Interested in knowing how many cars have been stolen in Lakewood since around the beginning of the year? Search term: grand theft.
Want to know what houses have reported copper pipe thefts? Search term: copper.
Visit: http://www.crimewood.com/search.html
It’s not a perfect search tool, but it gets the job done.
The June 16, 2008 Lakewood City Council meeting lasted about 70 minutes and was attended by approximately 45 people. The crowd dwindled to fewer than 15 people halfway through the meeting after council awarded its proclamations of recognition to St. James Catholic Church, the Cleveland Pride Committee, and military veterans. Representatives of these groups did not stick around for the entire meeting. They gave their speeches, posed for the photo opportunity and then split. Not a single person – aside from Clifton apartment dweller Edward McCartney – signed-up to speak during Public Comment.
Council recognized St. James Catholic Church for its 100th anniversary. Council President Michael Dever mentioned that he, as well as a couple of other council members, attended school at St. James. Fr. James Klein accepted the honor on behalf of the church. Fr. Klein, a West Side native and priest of 30 years, has led the church for the past two years. He attributed the church’s success and longevity to the quality of its members in the Lakewood community.
Ward 3 councilperson Michael Summers introduced a resolution to affirm the continued support of the United States Armed Forces, both past and present. Richard Healey, of 2150 Chesterland, a Vietnam vet who was wounded in action, spoke in support of the resolution. He was moved to act by protests that occurred recently at a military recruiting station in Berkley, California. “The old saying that ‘freedom isn’t free,’ is true,” he said. He hoped that local realtors would reach out to returning war veterans and make them know they are welcome in Lakewood. He was dismayed by the protesters who threw red paint on the doors of the local recruiting post. “We need a kindler, gentler population,” he said.
Frank Murtaugh, of 1065 Lakeland, was equally disturbed by the organized acts of vandalism at Lakewood’s military recruiting center. “It’s a shame they [veterans] have to go through these things,” Murtaugh said. His comments received applause.
Lakewood Mayor Edward FitzGerald said he thought this was a good resolution. He hopes to release plans to renovate the veterans memorial at Lakewood Park in the next 30 days or so.
Councilperson-at-Large Nickie J. Antonio introduced a resolution to proclaim the week of June 16th as Dignity of Human Rights Pride Week. She also congratulated the Cleveland Pride Committee on their 20-year anniversary. Several members of the organization were present to accept their proclamation. Todd J. Saporito, president of the committee, told council they “really appreciate the recognition.”
The Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission presented their semi-annual report. They said a few words. One of their goals is to “focus on the positives” that Lakewood residents have to offer. They said they are modeling themselves after the Cleveland Heights Congress.
Mayor FitzGerald addressed council’s concern regarding recent citizen complaints about high grass and weeds. FitzGerald said he’s going to adjust the internal inspection procedure. Too many days were passing between the moment a citizen complaint was received and the point when the city could take action. He is also going to target repeat offenders. FitzGerald plans on revising the city Web site to enable citizens to more easily file their complaints via the Internet. He mentioned that the Plain Dealer is planning a story about how various cities are handling unkempt yards. He anticipated the PD may include a recent photo of a Lakewood yard that was overgrown. FitzGerald said that particular yard has since been tamed.
Finance Director Jennifer Pae introduced an updated appropriation ordinance and 2009 tax budget resolution. Council approved the first reading and referred it to the Finance Committee for further review.
Planning and Development Director Nathan Kelly introduced the first reading of an ordinance that would allow the mayor to purchase potential problem properties costing less than $60,000 without first getting consent from council. Kelly said this is necessary in order to move quickly to seize homes before they fall into the hands of absentee speculators. Kelly emphasized that this resolution is being introduced with an eye towards the future. Currently, the city doesn’t have any funding available to purchase properties, nor does it have any prospects in mind.
