Friendly City Newsletter
Fall 2013
From the Mayor’s Desk
OUR TRUE TEST IS JUST BEGINNING!!
Greetings All On behalf of City Council, the administration, and staff, I
would like to welcome you to the fall edition of the Friendly
City Newsletter. This summer, the City had one of our busiest
seasons to date. We kicked-off the summer with the annual
Memorial Day Parade, welcomed the return of 4th of July
Fireworks from the stands of Warrensville Heights High School,
and hosted one of the largest Summer Festivals ever at Green
Road Park.
In addition to the exciting community events, on August 6, I proudly stood with over
300 residents, teachers, students, parents, and community stakeholders at the first of
several community conversations about the direction of our schools.
We derived a lot of important information from the community at our first forum.
The forum helped us identify several major concerns. We heard questions from the
community regarding levy funds usage, district accountability and communication,
and questions about existing curriculum. We better identified our district’s challenges
and the support the district requires from the community to move ahead with help
from the evening’s moderator, Dr. Brenda Terrell.
On Wednesday, November 13, we will continue our conversation on “Our School’s
Future” at Corporate College at 7 pm conveniently located near the corners of
Richmond and Emery roads. With assistance from the school district and Superintendent
Jones, we hope to answer a lot of the questions and concerns identified in August, assess
critical data, and identify committee leaders.
Lastly, this fall, Warrensville Heights residents will have the opportunity to elect new
leadership in our community including, City Council and School Board members.
Hopefully, you had the opportunity to attend the Tri-City Democratic Club ‘Meet the
Candidates Night’ on October 8th at the Civic Center. I encourage everyone to please
take every opportunity allotted to you to learn as much as you can about those running
for these important seats; I cannot stress how critical this election is for the City of
Warrensville Heights and our schools. More importantly, please don’t forget to “Vote”
on Tuesday, November 5. The polls are open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Please make sure you visit the new cityofwarrensville.com, ‘Like’ the City on Facebook
and ‘Follow Us’ on Twitter for the most up-to-date information from City Hall.
As always, thank you for your support.
Mayor Bradley D. Sellers
What’s Inside
Exterior Maintenance Grant . . . . pg.3
Business Spotlight:
Warrensville Animal Hospital . . . pg.3
Financial Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg.3
City Council Updates . . . . . . . . . . pg.4-5
Summer Festival Photos . . . . . . pg.6-7
Leaf Pick-Up Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . pg.8
A Message from Our Schools . . . . pg.9
Fall Events at Warrensville
Heights Branch Library . . . . . . . . pg.11
Building Department
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg.12
Upcoming Events
Holiday Food Drive . . . . Now - Nov. 22
City-Wide Trick-or-Treat . . . . . Oct. 31
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 pm - 8 pm
Mobile Food Pantry . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec. 14
OUR SCHOOLS FUTURE:
A Community Forum . . . . . . . . . Nov. 13
City Hall Lighting Ceremony . . . .Dec. 3
Visit the NEW
cityofwarrensville.com
“Like” us on Facebook!
facebook.com/CityofWarrensville
Follow us on Twitter!
@Warrensville_OH
Health Insurance
Marketplace Opens,
Offers Millions of Americans
Quality, Affordable Health
Care Coverage
Beginning October 1, all Americans can begin
shopping for quality health coverage that is
affordable, and not be denied or charged
more because they have a pre-existing
condition.
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a new,
simpler way for uninsured Americans and
their families to purchase health insurance
in one place. Coverage begins as early as
January 1, 2014 for people enrolling by
December 15, 2013.
“For years, the financial, physical or mental
health of millions of Americans suffered
because they couldn’t afford the care they or
their family needed,” said U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius. “But thanks to the health
care law, all of that is changing. Today’s
launch begins a new day when health care
coverage will be more accessible and affordable than ever before.”
Coverage offered through the Marketplace
includes a range of options so consumers
can pick a plan that best meets their needs,
the needs of their family, and their budget.
With one Marketplace application, a consumer will be able to see if they qualify for
lower costs on health insurance based on
income or free or low-cost coverage available
through Medicaid or the Children’s Health
Insurance Program. No matter what state a
consumer lives in, he or she will be able to
use the Marketplace to apply for coverage,
compare options, and enroll. For more
information, please visit HealthCare.gov
or call 1-800-318-2596 toll free. The consumer call center is open 24 hours a day 7
days a week, and assistance is available in
150 languages.
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Cuyahoga County & Cleveland NAACP
to hold Free Self-Defense Seminars
Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, in partnership with the Cleveland NAACP,
announced the launch of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department Strategies Against Violent
Encounters (S.A.V.E.) Initiative. In cooperation with Witness/Victim Services Center, the
Sheriff’s Department will conduct four, free self-defense seminars across the county on awareness and actions to avoid or address violent encounters.
The self-defense seminars will take place every Thursday evening in October. Please see the
times and locations below.
