Letters To The Editor

I am currently seeking a position on the Westlake Board of Education. I am a 1992 graduate of Westlake High School and I returned to the community after studying physical therapy at Bowling Green State University. I currently work in Westlake at NovaCare Rehabilitation as a physical therapist and center manager.

My husband David, a 1991 graduate of the district, and I decided to send our children to the Westlake Schools. Our oldest son just started school at Hilliard Elementary this fall. Our younger son will be following in his footsteps in two years. My family values education, with David having two bachelor’s degrees, and I have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. I have also recently decided to go earn my doctorate degree in physical therapy. I want to instill in my children a love of learning that persists throughout their life, I expect their teachers to be dedicated to their education and their future.

The Westlake School District is currently heading into a period of deep fiscal crisis, but you would be hard-pressed to see this fact being reported in our news media or by our politicians. If you rely on their analysis, you would think that just because American Greetings is moving to Westlake, that all is rosy in this district. This is far from the case.

The reality is that the school district is facing a $3.4 million deficit by the end of this school year, one that increases every year to a whopping $12.4 million annually by 2015, which works out to over $850 per Westlake household! How did we get here?

Here is the reality, the TV ads are telling you that the city councilman/woman you got to vet and elect are criminals who want to steal your safety. Do you believe YOUR mayor wants to have your granddaughter burn up in a fire?  Think about it. That is what they are saying. So instead of giving your elected officials the right to represent you, you prefer some unnamed, unelected and unchecked union boss? God help us. Every time I see some city council voting to condemn SB5, I see a bunch of people who are saying – I can’t be trusted, give my job to the union boss, because he/she is the one who is really paying me.

Why not talk about the adult problem. We have lied to those police and fireman and teachers and nurses. We can’t afford their retirements. We can’t afford them, period. And when we run out of money, the mayor does not lay off his/her secretary, he lays off the police and fire, then the teachers.

I am excited and enthused about being a candidate for public office again in Bay Village. I am running for the Ward 3 City Council seat.

I am confident I can provide the leadership and professional management skills that Bay residents want. I served on the Board of Education from 1994-2005, three of those years as president and another three as vice-president.

Most recently in 2005, I ran for mayor of Bay Village, placing second in a field of five. I believe that my formal education and work experience have prepared me well for the city council position. I hold a Masters of Public Administration degree which is the degree that most city managers hold.

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.

As chairwoman of the House Economic and Small Business Development Committee, I have made it my top priority to foster economic development and job creation within the state of Ohio and the 16th District. With many Ohioans continuing to look for employment, they may be interested to hear of some of the initiatives that this Legislature has pursued in order to improve the job climate in Ohio.

The first bill that was passed by the House and signed into law was House Bill 1, which establishes the lean, responsive JobsOhio as an economic development entity that will create jobs without the sluggish constraints of bureaucracy or red tape.

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.

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.

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.

President Barack Obama announcing Osama bin Laden’s death affirmed that “justice has been done.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton similarly declared that “justice had been served.”

His execution by a Navy SEAL team had nothing to do with justice. It had been decided in advance that he was to be killed under circumstances in which he could not have been captured and brought before a court of law on charges related to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We wanted to say thank you to the Observer and its readers for the response to our "Doors of Bay Village" print! We were overwhelmed by the success of the poster and what your support allowed us to do for the children at Enat Alem in Ethiopia. 

We traveled to Ethiopia in December for our court date and we were able to spend a lot of time with the children at both Enat Alem orphanages. We also were able to visit a few other orphanages in southern Ethiopia and fell in love with the children and the country!

With the proceeds from the sale of the prints we took soccer balls, hacky sack balls, nail polish, bracelets, silly bands, toys and medicine with us to the orphanages. Anything that we could fit in a fifty-pound bag! Thank you so much!

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.

 

It won’t be long now until our Bay Village community decides whether it wants to remain an “A” school district, or slip and become a “B” school district, or worse.

It is a fact that our Bay Village schools have been doing more with less for many years. Our schools consistently spend $1,000 to $2,000 less per student than other neighboring districts in our county and we still achieve excellent results. Excellent teachers want to live and work here, just as we want to live here. They make about county average for doing some of the best work in the county. Our school board does an outstanding job managing resources for the district.

However, Bay Village has reached a tipping point, and I am worried. If our schools begin to slide, one of the best reasons to move to Bay Village will become a non-factor, and home prices will begin to fall. 

 

To the editor:

Every 10 years our Westlake Charter requires the appointment, by the Mayor and City Council, of a committee of nine residents to review the charter. The committee then makes recommendations to council for additions and/or changes to be put on the ballot for the consideration of all voters in the following year.

Our 2009 Review Committee took its responsibility very seriously, making sure it heard from anyone who had anything to bring before us. After much consideration, discussion and deliberation, we recommended 12 charter amendments to council. Council considered these; rejecting some, adding some and changing others. That is its right to do, although in my mind it at least violates the spirit of our charter – that residents recommend changes to fellow residents.

