Letters To The Editor

Dear Bay Village residents:

I am resigning my elected position of Council At-Large for the City of Bay Village effective Dec. 31, 2012. The resignation is a result of a very significant career opportunity, which will not afford the time necessary to serve as a dedicated council representative. In my new role, I will serve as CEO of All-American Teleradiology, a nationwide provider of radiology coverage based in Bay Village.

The past seven years has given me a tremendous opportunity to work with residents, organizations, fellow council members, city leadership and city workers, all of whom contribute to the wonderful quality of life we enjoy in Bay Village. The Observer publication is an excellent example of the quality of people woven into the fabric of our community.

The annual Bay Village Fire Department hydrant flushing began April 30 and will be completed, weather permitting, by mid-June. Each year we test and flush every hydrant in the city to ensure proper function, pressure and maintenance.

As in past years, we will keep residents aware of our daily progress through the city by posting temporary signs. We also notify City Hall each morning of our work area for the day. Please note that hydrants are flushed from 8:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m.

On Nov. 8, Westlake voters are asked to renew the .9 mill levy that currently supports the salary of eight firefighters/paramedics and eight police officers. This funding source has been in effect since 1966 and has been renewed every five years. Consequently, it is important that we maintain this funding to continue to keep our police and fire personnel properly staffed to meet the everyday demands of our growing community.

Westlake has taken pride in managing your tax dollars in a responsible and effective manner. Your continued support of this renewal (NOT A TAX INCREASE) will assure a strong and responsive safety force for the next five years. Please vote yes on Issue 99 as you cast your ballot for the Nov. 8 election.

Dear Editor,

Please allow us to extend a huge THANK YOU to the entire community from Lake Erie Nature & Science Center! We are thrilled to report that our non-profit organization reached our year-end “Go Wild” campaign target of $25,000 in new and increased donations! That means The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust will now match all of those wonderful contributions! This generous and crucial support for our non-profit mission will help us to continue to inspire appreciation for wildlife, nature and science for tens of thousands of children and adults each year through hands-on education and wildlife rehabilitation.

Due to Councilman Jim Scott’s decision to not seek re-election, I am officially running for the open Councilman At-Large position, rather than the Ward 3 post which I currently hold.  There is much work to be done in Bay Village and this is an opportunity to make a long term commitment.
 
It has been a true pleasure serving the residents of Ward 3 residents directly as their council representative during the past six years.  If elected, I will continue to put forth a maximum effort for the benefit of our wonderful town.
 
Bay Village is facing many challenges as we continue to cut costs while investing in our infrastructure and maintain quality services .  We are actively investing significant dollars  in improvements to our sewer system.  Additionally, we must continue to look at Regional options in an effort to improve operational efficiency and reduce expenditures.

Nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations have mission objectives that ultimately benefit the community. Clague Playhouse and Westlake-Westshore Arts Council are two such organizations, whose mission goals enhance and broaden cultural life through the arts. To facilitate the programs that they provide, they rely on community support. 

A Cabaret Night, their recent “sold-out” benefit held at Wagner’s Country Inn, received wonderful support. Products and services for the various benefit auctions came from restaurants, spas, the Indians, the Cavs, Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art, florists, chocolate shops and other local donors. Twenty-six visual artists contributed works of art. A complete list of donors can be found at www.w-wac.org and www.clagueplayhouse.org.

With this letter, I am hoping to reach out to anyone who has been away from the Catholic Church. About a year ago I felt something calling me back to the Church I had been away from for about 20 years. I wasn’t sure what to do. Do I just show up one Sunday at Mass? How do I know what church I should go to? Should I call and talk to a priest? Then I saw an article about Catholics Coming Home at St. Raphael. Wow...talk about timing!

I went to the sessions not knowing what to expect. Everyone was great! You could share as much or as little as you were comfortable with. The sessions were about topics to reacquaint you with the Catholic teachings. I learned about things that made me more of an active participant, instead of just going through the motions. I even made several lasting friendships that have helped me in my spiritual journey.

As it celebrates its 100th birthday, The American Cancer Society is looking for residents of our community to help continue the fight against cancer by reaching full enrollment in a historic research study currently taking place. While tremendous progress continues to be made, the effort to eradicate this disease has never been greater.

Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) will give scientists a better understanding of cancer causes and prevention. The Society is looking for local men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer to help reach a national enrollment goal of at least 300,000.

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

In the Jan. 10 issue of the Observer, I announced a team effort to create an entity called "Friends From The Start" Foundation, which is being established to provide resources and services to individuals and loved ones hit with cancer.

The following is an update on where we are at this point in time, as well as a request for help for those who might want to get involved.

First, we are working in collaboration with Cuyahoga Community College and Lorain County Community College to develop a comprehensive website which serves as the information center for anything and everything related to the subject of cancer. For lack of a better term, kind of like a centralized "one stop shop." While I am a relative dinosaur when it comes to the area of technology, we have the right people involved to make it happen.

Dear Editor,

It is suggested that you edit the lines above and below the front-page title of the Observer, eliminating "YOUR" and "Written by the Citizens." Your Opinion page has printed a “vested interest” writer who is not a member of the community.  

As a long-time resident of Bay, I resent that person’s interference in our political concerns. He uses the admonishment to “let go.” He should have taken that advice several years ago when he was given that suggestion.    

My cat Harry, a resident of nine years would not presume to inform you that he is a property owner. However, he does have a true vested interest in the lifestyle in this city. Harry, a most wise, credible and respectful cat, disapproves of some existing ordinances regarding his freedom and future ordinances that would upset him. And, he particularly dislikes outsiders. 

Dear Bay Village Residents,

My wife, Kathleen, and I moved to Bay Village in 2001. For us, it was an easy decision to make Bay our home. Bay Village was considered a great place to live and raise a family. There were beautiful parks, friendly neighbors, strong churches, outstanding organizations, dedicated leaders, and at the heart of it all was the great education system. Almost 10 years later, I can proudly say we made the right choice and the community attributes that influenced our move are as strong as ever.  

Kathleen and I now have three children, with two currently attending Normandy Elementary. It is of the utmost importance to us that our children receive the best possible education available. This fall, the Board of Education has voted to place a 6.9 mill operating levy on the ballot. The proposed levy will ensure that Bay’s proven track record of excellence in and out of the classroom will continue and all of our children will be well-prepared for their academic and professional careers.

Dear Editor:

If you are looking for an example of courteous and friendly teens, you need look no further than the members of the Bay Village Key Club and the singing group, Choraleers. On Wednesday, November 11th, the West Shore Senior Center (located in the Knickerbocker Apartments) held a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser to provide the necessary funding for programs for local seniors.

Volunteers from the Key Club offered to help with the event and did they ever! This amazing group of teens helped out in all aspects of the evening and were a vital component to the success of the night. It was clear to everyone in attendance that this group of teens were dedicated to service and took pride in what they set out to do. All agreed the event would not have been as wonderful without their help.

I would love to see Westlake and Bay Village work together to follow Lakewood's lead in taking advantage of Ohio's law that authorizes cities to offer special financing to residential and commercial property owners for solar energy projects within their borders. It might be possible to work with Lakewood to get this project moving faster. Lakewood's city government is developing their plan and timeframe, to be in place and ready by the end of the year. You can read more about this by visiting www.lakewoodobserver.com and reading the article "City Spurring Solar Energy Projects," by Glenn Campbell.

I am excited to announce that I am off and running in my campaign to become the next Representative to the Ohio House from the 16th District; which includes Westlake, Bay Village, Rocky River, Fairview Park and North Olmsted.

A native of Cleveland, I am a Westlake resident, a husband, father and teacher. I am a dedicated family man with three young children. During this campaign, my wife, who is also a teacher, and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary. I’m a proud Navy veteran of 20 years. My family is the typical middle-class, hard working Ohio family.

Dear Editor:
The Bay Village City Council has approved a proposed zoning amendment which will appear on the November 2nd ballot. The amendment adds another permitted use to the Retail and Commercial Business Districts allowing for attached housing with a minimum development site of one (1) acre and a maximum density of eight (8) units per acre.

Our current city ordinances only allow for development on properties of at least five (5) acres with a maximum of six (6) units per acre. This has ensured only the possibility of large-scale projects, which is difficult to achieve in Bay Village due to the lack of buildable property.

The new concept is to allow for housing complementary of the retail areas, increasing density in the town center and providing additional housing alternatives. We believe this could strengthen our retail areas, making them more viable while at the same time allowing for some creativity in building alternative housing.