LOCATIONS:
October 17, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:00-9:00 pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warrensville Heights YMCA
4433 Northfield Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44128
October 24, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:00-9:00 pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shiloh Middle School
2302 Grantwood Drive
Parma, OH 44134
Meet Poet Nikki Giovanni
Join us as we welcome world-renowned poet, author and activist Nikki Giovanni on Tuesday,
October 29 at 7 pm at the Warrensville Heights Branch Library. An Oprah Living Legend, Nikki
has written 27 books and is a University Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech.
In the course of her long and stellar career, she has received more than 100 achievement,
humanitarian and recognition awards including the first Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award.
Her new collection of poems, CHASING UTOPIA, will be released on the day of her visit.
Doors to the large meeting room will open at 6 p.m. Seating is first come, first served. Nikki’s
talk will be live-streamed to overflow seating in the small meeting rooms and the youth
multipurpose area.
Books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of the Friends of the Warrensville
Heights Branch Library and Mac’s Backs - Books on Coventry.
Economic Development Finance
Pequita Hansberry, Director of Economic Development
Rubin Moultrie, Finance Director
Business Spotlight: Warrensville Animal Hospital
The Warrensville Animal Hospital, located at 4003 Warrensville Center Road, celebrated its
41st year in the community this past June. Dr. Evan M. Morse, D.V.M., has been practicing
veterinary medicine for the past 45 years. He has always had a love for animals. As a child
growing up in Virginia, he spent his summers on his grandmother’s farm. While other
childrenwere out playing, he was in the woods catching frogs, snakes, and turtles. He
even spent some of those days healing birds by fixing broken wings with Popsicle sticks.
Dr. Morse went on to graduate from the Tuskegee Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine.
Shortly after graduating in 1968, he was invited to Cleveland by Dr. D.A. Rickards to join
his practice at the Small Animal Clinic. At that time, Dr. Morse was the only African-American
veterinarian in the state.
Dr. Morse is the co-founder of the Free Animal Clinic Team (FACT). Since 1976, he and Dr.
Rickards have operated the Free Animal Clinic. It is held one Wednesday a month in different
neighborhoods. They take the first 100 people who bring proof of low income. He also serves
as veterinary consultant to canine police departments throughout Cuyahoga County,
Cuyahoga and Geauga County Sheriff ’s Departments, C.M.H., the City of Cleveland, and
the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Dr. Morse was also the staff veterinarian for local
television networks, Fox8 and WEWS.
Throughout his career Dr. Morse has not only treated the usual cat and dog variety of patients.
He has cared for more exotic animals such as snakes, boa constrictors, iguanas, monkeys,
squirrels, and all types of birds including a vulture, falcon and owl. He has also treated
mountain lions, cut the toenails of a harbor seal, and pulled the tooth of a 700 lb. alligator.
Dr. Morse was the first African American veterinarian to integrate the profession in Ohio.
For years, he could not join the Cleveland Academy of Veterinary Medicine. In 1979, he
was allowed to join, and ten years later was president of the organization. Dr. Morse has
many accomplishments but the one he is most proud of is receiving the 2011 American
Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) President’s Award. This is a national award that
recognizes individuals and
groups inside and outside
veterinary medicine who
have a positive impact on
animal, human, or public
health, veterinary organizations and the profession.
Today there are 3,300 veterinarians in the state; only seven
are African American.
Dr. Evan M. Morse, D.V.M.,
the real Dr. Doolittle
Financial Report
The City continues to maintain positive
operating results for 2013 year-to-date, and
projects positive operating results at year
end, due to sound financial planning and
an improved economy.
In January 2013, the City made two major
capital investments for the Service Department. Two new crew cab trucks costing
$104,200 and a new salt truck for snow
removal costing $124,000 were purchased.
The City was able to participate in a regional
collaboration with the County in a cost
sharing agreement for concrete repairs to
Emery Road. Additionally, major sections
of deteriorating concrete were replaced on
Miles Road.
Information Technology
This year, the City commenced a network
infrastructure upgrade. Bailey Communications, Inc. was selected to manage the
implementation of this process. Most
equipment to be replaced was originally
installed prior to 2003. The new system will
maximize employee productivity and deliver
the best services at the lowest cost possible.
Exterior Maintenance Grant
In an effort to encourage homeowners
to invest in their properties, the City has
established the Exterior Maintenance Grant
Program. The program will make grants
available to homeowners of single-family,
owner-occupied homes, who have been cited
for code violations. Grants will be in the form
of reimbursements. The maximum grant
amount is 40%, or up to $1,000 of the total
project cost for eligible improvements. This
is a city-wide program with limited funds.
Grants will be awarded on a first-come
first-serve basis. Program guidelines and
applications are available at the Building
Department. For more information, please
call (216) 587-1230.