Council approved the Detroit Avenue Streetscape Plan. Ward 2 councilperson Thomas Bullock was eager to begin implantation and said he would be happy to talk to NOACA to get things moving. He said about $60,000 had been budgeted for the early phases, and wondered about possible state funding.
Planning and Development Director Kelly tempered Bullock’s enthusiasm. “It will be a long process to get funding,” he said. The initial stages will involve simple things like repainting crosswalks, Kelly explained. The hidden value of the plan is that it will serve as a guideline for the future as redevelopment occurs along Detroit Ave.
Mayor FitzGerald, who visited with state officials in Columbus this week said, “We did not do well in the capital budget.” He learned there weren’t any earmarks for Lakewood. FitzGerald indicated he would pursue other sources of state funding for the project.
Council gave formal approval to hand over operations of Winterhurst Ice Rink to a privately managed company. Council President Dever said, “I feel it is a great agreement.” Mayor FitzGerald explained that it was recognized many years ago that while the facility was a good asset, the city did not have the money to invest in it. It was “on borrowed time” and the city “had to do something about it,” he said. FitzGerald said the main goal was to preserve it as a community asset and not sell it outright.
Some highlights of the contract, according to FitzGerald:
FitzGerald said the transaction allows the city to focus on its core purposes and preserves Winterhurst for the future. He said council did a good job of working with him to make the deal quickly. The urgency driving the deal was the hope that the new operators could take advantage of the slow summer months to perform renovations.
Council also approved a request from Dorothy Buckon, Director of Human Services, to accept a $12,000 grant from the Criminal Justice Services Agency to pay for camp counselors for Camp H2O.
Clifton apartment dweller Edward McCartney withheld his Public Comment speech until the next council meeting at the request of Council President Dever due to time constraints associated with a previously scheduled Committee Meeting of the Whole.
The Lakewood PD and Lakewood community-at-large have had limited success in thwarting copper pipe theft from vacant and abandoned homes. It seems the vandals are pretty darn comfortable and can strike at will. I noticed that 2048 Elbur was hit again. Luckily, this time around it was more of a professional job. Last time, they darn near blew the house up.
I added some new dash cam footage from the April 16th, 2008 fleeing and eluding incident that started around Hilliard and Warren. There’s not a whole lot to see, really. I was surprised that a 1990 Honda Accord could dust a LPD patrol car. I figure it has something to do with department rules and safety issues during chases.
The June 2nd, 2008 Lakewood City Council meeting lasted a little less than 50 minutes and was attended by about 29 people. Council president Michael W. Dever (At-Large) and councilperson Brian E. Powers (At-Large) were no-shows. Councilperson Mary Louis Madigan (Ward 4) assumed Dever’s meeting moderation responsibilities.
At the start of the meeting, Madigan announced that all public comment on the pending Pit Bull legislation would be given at the conclusion of the council meeting. Public comment at the last council session took place during the middle of the meeting. She emphasized the topic “will be thoroughly vetted” at an upcoming as-of-yet unscheduled Public Safety Committee meeting.
Council affirmed temporary suspension of longevity payments for city workers for the remainder of 2008. There had been some back-and-forth discussion about whether to permanently ban it, or just temporarily suspend it. Interestingly, in the months that it had been discussed, not a single city employee showed-up at council to make a pubic comment about it one way or another. In the past, Lakewood Mayor Edward FitzGerald had indicated he prefers a system that rewards merit rather than longevity.
Council gave final approval to an ordinance granting Foran Montlack Development a nine-month extension on financing for the Cliffs Project. Councilperson Michael P. Summers (Ward 3) empathized with the developer by noting the current problems in the credit and real estate markets have made it very difficult to launch new developments. The physical appearance of the work site has been the subject of “numerous complaints,” according to Summers. Foran Montlack submitted plans to improve the visual aesthetics of the area. Summers indicated site beautification should begin within two weeks.
