ISSUES

Restore public confidence in local government – Work to heal relationships with city council, city staff, and the community at large and ensure that robust processes are in place to enable us to complete timely audits to ensure accountability and transparency. I will also make sure that our city is safe and looks and feels welcoming so that we can live up to our promise of being a place where “All are Welcome.” I will work collaboratively with our school district on a variety of issues, including enabling people to swim year-round in the high school pool. I will work with our nonprofit arts organizations, such as Heights Arts and Artful, to make this community truly the “Home to the Arts.” I will build relationships with our neighboring cities and work with county agencies on problems that affect us all—whether it’s economic development, preventing youth violence, addressing lead paint contamination, or the deer problem.

Redevelop Severance – As a large and centrally located business district, Severance’s lack of vitality and decrepit condition affects us all. The City should continue to work with MPACT, the property owners, and the community to move forward with a new vision. As mayor, I will fix the city-owned ring road and ensure that City processes and regulations support the new development. I will work with our business owners and property owners, our merchants’ associations and special improvement districts, to revitalize struggling business districts, including Severance, Noble and Coventry Village, to ensure that the local businesses we love can thrive.

Rebuild City infrastructure -The City must repair its roads, curbs, parking infrastructure, parks, buildings, and other assets as we cannot expect private investment if there is inadequate public investment. Private investment will follow public investment as investors will feel confident that their investments are sound when the government does its part to reduce risk. I will advance a clear policy on parking and parking meters, eliminating parking meters when possible and upgrading them when necessary. I will work to ensure that we have strong recreation programs and attractive, up-to-date facilities that work for our families.

Revitalize neighborhoods – I will work to preserve and enhance our housing stock. In my experience, housing investment follows investment in business districts. Homes located next to thriving business districts become more desirable and attract more investment. As mayor, I will work to address code compliance, require absentee landlords to have a local representative, and continue a robust housing inspection process. In addition, I will work with our city’s CDCs and the city and county landbanks to rehabilitate vacant, abandoned homes, update the homes for energy efficiency and livability, abate lead paint and other safety hazards, and sell them to new owner occupants. I’ll pay attention to quality of life issues. I’ll work to build streets and sidewalks that work for all ages, abilities, and modes of transport.

Retain a City Administrator long term – My job as mayor is to retain a qualified City Administrator so I can work on these and other strategic initiatives, build relationships with key stakeholders, and answer to the people of Cleveland Heights. I’ll focus on areas of agreement, build relationships based on mutual respect, and accept that disagreement is healthy when it’s grounded in trust. I’ll settle differences in person over coffee—not over Facebook. Healing starts with listening, showing up, and working together for the good of Cleveland Heights.