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City Council Update
From left to right: Councilwoman Kimberly Hodge Edwards, Councilwoman Ruby Nelson, Councilwoman Andrea Mitchell, Clerk of Council Deborah Hutton (center), Councilwoman
Shontel Brown, Councilwoman Dorise Hagwood, Councilwoman Pauline Goode, Council President Elona C. White; photo courtesy of Bruce Mitchell On Location Photography
Warrensville Heights City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
The caucus for Council begins at 6 p.m., and City Council meetings start promptly at 7 pm. For more information about
City Council and its meetings, please contact Deborah Hutton, Clerk of Council, at (216) 587-6516.
Ward 1 | Councilwoman Dorise Hagwood
[email protected]
Greetings!
I hope you had a safe and enjoyable summer. As we prepare for the
winter months, let’s remember to look out for one another; especially
our children, seniors and the disabled. If you see it, hear it or think
it, report it.
To note: I often receive calls with concerns about trash on tree lawns (too
early/wrong day), littering, loud music, loose dogs/cats, speeding, loud
music, disturbing neighbors and illegal activity. Please do not hesitate to
call your police department, included in their responsibilities is to enforce
our city ordinances. They are prepared to protect and serve. If you are a
new resident to the city…welcome! Please familiarize yourself with our
city Codified Ordnances. You may review our City Codified Ordinances
at: www.cityofwarrensville.com, go to government and select Codified
Ordinances. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the council
office at (216) 587-6516 or your council representative.
For the past twelve years, I have put forth much effort to re-organizing
homeowner associations, and host Ward 1 meetings to involve residents
in the political process of our city government. PLEASE mark your
calendar to attend the Ward 1 meeting on Monday, November 4, 2013,
at the Warrensville Heights Civic & Senior Center, 4567 Green Road.
The meeting will start promptly @ 6:30 pm.
The Law of Leadership: I have spent more than thirty-five years
volunteering and leading in this great city, leadership is not developed
in a day, it is developed daily. Every past success and failure has been a
source of information and wisdom. I realized early in my preparation
to lead…people don’t care how much you know until they know how
much you care. Thank you for your encouragement and support as I
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continue to grow on this journey.
Wishing you good health and happiness!
Ward 2 | Councilwoman Andrea Mitchell
[email protected]
Greetings Neighbors,
Summer has come and gone in Warrensville and—the Wellness Walk,
Senior Walkers in the Senior Olympics, return of fabulous fireworks,
the spectacular Summerfest and other activities—we had a ball.
School is back in session and we are prepared for fall. A hearty thanks
to all residents who attended the Ward 2 Community Meeting at South
Pointe Hospital on September 7th. I enjoy hearing from you and hope
it was as informative for you as it was for me.
Mark your calendars and plan to attend our next event: the Second
Annual Ward 2 Spa-Liday Holiday Celebration, Saturday, December
7, 2013 at South Pointe Hospital. Be pampered then find that special
gift from local entrepreneurs. Come mix, mingle and munch with
your neighbors.
As always, if you have a question or concern, feel free to contact me
at: [email protected] or call me: 216.339.1279
Ward 3 | Council President Elona C. White
[email protected]
Greetings to the caring and concerned neighbors of Warrensville Heights!
The last Ward 3 meeting for this year will be Tuesday October 22,
2013 at 6:30 pm at the Warrensville Heights Civic & Senior Center,
4567 Green Road. Meetings will resume Tuesday, Mach 25, 2014.
We welcome all residents.
I would like to take this time to thank Mrs. Renee Strong, Mrs. Nina
Lucas and Mr. JD Tyree for their expertise in making the Ward 3
meetings successful.
City Council is now on our regular scheduled time; which is the first
and third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Please feel free to
contact your Councilwoman at (216) 581-3899 or (216) 587-6516.
Check us out on the City’s Website, Facebook & Twitter for City Events
Ward 4 | Councilwoman Ruby Nelson
[email protected]
...and who knoweth whether thou art come
to the kingdom for such a time as this? -Esther 5:14
It has been my privilege to observe and listen to women that have
been and are making a difference in the community. I share these
observations with you:
Mrs. Hazel Little-Jones a six year resident of Ward 4; in 1964 as a member
of the Congress On Racial Equality [CORE] she participated in a sit-in at
the Cleveland School Board of Education because equal education was not
offered at schools in the predominately African American Eastside of
Cleveland as was proven to be available at West-side schools. On the fatal
day April 6, 1964 Mrs. Hazel Little-Jones was again participating in a
protest when Bruce Klunder a well respected minister and CORE
member was killed when a bulldozer accidently ran over him. On behalf
of Mrs. Hazel Little-Jones I challenge you the reader to remember that the
quality of education offered to our children continues to be a cause
that needs to be addressed even today by any means necessary.
Ohio State Representative Sandra Williams and Ohio State Senator Nina
Turner spoke at a budget town hall meeting at Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Community Center last month. Their topics included mention of HB 59
that includes reproductive health legislation, taxes and education. Other
legislative issues are directly related to Labor as in HB 151 & 152 that
would make Ohio a Right to Work state. Medicaid expansion as outlined in the Affordable Care Act is still at a wait and see status in Ohio;
more than 153,000 Ohio women ages 19-44 could gain health insurance
coverage, 366,000 working Ohioans would be covered under the plan,
including 26,000 veterans and Ohio would gain 28,000 jobs created in
the healthcare sector including over 4,000 new jobs in Cuyahoga County.
