The Summer Soltice Update

Finally summer has arrived, with Independence Day upon us. City Council is on recess for the summer. I wanted to take moment to update you on some of the past blog posts.
I hope you find these quick updates informative and helpful.

Trash and Lighting Fees

City Council chose to extend these fees for an additional year. My primary reason for voting "yes" on this matter are the cuts in State monies the City receives. The portion of the Local Government Fund, Estate Tax and Commercial Activities Tax Euclid receives will drastically decline in the just passed State of Ohio Budget. That means layoffs in Euclid without the fee extensions.

Finance Ad Hoc Committee

City Council and the Administration did take up my idea of forming an Independence Financial Review Committee. This Committee made up of business folks and citizens will review how the City raises money and, make recommendations on potential changes.

New Jail Postponed

Given several questions surrounding the organization of Euclid Police Department (more on this in an upcoming blog), the Ohio Police Chiefs Organization is currently reviewing all aspects of the Department. The operations of the current jail, and, the needs for a new one are again being reevaluated. With this project, it is now 6 years and counting.

Recycling

This program is simply not working. What we save on dumping fees, and, what we earn from the recyclables collected does not meet the City's costs of personnel and fuel. While the Federal Energy Efficiency Grant is covering the losses this year, if nothing changes, the City's General Fund is on the hook for these losses in 2012

Downtown Storefront Update

As was described in the Feb. 2011 post, the storefront projects at Lakeshore and Shore Center

in downtown Euclid had significant problems: poor workmanship, not following approved plans

violation of building codes. The Administration failed to catch these defects in a timely manner.

This placed your tax dollars (Federal Storefront Block Grants) at risk of being wasted.

After popular uproar over the quality of the project, the City did cite both plazas for numerous

code and building violations. As of today, the Shorecenter plaza has complied with most of the

issues raised by the City and, work has resumed. At Lakeshore Plaza, the issues are greater in number, and remain in dispute.

Meanwhile, City Council (Councilman Langman) passed tougher requirements for storefront

projects, including a better inspection process.

Great Lake Exposition Center

I'm sad to share with you that the Expo Center has closed. No real reason was given.

Our community is in the middle of some very challenging issues. More on those in the next week or so, but, in the meantime, enjoy the summer.