Bay Village has a rezoning change on the November 2 ballot that should be defeated.

The major changes are to Chapter 1173 of the existing building code – enacted July 1974 – for attached residences, i.e., condos. These proposed changes are: No. 1: Allow them to be built in existing retail business districts; No. 2: Change minimum site area from 5 acres to 1 acre; and No. 3: Change maximum number of units from 6 to 8.

The mayor and some council members would have you believe that Bay absolutely needs more residential development and thus should gut the existing ordinance to accomplish this end. The current impetus is a proposed development on the old Shell property between Key Bank and Porter Creek along Wolf Road. However, even the developer has stated that he would be using 2 acres for this attached residence project. Two acres!  

As a long time resident of Bay Village, a parent of children who went through the Bay Schools, and a recently retired art teacher in the Bay Schools, I am writing in support of the upcoming Bay school levy.  

Our schools do an excellent job of educating our children and deserve our support. My own children received the benefits of AP classes, demanding core classes, wonderful art and music programs, excellent teaching and a quality sports and activities program.

ll of these programs contribute to the education of the whole child and are so important in the development of our young people. My children all attended very fine colleges and I feel both the reputation of our schools and the quality of their education helped make this possible.

To the editor,
I have no doubt many Bay Village voters are wondering what Issue 13 is all about and why there has been little or no information circulated by the City to educate voters. They have told us that the issue will allow for growth and strengthen our retail and commercial areas and the way to accomplish this is to allow attached residences to be permitted in these districts. But as with all issues, there is another side of the story.

In my opinion, after years of mounting pressure from developers to open more of Bay Village up to condominiums, Issue 13 is a knee jerk reaction by the Mayor and some on City Council to a developer’s proposal to build expensive condominiums overlooking Cahoon Creek at the site of the old Shell gas station on Wolf Road. My guess is, judging from the presence of a “For Sale” sign at the location and the speed at which Council acted, the developer has a time sensitive “option” on the property.

To the Editor,

A letter from fellow members of Bay Village City Council prompts us to add our thoughts about this November’s Ballot Issue 13.

Issue 13 is a rezoning issue that was, at best, hastily prepared for voters’ approval and will, if approved, affect residents in Ward 1 and Ward 2.  It could change our city’s character.

Voters city wide are being asked to dramatically reduce the acreage in any Retail Business District and increase the number of units permitted on an acre. Issue 13, if passed, will allow a maximum of 8 units to be built on 1 acre of land zoned Retail Business. Existing legislation permits only 6 units of development per acre, however, 5 acres of land is required.

To the Editor:

After a wonderful weekend of celebrating the 200th anniversary of our "Village," I came away with the feeling that I have always felt, Bay Village has it all. The churches, the parks, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, BAYarts, Huntington Playhouse, the sense of community, the caring and loving residents and the outstanding school system.

Each of the above gives Bay Village its unique character. Yet it is our high-quality school district, and our community's commitment and support of education, that makes us truly a great community. The many achievements of our students and schools are the foundation of the value of our homes and a promising future for our children and grandchildren.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thank you the Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Rocky River and Westlake voters that cast their vote for me on Tuesday, May 4, to continue to serve as their State Representative. A special thank you to my hardworking volunteers that are ready to join me again walking door to door, host coffees and partake in the various events coming up this year. 

My top priority will continue to be focused on creating a business friendly state that strives to retain, create and bring jobs to Ohio. We have a challenging budget in 2011 with an estimated $8 billion budget deficit. Efficient, smaller government with a strong emphasis on job retention and creation is the only sustainable solution to Ohio's prosperity. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

To the Editor –
 
Of those running for Ohio State Representative from District 16 (Bay Village, Rocky River, Westlake, North Olmsted and Fairview Park), Peggy Cleary is the only candidate who is a life-long resident of Cleveland’s western suburbs. My husband and I were born and raised in the Chicago/Milwaukee area, and moved to Cleveland’s western suburbs in 1971. 

Raising four children and seven grandchildren in this area has been truly wonderful, thanks to dedicated public servants like Peggy Cleary. We have been blessed to have Peggy as a neighbor and a friend. Peggy has served the families and children of our community for over 20 years as a licensed social worker, bringing understanding and assistance to many citizens over the years. 

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

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

This letter is in reply to Kevin DeFrank's letter in the March 23 issue of this paper. I understand the skateboard park location at Bradley Road Park had already been determined, but progress was stopped due to complaints from neighbors. Village Square merchants also complained about the skateboard park being located across the street near the Bay Way Youth Center. Why are the complaints of the neighbors and merchants okay while the historical society's complaint to placing the new skate park in a historical area becomes at odds with the interests of the community?

The same mayor and council entrusted by the Cahoon (family) Will to decide how the area should be used, passed an ordinance in the 1970s designating the area around the west side of the ravine from Wolf Road to Lake Road as a historical area. Why can't the area stay historical?

– V.L. McLeod, Bay Village