Councilperson Kevin Butler (Ward 1) said the Public Works Committee has recommended Lakewood work with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to upgrade traffic signals along Clifton Blvd. and West Clifton Blvd. There was a snag when it was realized Lakewood would be solely responsible for replacing a very expensive traffic light at Clifton Blvd. and Lake Rd. ODOT declined to pay for the replacement because they felt it was an unnecessary light. Butler said Public Works would “regroup” and figure out a way to replace the light. Council approved the third and final reading of the ordinance.
Council deferred the final reading of an ordinance to adjust the date of Lakewood’s primary elections. They did not provide an explanation for their actions.
Council approved the second reading of the ordinance banning Pit Bulls. It was referred to the Public Safety Committee where it will be further examined. Final approval is still a long way off if recent public resistance is any indication.
Council approved the second reading of an ordinance that enables a language change in the codified ordinance better allowing the Cuyahoga County Department of Health to assume duties that had been performed by Lakewood.
Liquor permits transfers for Webb Food Mart and Old Stand were also approved.
Jennifer Pae, Director of Finance, asked council to approve the first reading of an ordinance to bring Lakewood’s depository agreement timeframes into sync with industry best practices. Council approved.
Law Director Nora L. Hurley asked council to suspend the rules and immediately approve an ordinance to end a civil lawsuit brought against the city by Terrace Construction. They filed a complaint against the city requesting at least $78,000 over a dispute regarding costs associated with relocation of a Cleveland water main as part of the Edgewater Interceptor Project in 2007. Council unanimously approved a $34,000 payment to Terrace Construction to withdraw the lawsuit. The payment will not impact the 2008 budget because the money had been previously allocated to the project.
Councilperson Butler explained council needed to suspend the regular rules and approve this item without the benefit of additional review because the opportunity to settle might not be available when council next meets. Councilperson Nickie J. Antonio (At-Large) applauded the Law Department for keeping the litigation in-house and presumably saving the city the expense of employing an outside lawyer.
Planning and Development Director Nathan Kelly introduced a resolution to apply for a grant from county-funded First Suburbs Development Council to pay for foreclosure prevention and remediation efforts in Birdtown. The grant would be used to evaluate the ownership and condition of all residential houses in the district and purchase approximately three homes for demolition, rehabilitation, or resale. The amount of the potential grant was not disclosed. Council unanimously approved the grant application.
Councilperson Madigan expressed her thankfulness that Birdtown would be targeted. Councilperson Antonio most liked the foreclosure prevention component of the possible grant.
Five people signed-up to speak during Public Comment. Ester Kantor, a renter at 2160 Chesterland, said she attended the last council meeting on short notice and didn’t have time to prepare a comment at that time. She strongly opposes the ban on Pit Bulls. The six-year Lakewood resident likened her dog to being her daughter. Kantor said she follows the current Pit Bull regulations and has her dog muzzled and leashed. She noted that her car was recently stolen, and it wasn’t stolen by a Pit Bull. She echoed the sentiments shared by dog lovers at the last council meeting, saying the problem isn’t the Pit Bulls. The problem is the low quality of the owners. Kantor indicated she would move out of Lakewood before she would surrender her dog. She suggested Lakewood screen and license Pit Bulls instead of banning them. She received applause from the audience after speaking.
Councilperson Bullock said Kantor made it sound like the proposal was further along in the process than it actually is. He said the proposal would still get a public hearing at a future date. Councilperson Butler suggested everyone who had a comment regarding the Pit Bull issue hold it until the committee meeting, especially because councilperson Powers, who introduced the ordinance, wasn’t in attendance tonight.
Tom Elias, who approached the microphone next to speak on the Pit Bull issue, said he would hold his comments until the committee meeting. Two other people who were prepared to speak also agreed to hold their comments until a later date.
Clifton apartment dweller Edward McCartney, who described himself as “basically a disinterested party” on the Pit Bull issue until recently, said an encounter he had with the owner of a muzzled Pit Bull around West 117th St. changed his mind. He felt that dogs currently in compliance with the Pit Bull law should be grandfathered in. For perhaps the first time in council history, his comments received a smattering of applause from the audience.
