Summer 2010 - Cleveland City Council

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2 A MESSAGE FROM Councilwoman Dona Brady PHOTO CREDIT: City of Cleveland Photographic Bureau In January, I was sworn in as your Council Representative for the 4th time. You may have noticed that the name of our newsletter has changed to the Ward 17 News. The name has been changed because our ward number changed due to the voter-approved reduction and re-districting of the Cleveland wards. If you are receiving this newsletter, I am still your Councilwoman. I am privileged to continue to be your voice at City Hall. My Executive Assistant Sandy and I work closely with Westown Community Development Corporation and city departments to try to ensure that you receive the services you deserve for the tax dollars you pay. Please take the time to read through this newsletter. You will see many improvements have been made with many more to come. Our neighborhoods are still very stable and we strive to keep them that way. I appreciate your commitment to your neighborhood and look forward to continuing to work with you to make our ward a great place to live, work and play. County to have new form of government Last fall voters in Cuyahoga County chose to change the County Charter and form a new government. For more than 100 years, Cuyahoga County has had a traditional local government in which three Commissioners, a Sheriff, Recorder, Auditor, Treasurer, Coroner, Engineer, Prosecutor and Clerk of Courts were elected to their respective positions. This fall, voters will replace the old system with a new one. We will be electing a County Executive and a new County Legislative body featuring 11 members elected from districts called the County Council. The office of Prosecutor, however, will be retained. The new County Council should not be confused with the City Council in Cleveland. Our county council ward will be one of five on the west side that will make up County Council District 3. The new County Council will oversee the County finances, approve administrative appointments by the County Executive and generally serve as the legislative body for the County. The primary will be held on September 7, and the general election on November 2. Our new county government will take office in January of 2011. What’s New in Ward 17? Despite the economic crisis, the Ward 17 commercial district has remained fairly healthy and has even expanded in the last few months. Check out some of the development going on in our neighborhood: The Guardian Trust Building at the corner of W. 117th Street & Lorain Avenue had been left vacant and deteriorating for years by Rite Aid, the owners of the building. Councilwoman Brady and Westown CDC were able to get the City to require Rite Aid to make improvements to the building. The windows have been replaced, the structure is secure and Rite Aid is actively marketing the building to potential tenants. The building is a City of Cleveland Landmark and is no longer a blighted building! Collins Heating and Cooling at W. 112th Street & Lorain Avenue was scheduled to be demolished. By working with Steve Collins, we were able to prevent the demolition and create a partnership with the Cleveland Christian Home so they could use the second floor of the building. Collins Heating and Cooling brought jobs to our neighborhood and is enjoying a partnership with one of our community’s oldest institutions. MORE NEW BUSINESSES IN WARD 17: • The Dry Dock Inn: 12210 Lorain Ave. Same location, new owners, new summer patio in the back. Are you in danger of losing your home to foreclosure? Free help is available! IMPORTANT NOTICE! From now until September 30, 2011, the Federal Housing Authority is authorized through the Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008 to refinance billions of dollars in atrisk mortgages. Participation in the program is voluntary for City of Cleveland residents. All penalties and fees related to default or delinquency must be waived by the lender, servicer, or investor, thereby allowing the homeowner a better opportunity for success in maintaining their mortgage. Westown CDC building wins Storefront Renovation Award Westown CDC received an award from the City of Cleveland for participating in the city’s 2009-2010 Storefront Renovation Program. The city presented awards to honor local building owners who completed the City of Cleveland’s Storefront Renovation Program. Westown CDC received the award for the building that houses Westown’s offices at 10313 Lorain Avenue as well as the building immediately next door at 10321 Lorain Avenue. Both buildings received façade/brick cleaning, new windows, bulkheads, transoms, awnings and doors, as well as new sidewalks and entryways. Other projects currently going through the Storefront Renovation