To Bay Village citizens:

It's been six years, and Bay Village has rejected ten sites for a skate and bike park. Short of a lawsuit or a lack of funds, nothing will now stop construction at the northeast corner of Wolf and Cahoon. Whether we are for or against skateboarding, every one of us should care how that very visible corner will look for the next decade. We should all be concerned about supervision of the park's users. It matters to each of us whether the facility becomes an eyesore or an asset.

Tuesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the skate and bike park proposal. It's up to you to make sure that the site is attractive and maintainable, that neighbors are buffered from noise, and that the design protects the City from liability. Your opinion matters. Your ideas are a vital part of the process.

– Conda Boyd, Bay Village

The Westlake Kiwanis would like to thank Westlake and surrounding communities for making their recent pancake breakfast a success. The funds from their pancake breakfasts support projects throughout Westlake and surrounding communities.  

To our fellow Bay Village citizens:

We have been hearing from a number of residents with questions, and we want you to know we are listening carefully to concerns about increasing budget projections in light of our levy request.

School levies are never popular, and we hate having to ask our residents for funding increases. Unfortunately, this is the only way we have to fund our schools. It would be nice to say we could put a complete freeze on spending until the economy recovers in a few years, but it is just not that simple:

1. Enrollment is increasing. We have seen a small but steady increase in student enrollment (average of about 25 students per year since the last levy). We do not have the option to turn students away if they live in Bay Village.

The Medical Mart – boon or boondoggle? The new County Council Members will play a large role in answering this question. The outgoing Commissioners will leave us with a $425 million project budget – correction, it's jumped $40 million to $465 million. Oh, and total square footage has shrunk by 20 percent, from 400,000 square feet to 322,000 square feet. So we are paying more for less. The cost per square foot has jumped a whopping 36 percent – and a shovel hasn't even touched dirt yet! The new Council will have plenty to do.
 
Between the culture of corruption and the dancing budget, one thing is clear: We ought to stop the music before the new county government is seated – the government that we the people created. The Medical Mart / Convention Center will be the biggest business that the county will have to build and manage. True, it will be "managed" by MMPI, but we the taxpayers are footing the bill and we'd best have representatives on the new County Council who have business experience and will look after the taxpayers' interests.

Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, May 4, Democratic voters will have a choice between three candidates for State Representative in the area representing Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Rocky River and Westlake. I have been paying careful attention to this race and have been deeply impressed with Peggy Cleary. 

As a councilwoman in Fairview Park since 2005, Peggy has focused on economic development; smarter, more efficient government; and increasing green space for a better quality of life. She has a proven history of working to ensure the growth, development and future of Fairview Park. As State Representative, she will continue that effort on behalf of the district and state.

My name is Tony Falcone and I am running for the Westlake School Board. I am asking for your vote on November 8. 

I am a proud product of Westlake schools – grades K through 12 – and Westlake teachers, administrators and coaches all played a significant role in making me the person I am today. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that each and every student has a similar, positive experience.

I want Westlake Schools to be as great as they can possibly be. Excellence in our district benefits students, administration, staff and taxpayers alike. That said, I do not believe in excellence at any cost. I believe in excellence at an excellent value.

It was a birthday bash that few had ever seen celebrated with more fanfare! And the Bay Bicentennial Executive Committee of Tom Phillips, Carole Roske, Evelyn Allen and myself want to say “thank you” to Bay’s residents, churches, and civic organizations along with our many generous corporate donors. You made it happen!

Each effort, be it large or small, was an important part of ensuring that our proud community celebrated the rich history that makes Bay so special.

 

Dear Editor,

I recently had a front porch conversation with Fairview Park Councilwoman, Peggy Cleary, who is taking time to go from house to house to make sure we understand how important state government will be in the coming years. As a candidate for the House of Representatives in my 16th District, she spoke of the incredibly difficult struggles facing the State of Ohio and its citizens over the next few years. 

I was struck by the knowledge and experience of this tested leader who has devoted her career to serving our community. Peggy Cleary knows and understands the concerns of families like ours who live and work in the district. She didn’t fall back on easy default answers and the bumper-sticker slogans that pass for thinking these days. She offered detailed plans to make college education affordable; spur economic development that creates jobs; and will fight for our kids and our future.