The First Lady of the Word Church, Mrs. Victory Vernon in partnership
with The Cleveland Clinic, promoted Breast health and Cancer awareness this month. The focus of the partnership was to inform and make
resources available for women to sign up for mammograms particularly
for the membership of the Word Church. It was heartwarming to witness
the numbers of women that took advantage of this two day opportunity.
We as a people and women in particular are giving of our time on
many fronts to elevate the consciousness of our people about all of
the minute to minute happenings that will have a direct impact on
the future of our families.
Special thanks to the following Ward 4 volunteers that faithfully participated in the seventh year of the Kids Café Cleveland Foodbank summer
lunch program: Elizabeth Ann Sealy, Beverly Richardson, Betty J.
Winston, Pearlie Jones, Ernestine Holloway, Dorothy Ranch, Nancy
Morrow, Pinkie Cornell, Martha Thomas, Pearline Morrow, Chiquita
Moore, Michael Perry, Pearl Means, Homer Moses, Bessie Gates and
students Marques Medley and Sydni Ford.
Voters of Ward 4, I thank for your continued support!
Ward 5 | Councilwoman Shontel Brown
[email protected]
I want to thank everyone who came out to the Ward 5 Neighborhood
Association Meeting, on September 25 at the Warrensville Heights
Library. Your participation and feedback is what helps us determine
the direction of our Friendly City. If you were unable to attend, but have
a question, concern or suggestion, remember the Ward 5 Hotline is
available 24/7 for your convenience; just call (216) 339-0010 anytime. I also want to remind you, November 5 is Election Day, please exercise
your right to vote. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity
to thank you for allowing me to serve you for another term, as it is truly
an honor and privilege to be your councilwoman. Our next Ward 5 event will be Friday, December 6 at the Civic and
Senior Center from 6 p.m. to 9 pm, and I look forward to seeing you
there to kick-off the holiday season celebrations. Until the next time
we meet, God Bless and Be Safe! Ward 6 | Councilwoman Pauline Goode
[email protected]
Now that summer is over, we can turn our thoughts to fall. You will see the
leaves on the trees turning orange, red and yellow with a slight breeze
blowing through them, what a beautiful sight.
For those who did not attend the community forum on “Our Schools
Future” on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at Corporate College, you missed a
dynamic program. It was well presented; over two hundred people
attended. At the beginning, Mayor Bradley D. Sellers stated this forum was
not a mayoral control of the schools; emphasizing, working together, we
can make a real change.
All residents in Warrensville received a NOPEC (Northeast Ohio Public
Energy Council) letter served by Ohio Edison Company and The
Illuminating Company. It stated your account would automatically
be included in the NOPEC program unless you return the attached
“opt-out” form by August 16, 2013. I am mentioning this to be sure
all Warrensville residents are aware of their mailing.
Thank you to all the residents who attended the September 26, 2013
Ward 6 meeting. We welcomed the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
and the City of Warrensville Heights female administration at our very
informative meeting.
If you are voting absentee, please call the Cuyahoga County Board of
Elections for a ballot. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE NOVEMBER, 5, 2013.
Ward 7 | Councilwoman Kimberly Hodge-Edwards
[email protected]
Welcome to the Fall Season! I’d like to invite you to continue to attend
our council meetings. Caucus 6:00 p.m. and Council Meeting @7:00 pm.
Ward 7 Residents look forward to attending the upcoming community
meeting on Thursday, November 7, 2013, 6:00 pm at the Warrensville
Heights Civic and Senior Center.
The 2013 Ward 7 Christmas Party will be December 14, 2013,
additional information will be forthcoming.
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
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The Summer Festival Returns
to Warrensville Heights!
On Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17, more than one
thousand Warrensville Heights residents joined Mayor Bradley D.
Sellers, City Council, and city administration and staff at the Warrensville Heights 2013 Summer Festival at Green Road Park.
This year’s event, hosted by Warrensville Heights’ own, Darren
“Earl” Roberts, featured all day amusement rides and games, and
performances by Hubbs Groove Band, FORECAST, The Spirit Plus
Band, the Jungle Terry Animal Show, WHHS Marching Band, the
Rockin’ Robots, Michael Cady Band, and The White House Band. In addition to live performances, this year’s Wine & Beer Garden
was sponsored by the Warrensville Heights High School Alumni
Association and Tri-City Democratic Club.