Program are K&R Appliances at 12939 Lorain Avenue and the Caringi Building at 3375 W117th Street. Business owners who are interested in the program should contact Gretchen Moore at 216-941-9262 for more information. • Pizzeria Milano: 11833 Lorain Ave. (in the Variety Theatre building). From the people who brought you the delicious thin-crust pizza from the West 6th Street Pizzeria in the Warehouse District. • Grand River Grill: 11210 Lorain Ave. Soups, Salads, Sandwiches. All fresh ingredients from local farmers. • The Perimeter Gallery: 12204 Lorain Ave. The neighborhood’s first fullscale art gallery supporting emerging and established artists as well as art classes and programming for neighborhood residents. • Al Rayyan Restaurant and Eatery: 3359 W. 117th St. Formerly Cleveland Grill, is now a Middle Eastern restaurant. COMING SOON TO WARD 17: • The Thirsty Lion: 12703 Lorain Ave. The former Lion’s Pub will now be a sports bar & restaurant with a full restaurant menu, darts, pool table and plenty of TVs. • O’Reiley’s Auto Parts: 11011 Lorain Ave. O’Reiley’s is taking over the space currently occupied by Murray’s Auto. • 3375 W. 117th Street: A coffee shop will soon be opening in the former Bodkin Electronics space. The building, which is going through the Storefront Renovation Program, will also be home to a new real estate office. • 11901 Lorain Avenue: Future home of a new Lebanese restaurant. There are other eligibility requirements for the program and the Department of Consumer Affairs encourages you to contact a HUD approved housing counseling agency. Contact First Call for Help at 211 or directly contact one of the following Foreclosure Resource Centers: Community Housing Solutions 216-231-5815 Cuyahoga County Foreclosure Remediation 216-443-8504 Housing Advocates, Inc. 216-432-9615 Neighborhood Housing Services 216-458-4663 PHOTO CREDIT: City of Cleveland Photographic Bureau (L-R) Daryl P. Rush, Director of Community Development, Patrick Colvin, Vice President - Westown CDC Board, Gretchen Moore, Commercial Program Director - Westown CDC, Chad Dasher, Executive Director - Westown CDC and Mayor Frank Jackson. (Inset Photo) Westown CDC’s newly renovated façade, sidewalks and entryways.
3 Congratulations Peggy Montgomery Peggy Montgomery is widely recognized for her contributions in the West Park and Westown neighborhoods. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1934 and moved to Cleveland when she was 2. She is very active in the Second Calvary Baptist Church, where she has been a dedicated member since 1965. She has coordinated the collection and delivery of nonperishable food items for food pantries and churches throughout the City of Cleveland. Peggy cares deeply about serving others and is truly committed to spending her time helping our youth. She retired from the United States Department of Defense in 1989 and worked in after-school programs at the Second Calvary Baptist Church and at St. Paul AME Church. Ms. Montgomery is a graduate of the City of Cleveland’s Citizen Police Academy and of the Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland Program. She proudly served on the board of the Westown Community Development Corporation where she is presently an active member. Peggy currently serves as Secretary for the 1st District Police Community Relations Board and is also a Ward Baker’s Bakery celebrates 70th anniversary! The roots of Baker’s Bakery began in Donna Kasper’s grandmother Amelia Baker’s kitchen in the late 1920s. With an ill husband, eight children and scarce funds, she began baking in her kitchen and sending the children out with their little wagons to deliver pastry to the neighborhood. Seven of Amelia’s children became bakers. Her son Joseph eventually opened Baker’s Bakery at 3550 West 105th Street in 1940. Joseph’s niece, Donna Kasper, continues to run the bakery today. After 70 years, Baker’s Bakery is still committed to producing the sweetest pastries, pies and cakes as well as delicious homemade breads and dinner rolls. They Ward 17 Senior of the Year! won’t reveal any of their family recipes, but will tell you that everything is made from scratch — no pre-packaged mixes for Baker’s. Councilwoman Dona Brady insisted on a Baker’s Bakery date-and-nut cake for her wedding and makes sure to have one for every celebration and holiday dinner. “There is nothing more delicious than Baker’s Bakery’s date-and-nut cake. One bite and you know it is distinctly Baker’s. The cake’s recipe Peggy Montgomery is honored by Councilwoman Dona Brady and Mayor Frank Jackson. 