Pick-N-Pay, Cuyahoga Land Bank and Noble Road

On Friday March 29, 2013 the Cuyahoga Land Bank in collaboration with Cleveland Heights, demolished the old Pick-N-Pay supermarket (more recently, a Medic Drugstore). This location is north of Mayfield Road on Noble. In the coming months, City Council will begin a process to consider development opportunities for this space. I believe this site has the potential to be an exciting development opportunity for the Noble Road district. 

I am standing next to Rick Wagner (Cleveland Heights' Housing Director) and Susanna Niermann-O'Neil (Cleveland Heights' Acting City Manager). Also pictured, Councilperson Cheryl Stephens, Janine Boyd and three children (my sons).

Cleveland Heights elected officials with Cuyahoga Land Bank representatives (and 4 of my sons).

My son, demolishing. Every boys dream come true!

I am standing next to Cuyahoga Land Bank President, Gus Frangos and Councilperson Janine Boyd.

Engaging the Youth of Cleveland Heights

Our youth are our City's most precious resource. I believe they can add value and substance to the public discourse if they have an opportunity to speak, and if we make it a priority to really listen.  I want our youth to have a direct connection to our City government. With this in mind, I have made the creation of a Youth Advisory Commission a focus since I began on City Council.

 
Back in the fall of 2011, Mayor Kelley and I met at Tommy’s Restaurant to discuss what my priorities were for the upcoming year. I proposed the concept of a Youth Advisory Commission based on a number of successful programs, such as those in in Milpitas, California and Pinellas County, Florida. To my pleasant surprise, Mayor Kelley told me he also had the creation of a youth commission on his priority list.

Following that meeting, Cleveland Heights City Council had good, thoughtful discussions on the structure, purpose and goals of a youth commission. I discussed my ideas with Cleveland Heights-University Heights Superintendent, Doug Heuer, and the Director of Student Services, Dr. Jeffrey Johnston, and received their enthusiastic support for this Youth Advisory Commission concept.

After the appointment of Councilwoman Janine Boyd last year, with her pro-youth agenda, energy and extensive background with youth issues, we were finally prepared to move forward with making this Commission a reality. On January 7, 2013, Cleveland Heights City Council voted 6-1 in favor of the establishment of the Cleveland Heights Youth Advisory Commission.

The Commission will work to promote understanding and awareness of government among youth, encourage participation in government by youth, provide advice to Council on issues affecting youth, promote communication between young people and adults within the community and work on projects that better the community.

 The Commission’s membership shall include ten youth and three nonvoting adults. The three nonvoting adults will be a Heights High school teacher, a Cleveland Heights police officer and a Recreation Advisory Board member.

Candidates will submit a 250-word essay telling Council why they are interested in serving as a Cleveland Heights Youth Commissioner. Each candidate must provide three school or community (non-family) references. If you know of a student in ninth, tenth or eleventh grade that you feel would make a good Cleveland Heights Youth Commissioner, please encourage them to complete an application. The applications are available on our City web site and at City Hall. Applications can also be obtained by contacting Dr. Jeffrey Johnston,CH-UH Director of Student Services, or by contacting me on Facebook or via email at jstein@clvhts.com. The application must be submitted by no later than 4:00 p.m. on February 8, 2013.

Electric Grid, Cleveland Heights and FirstEnergy’s Commitment to Improve

I am pleased that First Energy Corporation took my letter to Anthony Alexander, its CEO, on November 7, 2012 seriously. In that letter, I questioned First Energy’s preparations and criticized their lack of communication during and after Hurricane Sandy left thousands of Cleveland Heights residents without power for days.

John Skory

On November 26, John Skory, president CEI/FirstEnergy, responded to my letter and subsequently set up a meeting at City Hall to discuss Mayor Kelley's and my concerns as well as longstanding issues with the Cleveland Heights electrical grid.

On Monday, December 3, Mayor Ed Kelley and I had a productive meeting with Mr. Skory and First Energy’s External Affairs Manager, Terry Killeen.