The City Would Like to Thank All of this Year’s Sponsors:
Gold Level Contributors:
Great Lakes Petroleum • Medical Mutual
South Pointe a Cleveland Clinic Hospital
University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center
Bronze Level Contributors:
I.T.T. Technical Institute
Porath Print Source
Suburban Pavilion
Patron Level Contributors:
Arslanian Bros Carpet Cleaning • Buffalo Wild Wings, Warrensville Hts • Chick-fil-A
Harvard Park • The Cleveland Coca-Cola Bottling Co. • CVS Store #7371
The DiSanto Companies • Gino’s Jewelry & Trophy Manufacturers
The Jelenic Foundation • NSL Analytical
Congratulations to our Summer Festival Best Dessert Contest Winners!
1st Place: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diana Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red Velvet Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trophy & $40.00
2nd Place: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pineapple Cheesecake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trophy & $30.00
3rd Place: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clintine Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pineapple Upside Down Cake . . . . . . Trophy & $20.00
Fourteen entries were received. Thank you to all of the contest participants and the volunteer judges.
A Special Thank You to All of the Summer Festival Senior Volunteers!
Seniors volunteered their time and talents in the Children’s Village, Ticket Booths, Bingo Games, Dessert
Contest and they helped distribute information at the City Table. Your help was greatly appreciated!
photos courtesy of Ron Woodson
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Chipper Service
Beginning October 1, the city chipper service
will only be available for an emergency as
a result of storm damage. To request the
chipper service, please call the Service
Department at (216) 587-6570. Please
remember, all branches should be placed
neatly on the tree lawn with cut ends facing
the street. Any private tree service or
private contractor must haul away cuttings
and debris.
Street Light Outages
Please report any street light outages to the
Service Department at (216) 587-6570.
Please have the pole number or nearest
address of the disabled light available when
calling. Thank you.
Trash Pick-up
Any trash containers or bags weighing more
than fifty (50) pounds will be tagged, and
will have to be split up into smaller, lighter
containers for disposal.
Please be sure to keep all sewer drains
clear of any leaves and debris. To report
a street sewer backup, please call the
Service Department at (216) 587-6570.
Public Service Reminders
Ted Sims, Public Service Director
Leaf Pick-Up Schedule
To better serve the residents of Warrensville Heights, the Service Department will conduct
leaf pickup from Tuesday, October 1 until first snow fall (weather permitting).
Leaves intended for disposal, must be placed on the tree lawn. Please note: the Service Department
will only pick up leaves; the department will not pick up leaf piles mixed with brush or grass.
If cars are blocking the leaf piles prohibiting our workers from disposing of the leaves, the Service
Department will not dispose of the leaves until your next scheduled pickup day.
Please keep leaves on the tree lawn, not in the street, as this blocks sewers and causes a
safety hazard.
Monday/Tuesday: Wickfield Avenue • Sunset Drive • Lanbury Avenue • Halifax Road
Shakerwood Road • Amherst Road • Gladstone Road • Balfour Road • Kings Highway
Wednesday: Ridgewood Avenue • Mayfair Lane • Harvard Road • Longbrook Road
Shadywood Lane • Meadowlark Lane • Ascot Lane • Butternut Lane • Brookfield Lane
Larkspur Lane • Holiday Lane • Cherrywood Lane • Hathaway Lane • Cricket Lane
Hickory Lane
Thursday: Ingleside Road • Ridgeton Drive • Lee Heights Blvd • Marvin Road • Glenview Road
Sumpter Road • Parkton Drive • Preston Road • Portland Road • Camden Road
Aurora Road • Green Road Shorts
Friday: Clarkwood Parkway • Richmond Road • Emery Road • Gary Road • Springfield Road
Belfiore Road • Wolverton Drive
Leaf pickup days will ideally run concurrent with the City’s rubbish pickup schedule
(weather permitting), but look for notifications posted in each neighborhood in the
beginning of October. For more information, please call (216) 587-6570.
City-Wide Trick-or-Treat
Civic & Senior Center
Join the City of Warrensville Heights for
this year’s city-wide ‘Trick-or-Treat’ event
on Thursday, October 31, from 6:00 pm –
8:00 pm. Participants are asked to comply
with city codified ordinances, including
curfew hours as noted in the ‘Safety’ section
in this edition of the newsletter. While trickor-treating, please remember to only visit
participating houses with the front light
on. For more information, please call
(216) 587-6500.
Senior Van Transportation Services
The Warrensville Heights Civic & Senior Center provides van transportation services to the
senior residents of the City, 60 years of age or older, who are unable to drive themselves. The van
is available for medical appointments, dialysis, and physical therapy on Mondays, Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 2:30 pm; transport is limited to destinations within the eastern
suburbs of Cuyahoga County and the University Circle area. Wednesday is reserved for grocery
shopping from 10 am -2:30 pm. Transportation is provided to the Giant Eagle in Beachwood and
Walmart on Northfield and Rockside Road. Trips must be scheduled by noon two days in
advance, and scheduling is on a first-come basis. Call the Center at (216) 587-1250 to schedule
and to check on availability.
Linda Gay, Director | Sandra Noble, Program Coordinator
National Senior Games
The Warrensville Walking Club participated in the Cleveland Senior Walk on July 25, 2013.
Participants also had the opportunity to see seniors compete in the National Seniors Games.