Mayor FitzGerald had a couple of announcements before council adjourned. Negotiations regarding privatizing management at Winterhurst are winding down. Depending upon the outcome, he might call an emergency council meeting within the next 48 hours to discuss the situation.
He also announced a community organizing initiative set to begin during the third week in June called Listening to Lakewood. He divided Lakewood into 33 regions which he will canvas on foot along with police and housing department representatives. He hopes that by knocking on doors and speaking with residents, he will get in touch with what is going on in the neighborhoods. He hopes to visit at least half of the regions before the end of the year. The initiative will start in Ward One. Door knocking will take place in the late afternoon and evening.
Citizens upset about the proposed pit bull ban pack Lakewood council meeting…developing. This report will be update shortly.
The May 5th, 2008 meeting of Lakewood City Council lasted 90 minutes; there were 13 people in attendance. The docket was relatively light.
Ward 1 councilperson Kevin Butler pulled a surprise rabbit out of his suit near the end of the meeting and presented a last minute resolution strictly regulating development of payday lending stores in Lakewood. The resolution, not found on the publicly available council docket, ensures that growth of payday lending stores in the city will not exceed the three that currently exist in east, west and central Lakewood.
Butler said he modeled the resolution after a similar Kansas City, Missouri law. The resolution strictly defines the store with the intention of severely halting their growth. The law would forbid the stores from opening anywhere but on Madison and Detroit. They could not be any closer than one mile from each other and would be prohibited from any gaudy signage. The resolution will head to the Planning Commission for further review.
They had the second reading of a handful of ordinances. Ordinances usually get three readings before taking effect:
- Ordinance No. 52-08. Grants an easement to AT&T Ohio at 1422 Belle Ave. to install their telecommunications boxes
- Ordinance No. 54-08. Provides for the employment of part-time police officers with the Lakewood Police Department
- Ordinance No. 55-08. Sets the pay rates for full-time and certain part-time annual salaried employees and hourly rate employees not covered by the collective bargaining agreement. Of note, Fire and Police Chiefs will be paid between $73,697 and $98,383.
Council deferred voting on a couple of unrelated items that dealt with HB 300 Performance Contract Projects and suspending longevity payments to city employees. They didn’t have the courtesy to explain why they were deferred.
Planning and Development Director Nathan Kelly introduced the first reading of an ordinance that will basically buy Foran Montlack Development and the City nine more months of time to figure out what to do with The Cliffs project. The new agreement will push Foran Montlack to improve the physical appearance of the shuttered worksite with appropriate landscaping and signage, making it less of a neighborhood eyesore.
Ward 2 councilperson Thomas Bullock asked if there is a new timeline in place for the project and what penalties might exist if milestones are not met. Kelly’s response was a little confusing, and he admitted, “I’m not sure we’re speaking the same language.”
Mayor Edward FitzGerald jumped in and said, “There are significant legal hurdles in dealing with the Metroparks.” They are being “extremely litigious” and that’s the number one delay. “They are very jealous of what they see as their prerogative” in that area. The other important contributing factors delaying the project are the poor housing market and the collapse of the credit markets. The mayor finds the current physical appearance of the site “unacceptable” and believes the new agreement will correct that problem. “It is a prime site for development.”
Councilperson-at-large Nickie Antonio asked FitzGerald if issues surrounding the construction of a road through the Metroparks to the development had been resolved. Fitzgerald responded he “thought it was resolved, but is not.” Foran Montlack went to build the road and the Metroparks struck an “extremely aggressive posture.” Antonio asked Kelly if the project will be moving forward now. Kelly, who hasn’t seen any movement on the project since January, doubted there would be any positive action for a long time. “They have a tough road ahead of them,” he said.