I'm writing to discuss respect, or more accurately, lack of respect. My son graduated from Westlake High School this year, and I proudly attended the Commencement Ceremony.

In the program, and then again from the stage, it was respectfully requested that the crowd refrain from applauding until all the names had been called. They gave reasonable, even eloquent reasons for this.

On behalf of the Friends of the Bay Village Kennel, I would like to introduce our group to the West Shore community.

My husband, Tom, and I, along with John and Ruth Glasmire, met with Animal Control Officer Diana Fife and Police Chief Dave Wright to discuss how we could help ACO Fife with the needs of the kennel since Bay, like most cities, is experiencing a recession-based budget crunch.

Observations and discussions have included the following items for the existing kennel: (1.) Insulation, (2.) Electrical upgrade, (3.) New air conditioning & heating wall unit, (4.) Inexpensive wind breaks that cut heat loss when the dog doors are open, (5.) Expand/build a storage facility since storage space at the police station is limited.

To The Editor:

The Westlake/North Olmsted Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area urges Westlake citizens to support the 3.4 mill, $84 million bond issue which will be on the May 4, 2010 ballot. Issue #14 will cost $104.16 a year per $100,000 of property value.

The LWV commends the extensive citizen involvement that preceded the decision of the Westlake Board of Education to propose this bond issue.

Today Westlake schools are rated "excellent" despite overcrowding in some buildings and deteriorating mechanical systems. The phased facilities improved plan is expected to result in reduced annual maintenance costs as well as enhanced instructional space. Dedicated bond issue funds for capital expenses can eliminate the need to drain the operating budget for emergency repairs.

The League of Women Voters recommends a "Yes" vote on Issue #14 on May 4, 2010.

Sincerely,

Janet Kershaw, Westlake/North Olmsted Chapter Chair and Co-President, League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area

Voting no on Issue 2 is critical to defend our freedom and the free market system.

A yes vote on Issue 2 would amend the Ohio constitution and create a Farm Care Standards Board. What it means for Ohio is that a Board not selected by voters will decide what we eat, how food is produced, including factory farming methods, drugs or chemicals used, and cloning;  treatment of animals, and the safety and quality of the food supply.

On May 25 and 26, members of Westlake High School’s Class of 1952 held a reunion to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their graduation. Theirs may be the longest-running series of class reunions in the past 50 years.

There were originally 40 members in the class, of which 15 surviving classmates were able to attend, and 14 others were either unable to come or could not be reached. Nevertheless, two came from North Carolina, one from Colorado, and two more from California.

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Westlake Board of Education and I ask for your vote on November 8; a vote that will continue our district’s excellence for the success of all Westlake students.

Serving the Westlake community during my first term on the School Board has been a privilege. I thank the citizens of Westlake for this opportunity to use my background as an educator to work collaboratively with my board colleagues and the district leadership as we strive to make Westlake the premier district in Ohio.

The Bay Men’s Club recently hosted its first annual sport shoe roundup and sale, and this letter is to thank all those who helped make this event a success.

The event was designed as a way for Bay Men’s Club to provide another needed community service. The focus of the sale was to raise money for the Bay Men’s Club Scholarship Fund, as well as provide a very inexpensive alternative for families to purchase gently-used athletic shoes and cleats.

To the editor:

When my husband and I were looking for a place to raise our children, great schools were of the utmost importance. Bay Village offered those and everything else we valued.

Now our children have graduated from the Bay Village public school system, and we know we made the best choice so many years ago. They are well educated, well rounded, successful adults. They not only received an excellent academic education from the Bay Village Schools, but they learned the importance of service to others from the many opportunities offered in our schools.

As a reader of the WBV Observer at home, and as the president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company at work, I would like to take this opportunity to comment on a recent article by Patrick McGannon entitled “The harmful consequences of fertilizing your yard.”

The article is right on point regarding the importance of keeping fertilizers and other lawn care products out of stormwater systems and local waterways. What I feel should have been included in the article is the fact that a healthy lawn, regularly fed with non-phosphorus lawn food, actually prevents nutrient runoff into streams and lakes.

Dear Westlake Residents,

For six years now, including this year as President, it has been a privilege to represent the citizens of Westlake as a member of the Westlake Board of Education. I have had the honor to work in partnership with so many parents, students and community members who are dedicated to our mission and vision of Educating for Excellence. I am also pleased that so many of our community members take the time out of their busy schedules to attend our board meetings.