All of the activities took place downtown at the new Convention Center.
2013 Scheduled Health & Wellness Activities
Keeping our seniors healthy and informed is a high priority. Health screenings and forums
are offered by Ahuja Medical Center and South Pointe Hospitals throughout the year.
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October 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blood Pressure Screenings . . . . . . . . . . . 12:00 – 2:30 pm
A Message From Our Schools
Marva Kay Jones, Superintendent
By the time you read this article, the 2013-2014 school year will have officially been underway for
several weeks. As superintendent, there is no greater excitement than seeing our students arrive
for the start of another productive and meaningful school year. Such was the case at the very
beginning of this school year as well. At all levels of education at the Warrensville Heights City
Schools, students are prepared to be receptive and learn, while our teachers remain dedicated to
the task of instructing our students with innovative methods. We are confident that this year,
“the Tigers will Roar!” I would like to thank the 40+ volunteers who helped to represent the
school district at the City’s Summer Festival last month, who devoted their time to pass out
information on the schools, encouraged starting school on time and early registration. Each
child who visited our booth left with a balloon or a toy.
With the business of educating our students as a top priority, some important information is
useful not only to our parents, but to the greater community. First, a helpful link, entitled, Infinite
Campus continues to be your connection as a parent to information that is available to stay in
touch with your child. This new Student Information System was introduced last year, and the
school district encourages parents to take advantage of this resource. With it, you are able to access
your child’s attendance, grades and class schedules. And, it’s easy to use. Just visit the Warrensville
Heights City School District’s website www.warrensville.k12.oh.us, and select “Infinite Campus
Parent Login,” under Quick Links. Be sure to also check out the Events Calendar on the
website to remain informed of the school events, and Flyer Central, for upcoming events as well.
Additionally, the schools have added a new personnel resource which will have a distinct set of
responsibilities, including the critical task of prompting parents toward increased involvement. Ms.
Dawnyell Smiley a current family liaison, has broadened her role, for the purposes of academic
support, recruitment of, and training for, parents. If you have attended some of the recent public
forums on the schools, including the Mayor’s forum and the State of the Schools presentation,
one of the many themes that has surfaced, is the need for heightened parental involvement. To
further facilitate this objective, Ms. Smiley will be actively seeking parents for the PTA and other
activities. Our schools have a commitment to bring parents into the picture as partners. Please
do not hesitate to contact the district to learn more. Continuing on, a Third Grade Reading
Guarantee Forum was held on Saturday, September 14, 2013 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm and
Thursday, September 19, 2013 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. This meeting was held for parents and
interested community members about what the Third Grade Reading Guarantee means for our
students and how they could help meet the guarantee. Door prizes and light refreshments were
served. I wish to thank the people who took time to attend these important events.
To close, as many of you are aware, the academic success of our students is supplemented by the
many strong partnerships that the schools have created with outside organizations. These partnerships bring an added level of real-world experience and practical contribution to our students.
For example continued partnerships with Cleveland State University, Tri-C and Ursuline College
have provided students with professional mentoring and educational opportunities that will
undoubtedly help them in their futures. New this year, South University will begin a Young
Gentlemen’s Club to mentor selected 5th grade students. In addition, partnerships with Ahuja
Medical Center and The City of Warrensville Heights have provided healthy lunches for
our Middle School students. And most recently, three local churches made donations to help
supplement the costs associated with our new High School dress code. We are blessed in the
Warrensville Heights City Schools, and we thank these partners! As always, my door is open
to you. Feel free to contact me at any time, regarding matters in this article, or about the schools
at [email protected].
Lights on Afterschool
Join the Warrensville Heights Branch Library
for the 14th Annual “Lights on Afterschool”
Rally! This nationwide celebration of afterschool programs will take place on Thursday,
October 17 at 6:30 pm in more than 7,500
communities. Help call attention to afterschool programs that keep our kids safe,
inspire them to learn and help working
families. There will be opportunities to find
out more about Warrensville Heights Homework Center and register your child at this
rally and Open House event! Join together
with our city officials, educational community
and 1 million other Americans who take part
in “Lights on Afterschool!” Refreshments
provided. Registration requested.
Holiday Food Drive
The Warrensville Heights Police Department
and Civic & Senior Center will collect canned
and boxed goods, and other non-perishable
items at City Hall and the Civic & Senior
Center from now until November 22. All
proceeds and donations from the food drive
will go towards holiday baskets for those
less fortunate residing in the City. Monetary
donations are also welcomed. For more
information, please call the Police Department
non-emergency line at (216) 581-1234 or
the Civic & Senior Center at (216) 587-1250.
City Hall Holiday
Lighting Ceremony
Celebrate the Holiday Season with the City
of Warrensville Heights! Please join us on
Tuesday, December 3, immediately following
the 7 p.m. Council meeting, for the City’s
Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony outside
City Hall. Refreshments will be provided.
