falls to the order of succession outlined in the City’s Codified Ordinances to replace him. However, as Butler reports, all of those in the order of succession, Law Director, Finance Director, Public Works Director and Council President, have notified Council that they are not interested in the job. This leaves the decision in the hands of the Council. During their meeting the Committee entered executive session, which Council is allowed to do when discussing matters of employment. As Councilwoman Antonio will not serve in the new year she excused herself from this decision making process, as did Councilman Mike Summers (Ward III) who showed interest in being considered for Mayor. Councilwoman Monique Smith (At Large) also was absent from the meeting celebrating the birth of her daughter.

Last spring, members of the Lakewood/Rocky River Sunrise Rotary Club completed a major landscaping project in areas around the Beck Center for the Arts building. This fall these areas were in need of a good clean up. On Saturday, November 13, a hard working volunteer crew from the Club, under the direction of Matt Gaydos, owner of Gardens by Gaydos Landscaping Service and son of Rotarian Bill Gaydos, spent most of the day on the project. Armed with rakes, trimmers, a lawn mower, and leaf blower, they went from the front yard on Detroit Ave. to the other spots around the building making sure that everything looked neat and clean. With over hundred people coming to the fourth annual Mayor’s Ball that evening, Beck Center President and CEO Cindy Einhouse thanked the crew for timing the project so attendees would be impressed with the improvements made this year.

A typical rider on RTA’s Lakewood-Cleveland Shopper Shuttle has these opinions.

1. The service is great, and they find it useful.
2. Riders get to know each other, and watch out for each other, like a family.
3. They wish the Shopper Shuttle would run more often than once a week.

George W. Stragisher is one such rider. At 76, he enjoys good health, stays active and is car-free. He often buys an RTA Senior All-Day Pass for $2.50 to ride the #78 bus line, take the Rapid downtown, or use the Shopper Shuttle. A Cleveland native, he taught aerospace technology at Case Western Reserve University.

“When I retired, I moved to Lakewood. It’s a nice place to live, and there are a lot of things to do within walking distance. For longer trips, I depend on RTA and the Westlake Cab Co.,” Stragisher says.

“This service was packed last week. I ride every Friday, always to Giant Eagle, and sometimes to the library. It drops me off right in front of my apartment building,” he says. “The riders on the Shuttle watch out for each other – it’s like a family here. These are good, courteous riders.”

My name is Aaron Purdum and I am an applicant for the At-Large City Council position here in Lakewood. I have a military background serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1991-1999 and am currently an Operations Manger with FedEx Express. I have lived and worked across the United States and South Korea allowing me to gain life experience and a broad and varied perspective. I moved to Lakewood from Seattle in 2005 with my family, and we have all come to love this city. I believe the business and management experience along with the leadership qualities developed in the USAF will provide a solid foundation for serving in this position.

I am currently the Programs Manager for a non-profit Community Development Corporation in the city of Cleveland. I work every day administering home repair and energy efficiency programs, green space initiatives, public right of way projects, code compliance issues and neighborhood event planning. All of these efforts combined improve the quality of life in the neighborhoods in which I work. I will take the knowledge and skills gained through this experience, along with my time on the Lakewood Alive housing committee, the City of Lakewood Citizens Advisory Committee and the City of Lakewood Housing committee to improve the quality of life within the city of Lakewood.