Law Director Nora Hurley presented a resolution allowing the home owner at 17860 Lake Avenue to acquire a submerged land lease to implement an erosion control measure. Council unanimously approved the first reading.
Several citizens took the opportunity to express their opinions during Public Comment.
Jim McDowell of 1115 Forest Rd., who attended the Lakewood Police Initiative Forum, wondered if it was necessary or a good idea to boost the police department to the detriment of the city service department. “We have a very good service department, very friendly,” he said. He wondered if people were “inclined to overreact” to the general state of concern about safety. He said he didn’t subscribe to the Lakewood Sun Post any longer because they required him to also to purchase a Sunday subscription to The Plain Dealer, so he wasn’t exactly sure if there was a crime problem.
Mayor FitzGerald, whose children once delivered the Sun Post to McDowell’s house, said, “The answer is ‘Yes.’ It is not paranoia, it is reality.” He pointed out that he lives a few streets over from McDowell, and called it “a sheltered part” of Lakewood. FitzGerald said he talked with the Lakewood Police Chief and learned improvements were needed because police officers felt they were being stretched too thin.
Council President Michael Dever added that there are “some very unique challenges the community faces” and council is “supportive of [the mayor’s] efforts.”
Councilman Bullock said the police initiatives send a signal to the community that we’re not going to let things get out of hand.
Carol Mazany of 1665 Clarence spoke of the importance of preserving senior services. She said she wrote two letters to The Lakewood Observer on the subject, but no one seemed to care. “We’re senior citizens, but we’re not dead,” she said.
Mazany was unhappy that Lakewood pulled the four drivers who used to provide senior transportation. She now pays $14 for a one-way taxi ride to St. John’s Shoreway, whereas before, when city transportation was available, she only had to pay $5 and received amazing service. Mazany spoke-up for Human Services Case Manager Dan Taylor, who is scheduled to lose his job due to budget cuts. In addition, she was very disappointed that the mayor, who she “think[s] the world of” and has defended in the past, blew-off a scheduled appointment to visit the Senior Citizen Center East.
FitzGerald defended his absence because the scheduled appointment coincided with some union negotiations and he had to cancel. He gave himself a little pat on the back, pointing out that he visited many of the departments that would suffer cuts, “when some people might have stayed in the office.” FitzGerald said he would reschedule the appointment.
He emphasized, “We have to get somewhat inline” compared to the senior services other cities offer. Lakewood, he explained, still has a human services department 200% larger than any other community in Northeast Ohio. “These are the cards we were dealt,” he said. Dorthy Buckon, Director of Human Services, said Dan Taylor got bumped due to senority issues.
Sandra Lambert, who has lived in Lakewood twice previously and is a new resident at Fedor Manor, spewed fire about the removal of Dan Taylor and the cuts to senior transportation. “Eventually, all of you will be in my shoes,” she said. Lambert continued, “You don’t care about seniors in Lakewood!” Ward 4 council person Mary Louise Madigan said, “We have to keep doing this.” Lambert took her seat, but continued to fire angry shots at council.
“We care about senior citizens.”
“You don’t show it!”
“Yes, we do.”
“How do you show it?”
Buckon, sporting a deer-in-the-headlights look, said the person likely to replace Dan Taylor was not a youth coordinator, as had been suggested. She offered to speak more about the matter after the council meeting.
The atmosphere did not change when a Cleveland resident approached council and broached the possibility of allowing ice cream trucks to return to the streets of Lakewood. Joe “The Ice Cream Man” once lived in Lakewood and now works for BA Ventures, an ice cream distributor. He drives an ice cream truck in Rocky River and wanted council to overturn the ice cream truck ban in Lakewood. He acknowledged being very nervous to speak in front of council, and offered three letters written by Lakewood residents in support of his idea. He suggested a 30 to 60 day probation period where he would pay the city $5 a day for a license, as he did in Rocky River.
