Ward 3 Town Hall

Issues, notes and quotes from the April 14^th Town Hall held by Ward 3 Council Karen Lieske:

There are major efforts underway to focus on maintaining our housing stock. Learn more this Monday April 20^th at the Home Improvement Workshop at The Dwyer Center.  Speakers will be kept to a minimum allowing time for a Q & A session.

Dave Greenspan (Cuyahoga County Council) was in attendance and talked about the steps that could occur with properties that have been targeted for improvement. His reference to the Cuyahoga Land Bank brought concern from the audience. He stated it is just one resource. There was audience concern on the timing of the push to fix homes and increase taxes.

Did you know there is a county GIS system? Once a year there is a fly over of the entire county. The Geographic Information System will capture improvements to your home. (I hope you applied for a building permit when you built that deck, shed or addition.)

A longtime resident expressed concern about the usage of Cahoon Park on Sunday. He questioned the “organized” volleyball that takes place on Sunday nights. He was told by our law director that this was a different situation than what the Cahoon Will specified. The resident stressed the Council and the Mayor are the Trustees of the Will – not the law director. If an issue arises and goes to court, it is the law director that will defend the city and make money doing so - the city’s money. When the police are called, they say call the rec center. When the rec center is called, they say call the law director.

More trains are coming through Bay Village. This is due to an expired agreement with the railroads that limited the train traffic. The agreement was negotiated by Dennis Kucinich 10 years ago.  The Law Director is to meet and review this issue.

The trains apparently are not frightening the deer. They are still with us in abundance. On Tuesday, April 21^st The Walker Road Park Ad Hoc Committee will hold a meeting at City Hall at 6p.m. to update on the Avon Lake Deer Culling Program. There is an ordinance prohibiting the feeding of deer in Bay.

In the future we will have a system in place to text 911. Also, in our future, meetings will be recorded and on the website.

Traffic concerns: Will the American Greetings facility going into Crocker affect the Bassett and Lake Rd. intersection? A traffic light study was conducted in the past and showed it did not warrant a light.

Why are we the only community that continues to have school traffic signs that prohibit right turns on red all day? Surrounding cities have all changed their signage to prohibit turns from 7 to 9 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Audience members would like to see this happen in Bay.

Westerly traffic was monitored to see if the flow could be improved and it was decided there is no good alternative in trying to change the pattern. Like everyone that lives around a school, we must just deal with it during drop off and pick up.

Concerns about the trees planted along Bassett. The arborist looked at them and feels the trees are healthy.

It was requested again that the subject of an Animal Control Officer – even a part time one be placed on the agenda for public discussion. Karen has brought it to the attention of Council twice recently.  A comment was made “We can afford an arborist and we have as many animals running amok as we do trees”

Karen Lieske was attentive and took notes and I trust she will follow through. I thank her for this opportunity to be heard.