Terry Killeen

• Mr. Skory made a strong commitment to improve First Energy’s storm preparation and management, as well as reduce the non-storm related power outages that occur in the City.
• He asked that we give him an opportunity to show that positive changes will be made. He will return in a month to share a plan for the City’s power grid with a detailed map that will identify problem areas and offer resolutions to these problems.
• First Energy will have dedicated crews in Cleveland Heights that will be here during a storm and will not leave until the storm is over and all power has been restored.
• First Energy will have conference calls with Cleveland Heights City Hall prior to a major storm to keep us informed and able to respond to residents’ concerns.

I am hopeful that from the unfortunate mismanagement of the storm will now come a positive outcome for all residents and businesses of Cleveland Heights with improvements to our electrical grid and services across the entire City.

FirstEnergy, 5 Days Without Power and Investigations

Last week's storm left thousand's of Cleveland Heights resident's without electric service for a number of days. I have requested that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio investigate First Energy's preparations and response to this storm. Please watch the video and/or read my statement and accompanying letter below. Then, let me know what you think.

Statement from 11/07/2012:

I wanted to talk about last week’s storm and the effects it had on many of you, our residents. 
First, I am happy to hear that Trick –or –Treating went well on its rescheduled night. Cleveland Heights chose to reschedule trick –or-treating because of Superstorm Sandy. It was the right thing to do, because the children of this City deserve to have a fun and safe Halloween. 
 
A special, Thank you, to our Public works department, Alex Manarino and his great crew which began responding and cleaning up streets of branches, debris, trees and whatever else was out there in such a  quick and professional manner while the storm was still occurring. If only First Energy Corporation were as dedicated and focused on our area as Alex and the Public Works department of Cleveland Heights.
 
Unfortunately, many residents in Cleveland Heights lost electrical power. Some did not have power for around 5 days. I received calls and emails from residents detailing their plight and requesting help. I was told of children shivering themselves to sleep, hundreds of dollars of food spoiled in the refrigerator and frustration with a lack of communication from First Energy as to when the power might be restored.
 
How is it that the news was reporting that the wind gusts in the Cleveland area would reach Hurricane level days prior to the storm reaching us, yet, First Energy chose to send 200 local lineman and over 1000 local support staff to the East coast? I don’t know how First Energy reached their decision, but, I certainly know that their decision was wrong. Therefore, I will be sending a letter to the President and CEO of First Energy, Mr. Anthony Alexander to express my frustrations and concerns. As well, I am sending a copy of this letter to the Public Utilities of Ohio commissioners.     
 
The letter reads:

Click here to read letter

For additional news articles:

City of Cleveland Heights blasts FirstEnergy’s handling of power outage - HeightsObserver 

 

Superstorm Sandy: What Grade Would You Give FirstEnergy? - Patch

Dogs on leashes, Cain Park and Benefits

I am interested in changing our current City ordinance banning dogs from our Public Parks.

505.06 ANIMALS PROHIBITED IN PUBLIC PARKS.

(a) No person shall take, lead or have in his possession any animal in any public park located within the City.

I would like to initiate a pilot program to observe and study the benefits of allowing leashed dogs in Cain Park.

Cleveland Heights has many dog lovers that have expressed a desire to walk their dog through our various public parks.

I believe that allowing people to bring their dog to the park is a net positive. Of course, the dog must be on a leash and the person walking the dog must have a receptacle to clean up after the dog and dispose of it.  

Allowing dogs on leashes into our Parks will create a number of benefits to individuals and the community at large.

 

• It will promote walking and a healthy life style.
• It will encourage families to visit the park more often. 
• It will create more foot traffic in the parks, making them safer.

I am well aware that not everyone will be in favor of permitting leashed dogs into the parks. Concerns I have heard range from “dogs bite” to “people don’t clean up after their dog”. These are valid concerns. But, with thoughtful citizen input, I believe legislation can be crafted to address these concerns.

Neighborhoods, Bold Ideas and $100

We need bold and out of the box thinking to combat the foreclosure crisis and its aftermath. I believe that selling vacant lots to an adjacent home owner for $100 is one of those bold ideas. I envision more green space, gardens, etc... The bottom line is that the neighbors will benefit by having a safer, healthier and more attractive neighborhood.

Watch the Channel 5 news story about this exciting program.
(click on the picture below)