Representative Nan Baker had a townhall meeting April 26. She was asked to sign a referendum to overturn Senate Bill 5. If it gets overturned on Tuesday, Nov. 1, the police, fire department, teachers, and unionized public employees can celebrate on Wednesday and Thursday but on Friday there will be massive layoffs. 

Less police to protect us. Less responders to our burning houses. Bigger class sizes and no music, arts, or maybe even athletics. It will take winning a $100 million dollar lottery 80 times to cover the Ohio deficit. Wake up. We are broke. SB 5 saves jobs.

On Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Westlake Rec Center, 10 candidates for Cuyahoga County District 1 were present at a forum with about 100 citizens in attendance. This was free and open to the public. It was about historic events in our county, electing a new government to replace the corrupt and rotting county government we had. 

Sadly, it was not attended by any news cameras (invited), or local Staff writers for the PD, the Sun News, or the WestLife.  Why? Because they choose to ignore the movement that is not just grass roots but ground swell. The Westshore Tea Party was able to get both the Democrat and the Republican District 1 candidates at the table. 

The questions were selected based on issues facing the new Charter Reform government. There were no "gotcha" moments because that was not the intent or purpose of the event. Citizens cry out of ethics and knowledge about expertise of those we elect. In this first job interview that was non-partisan, we got to see the human faces of the candidates. Lucky for us, District 1 has some of the best candidates in the entire county. They were a joy to watch.

Local newspapers can be a great resource for information and an important part of the fabric of our community. As Mayor of the City of Bay Village, I look at the papers as partners in disseminating information and appreciate balanced and factual reporting. While reporters and I may not always agree, we have worked hard to develop the professional relationships that ensure balance and independent reporting of the pros and cons that surround any issue.
 
For the past year, we have had a new community paper in town. For the most part, this new forum offers a free venue for many civic and community groups as well as businesses to get their message out to our residents.

Opportunity. The reason families boarded ships to come to America; risk takers moved west across the country; African-Americans moved north after the Civil War and even the reason Bill Gates left school before his Harvard education was complete.

It is by seizing our opportunities that we have been able to create independence, work, wealth and a future.

Cuyahoga County has the opportunity to reinvent its government. But more importantly, we have a chance to showcase the opportunities that our County holds for individuals. People who want to create, build, invest, serve and take risks need to know that Cuyahoga County can help them capitalize on this opportunity to achieve their goals.

The relationship between the public and private sectors is badly damaged and must be restored. However, the focus must be more than financial. While the influence of private dollars is paramount, the creativity and intellect of the private sector is equally necessary for a vibrant future in Cuyahoga County.

To the editor:

I am writing to encourage Ohio voters to support Issue 1.

Issue 1 will extend funding for the Third Frontier, a program that has stimulated economic development and job growth in Ohio since 2002. The Third Frontier has been one of the most successful programs of its kind – creating over 55,000 jobs and helping to launch over 600 companies in Ohio.

Voting yes on Issue 1 will allow Ohio to continue investing in research programs and new technology areas such as advanced and alternative energies, which is vital in attracting the best and brightest work force to Ohio. Issue 1 does not raise taxes, but will extend funding by the sale of state bonds to support successful job-focused opportunities that has received bi-partisan support.

Thank you District 16 voters, Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Rocky River and Westlake, for your overwhelming vote of support to return me to the Ohio House of Representatives. It has been an honor and privilege to serve you over the past four years and I look forward to continuing my work to create an environment to retain, create and bring jobs to Ohio.

Mary’s Food Friends, a.k.a. St. Paul Lutheran Thrivent Hunger Ministry Service Team, announces a $1 supplementation for every $4 donated through Sept. 15 to assist the Westlake Assistance Program. This match, made possible by the Northwest Cuyahoga County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ Care Abounds in Community Program, will really help fill the food cupboards of Westlake Assistance.

If one wants to make a monetary donation, write a check payable to Northwest Cuyahoga County Chapter, with "Westlake Assistance" in the memo line, and mail to Hunger Ministry, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 27993 Detroit Road, Westlake, OH 44145. Thank you for joining our Hearts Helping Hunger Campaign for Westlake Assistance.