9
Cold Weather Tips:
Furnace Maintenance
It is important to keep your heating and
cooling systems in tip-top shape. The best
time to have your furnace serviced is at the
end of the heating season or at the beginning.
It is best to have your furnace serviced
professionally at least once per year. Safety
William Jelenic, Chief of Police
Herbert Waugh, Fire Chief
Regional Outdoor Warning Siren System
Warrensville Heights has a Regional Outdoor Warning Siren System, which partners with seven
surrounding communities. This system is designed to notify the public of hazardous situations.
The locations in Warrensville Heights are Eastwood Lane and Harvard Road, Emery Road and
Belfiore Road, Emery and Cambridge Lane, and 19800 Miles Road.
The system is tested every First Saturday of each month at 12:00 pm for one (1) minute.
Dirt is the biggest enemy of the heating
system, therefore your air filters should
be changed regularly. They are inexpensive
and can be found at most hardware stores. Typically, regional activation is due to Tornado Warnings or some other wide spread emergency.
For these actual emergencies the system will be activated for three (3) minutes. The public is then
instructed to seek additional information from either the television or radio. Whether practicing
for a tornado drill or during any other emergency warning, the acronym DUCK is a safety tip
to remember:
Become a Warrensville Heights
Reserve/Auxiliary Officer
The police department is seeking volunteers
over the age of 21 for its reserve/auxiliary
police program. Participants will receive
training and then be eligible to ride along
with a police officer or another reserve/
auxiliary officer. These dedicated citizens
are the eyes and ears of the police department and report dangerous conditions to
the police department. The reserve/auxiliary
officers help at city functions, such as fireworks and the Summer Festival. They also
handle the more routine duties, such as
directing traffic, assisting disabled motorists,
auto lockouts, etc., thus freeing up officers
for other assignments. The program is strictly
volunteer and is unarmed. Please call the
police department at (216) 587-6548 if you
are interested.
D - Go DOWN to the lowest level
U - Get UNDER something
C - COVER your head
K - KEEP in shelter until the storm has passed
Be Smart, Use the Sidewalk
Sidewalks are provided for the safety of
our pedestrians. Where a sidewalk is
provided and its use is available, then
pedestrians may not walk in the street. If
there is no sidewalk or it cannot be used,
then pedestrians may walk on the outside
edge of the roadway. Violators are subject
to receiving a citation.
10
Important Parking Reminders
Please remember to lock your car doors, even in your driveway. An unlocked car makes an easy
target for theft. As the cold weather descends upon us it is tempting to leave the car unlocked
and running to warm up. It takes just seconds for someone passing by to jump in and take off.
In fact according to the ordinance:
“No person shall park or permit a motor vehicle to stand unattended upon any off-street parking
facility, except residential areas providing three or less dwelling units, any street, highway or
other public place, without first stopping the motor, locking the ignition and removing the key
from such vehicle.”
Parking on lawns; not only is it unsightly but it is illegal. Ordinance requires motor vehicles
to be parked on a surface improved for vehicular traffic. Violators are subject to a citation.
Motor vehicles that are inoperable fall under the city’s abandoned vehicle ordinance. Inoperable
means that it cannot be driven legally on the street. Violators are subject to a citation.
Curfew Notices
No minor under the ages listed below, between the hours indicated herein, shall loiter, wander,
stroll, play or be present in or upon the sidewalk, streets, highway, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds, or other public place, building, place of amusement or entertainment, vacant lot or
other parcel of land not such minor’s place of residence, or other unsupervised place within
the City as follows:
Age
Curfew Hours
12 & under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dusk
13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 pm – 6 am
Age
Curfew Hours
15-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 pm – 6 am
17-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 am – 5 am
Pet Owner Responsibilities
Owners of animals are responsible for the removal of animal fecal waste from the property
of another. When walking their animal they must have a container or device with them to
pick up and remove the waste.
Pit bulls are prohibited within the city. It does not have to be a pure bred pit bull to be
illegal; any amount of pit bull makes the dog prohibited within the city.
Fall Events at Warrensville Heights Branch Library
4415 Northfield Road | Warrensville Heights, Ohio 44128 | (216) 464-5280
Visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org/WarrensvilleBranch.aspx for a complete listing of upcoming events!
Children’s Programs
Fall Storytimes for children ages birth to five and their caregivers will be September through November on Monday nights at 6:30,
and Tuesday mornings at 10:30 (new time!). Daycares are welcome!
Our Homework Center for students in grades K-6 will begin in October. Please sign up in person at the Children’s desk.
Math Sandwich: Bookmaking by the Numbers | October 18 from 1-4 pm
Grades K-5. Create mixed media artists’ books using simple and complex math concepts, depending upon grade and skill level. Beginning
with basic sequencing, measurement and parts of the whole through one sheet books to creating multiple folios for one book by using multiplication, division and basic geometry. Parents must register for this camp in person.
National Chemistry Week- Energy: Now and Forever! | October 22 at 6:30 pm
Students in 3rd to 6th Grade! Come join us for fun, hands on activities that let you get close to the action! Be prepared to get in and get
messy. Led by volunteers from the American Chemical Society.