17 Democratic Club member. She can often be found participating in Neighborhood Crime Watch Safety meetings. Peggy is known as an enthusiastic community advocate and says that if we expect our youth to take pride in their community, “We must involve them in the process and work together to give them something to be proud of.” Councilwoman Brady said “Peggy is a strong leader in our community. She gives unselfishly of herself and is compassionate and always eager to serve whenever she receives the call. She is a role model that we can all look up to.” ABOVE: The largest cake Donna and Paul Kasper ever created was for their own wedding in November, 1962. The 685 pound date-&-nut cake fed some 600 guests. RIGHT: Baker’s Bakery, located at 3550 W. 105 Street and butter cream frosting is their best kept secret” said Brady. Being picky about their products is a family tradition. Donna Kasper embraces it and tries to pass it on to her relatives and employees. “I tell them, ‘Make it the way you would as if you were going to eat it, if not I won’t sell it’,” Kasper said. If you haven’t been to Baker’s Bakery lately, make sure you stop in. There are few things more original than Baker’s. Go see what you’ve been missing. PHOTO CREDIT: City of Cleveland Photographic Bureau In March, you and more than 130 million people throughout the nation should have received and mailed back their 2010 Census form. Because every person matters, those who have not responded will be visited in person by a census worker beginning in late April through July. (Census workers can be identified by a census badge and bag.) By participating in the 2010 Census, you play a crucial role in assuring that Ward 17 — and the greater Cleveland area as a whole — receives its fair share of federal dollars and services. Visit www.2010census.gov for more information. Waste collection fees reduced for senior homeowners In April, charges for waste collection service began appearing on Cleveland property owner’s water statements. It is an $8.00 per unit monthly charge that was assessed starting January 1, 2010 for City of Cleveland property owners. However, residential property owned and occupied by senior citizens age 65 or older and/or disabled homeowners who meet income guidelines may be eligible to receive a discounted rate of 50%. For details, call the Division of Waste Collection at 664-3711. FREE services for your health and safety FREE Emergency Beacon Light Bulb Adapters - These 60-watt light bulb adapters are available to Ward 17 residents. Placed in any outdoor light socket and with one flip of the light switch they can be used as a normal outdoor light; however, in an emergency situation the bulb can be set to flashing mode by flipping the switch twice quickly. Emergency crews can locate you for faster response in addition to alerting your neighbors that you are in need of help. For more information contact at Westown CDC at 941-9262. FREE Smoke Alarms - Call Operation Save-A-Life to apply for a free smoke alarm at 361-5535. When you call this number listen until you get the instructions for Cleveland residents. This is a program of the American Red Cross. FREE Cleveland Care Calls - This program enables senior citizens to receive a phone call daily at approximately the same time. If the call is not answered the program will continue to make several attempts for up to one half hour. At the conclusion, a safety dispatcher will attempt to contact a person designated as an emergency contact. To sign up for this FREE service call the Department of Aging at 664-2833. CHORE Program - This program provides home maintenance help to residents age 60 or older and who need help with maintaining their homes or apartments. Chore workers are employees of the City of Cleveland who will come to a senior’s home and perform chores such as general and heavy house cleaning, lawn cutting, removing or installing storm windows and simple home repairs. Call the Department of Aging at 664-2833 for details about these and other CHORE services. Dial 211 First Call For Help - This is your link to more than 1,200 health and human services agencies in Cuyahoga County. Information specialists answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NEW TREE AND GUTTER ASSISTANCE Programs for Seniors – Eligible Cleveland Seniors can now access assistance with hazardous tree and branch removal and gutter cleaning. This program is only being offered while stimulus funds are available. To find out whether you meet the eligibility criteria, call the Cleveland Department of Aging at 664-2833. Senior Citizens – Call the Cleveland Department of Aging (664-2833) to find out about the many other programs designed to assist you such as Geriatric Outreach; Senior Homeowner Assistance Program (SHAP); Grandparents/Kinship Care; CHORE Services; Senior Strides; Access to Prescription Drug Savings; Senior Power; and Benefits Checkup.
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Summer 2010 - Cleveland City Council

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