Speak Math | October 24 at 6:30 pm
Students in grades K-6 and their parents/caregivers. Parents are invited to join the national math conversation. Learn to Speak Math with
your children and their teachers. Find out how the Common Core State Standards are changing what and how students learn mathematics.
Leave with great tips and resources to successfully support your child at home!
Flat Stanley Club | November 2 at 2 pm
Students in Grades K-4. Travel the world with everybody’s favorite flat boy! Join Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures as we visit Egypt
(October) and Japan (November).
Swifty the Clown: Experience the Power of Balloons | November 7 at 6:45 pm
Equipped with only a bag of colorful balloons and a pump to inflate them, Swifty the Clown has over 3000 astounding and amazing
balloon creations in his repertoire. Learn to turn ordinary balloons into whimsical flowers, butterflies, lady bugs, monkeys, dogs, airplanes –
you name it, he’ll create it while entertaining both children and adults.
Adult Programs
Got an E-Reader, tablet, or smart phone? Need help getting started with downloading FREE E-books from the Library? Come during
this time with your device (Kindle, Nook, IPad, etc.) for a drop-in individual tutoring session. If you have a Nook or other eReader, you will
need your own laptop to complete a download. If you have a Kindle, you will need to bring your Amazon.com account email and password.
Please come early to ensure there is time for your tutoring session. Wednesday Mornings 9:30-11 am & Thursday Evenings 7 -8:30 pm.
Learn and enjoy the expertise of a Cleveland Clinic health professional. Community health talks explore various health and wellness topics
like cardiovascular health, obesity, tobacco cessation and chronic disease management. Free health screenings available, too, and giveaways!
These health talks are offered in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Community Outreach. Third Thursday of the month 10 am – 11 am.
In this beginners Pinterest workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn how to make a wish list, plan a trip, organize an event, start a
collection, or plan a project using the online Pinterest tool. Pinterest is a social networking site for collecting and organizing things you love.
Millions of people use Pinterest in their lives and work. No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a place for it on Pinterest. Please join us!
*If you want to start pinning right away, you will have to create an account prior to this class. Please allow 2-3 business days for approval and
you must have a Facebook or twitter account to be able to start pinning and creating boards. October 15, 7 pm – 8:30 pm.
Are you thinking about starting a business but don’t know where to start? The Business Advisers of Cleveland are here to help. Learn how
to research and develop your concept to get your business off the ground. November 6, 7 pm – 8 pm.
Read digital copies of some of your favorite magazines on your computer and/or tablet. This class will teach you how to set up a free,
Zinio account through the library’s website, select magazines, and start reading. You must have a working email account prior to class. The
class will be primarily computer-based, but you may also bring your tablet to see if it is compatible with Zinio. (Please note: Nook tablets will
not work with Zinio.) November 19, 10 am – noon.
11
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Warrensville Heights, OH 44128
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Building Department Reminders
Melvin Lester, Building Commissioner | Ben Brown, Chief of Housing
Throughout the spring and summer, the department has been busy
with maintaining the grass and debris on residential and commercial
vacant properties, and in many cases, the property of occupied dwellings where home owners, landlords, and tenants fail to do so. This
initiative was accomplished through the help of two private contractors
hired by the City to cut grass, trim bushes, and remove trash and rubbish
from neglected and vacant properties. When it becomes necessary for
private contractors to perform services on vacant and neglected
properties, an administration fee is charged in addition to the cost of
paying the contractors for services rendered.
Exterior Maintenance Program Update
This is the second year of the “Exterior Maintenance Program,” designed
to provide a thorough evaluation of the exterior conditions, and code
compliance, of all residential and commercial properties within the
Municipality every three years. Inspectors involved have completed
close to one thousand residential properties in the City. We are on
target and within reach of the department’s goal of performing exterior
inspections of one-third of the homes each year of the three year
program. Violations found on properties are recorded and submitted
to the property owner with a timeline to correct the violations. Owners
whom fail to correct the violations are subject to legal actions.
12
Nuisance Abatement
Eliminating deteriorated vacant properties that have been identified and
defined as a public nuisance remain a priority of the Building Department
and the City of Warrensville Heights. We are presently engaged in a
process to demolish several blighted properties. We believe that the
removal of these eye sores will enhance the physical character of
community and enhance property values.
Garage and Yard Sales
Residents that are interested in having a Garage or Yard Sale are informed that a permit from the Building Department is a mandatory
requirement. A garage sale may be permitted for a period of not to
exceed six (6) consecutive days and for a maximum of two (2) sales
per year. One (1) sign may be placed on the property where the sale is
to take place, and one (1) at the end of the street near the corner. No
sign is to be attached to any utility poles or other public appurtenances,
and shall not be placed on citizen’s property without proper consent. The
size of a sign shall not exceed six (6) square feet and shall be removed
immediately after the sale.