Council president Michael Dever responded first, “I support the ban of ice cream trucks on city streets.” It’s been in place for 22 years, he added.
Mayor FitzGerald sucked the air out of the room when he outlined his reasons for prohibiting ice cream trucks, saying, it “never made sense” to sell ice cream that way. “It’s not healthy,” and ice cream trucks have “no particular value.” Nickie Antonio climbed on the bandwagon and said she “does not support” the idea because of “safety issues.” Marie Louise Madigan said the idea came-up three year ago and didn’t have any support. Councilperson Butler said he encouraged the guy to come down and “open up the idea.” Joe “The Ice Cream Man” seemed genuinely shell-shocked by the negative feedback he received.
Clifton apartment dweller Edward McCartney took his customary Public Comment opportunity to talk about some kind of philosophical vigilantism. One council person cautioned McCartney against advocating that position. McCartney said there was more to it, but he had to tailor his speech to fit the five-minute time limit.
The only police report publicly available regarding the Matthew Hockey incident deals with facts surrounding the discovery of his body. It doesn’t shed any light on the assault that presumably precipitated his demise. Those details will emerge during the trial.
Similarly, there aren’t many new facts available through the police department regarding the fatal car accident at Alameda and Madison. The LPD cannot provide certain information when they have an active investigation underway. They did provide a traffic crash report. The report, along with a handful of other police reports will be posted in the next couple of days.
The April 7, 2008 Lakewood City Council meeting lasted 55 minutes. 9 people and 51 empty chairs were in attendance. Council had the third and final reading of a number of bond and finance-related ordinances. They also approved the liquor license applications for Sapells and Europe Mart.
Mayor Edward FitzGerald asked Council to approve a health services agreement with the county for nearly $204,000. Dottie Buckon, Director of Human Services, said there was some urgency to access the funds because she lost her last nurse on Friday. Council approved the request unanimously.
Director of Finance Jennifer Pae asked Council to suspend longevity payments to non-collective bargaining city employees due to current fiscal challenges. Council approved the request unanimously. It was not made clear how much money it will save the city.
Director of Planning and Development Nathan Kelly asked council to consider a resolution to renew Lakewood’s involvement with the county and HUD and continue funding the HOME Program. Councilperson Thomas Bullock wondered if the income requirements to participate in the program were set too low. Bullock’s concern was that families are able to buy a home which they can not afford to maintain. Kelly said that the income levels were federally mandated, and Lakewood had no say in the matter.
Councilperson Kevin Butler asked if there was an oversight function to the program to determine how many families maintained ownership for the required time period. Kelly said ownership maintenance was at about 98%. Kelly mentioned the fund had a balance because not enough families were participating. He said he would provide Council with a report outlining the activities and status of the HOME Program.
Acting Public Works Director Howard Strong asked Council to approve an emergency ordinance to accept a $3,390 grant from the county for a recycling awareness program aimed at middle schools. Council approved it unanimously.
Clifton apartment dweller Edward McCartney used the Public Comment period to compliment council for their acts of humility and candidness.
I just caught this on YouTube. Don’t know who shot it. The driver has been arrested. One child is dead.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nv59RHwEgBw
From Cleveland.com:
Lakewood — A 1-year-old girl died Saturday night and two other children were injured after being struck by a tree knocked over by a truck.
The toddler was identified as Jaylah Tate of Cleveland, according to the Cuyahoga County Coroners Office.
She arrived at Lakewood Hospital around 7:20 p.m. with head injuries.
The two other children, ages 5 and 15 whose names and conditions were not available were taken to hospitals.Police arrested the 38-year-old driver, a Cleveland man who name was not released, at the scene near the intersection of Madison and Alameda avenues.
Charges will be filed, according to a news release issued by Lakewood police.
The accident occurred around 7 p.m.
Here’s a little more from the person who posted the YouTube video:
Source: http://www.dreamviews.com/community/showthread.php?t=56461
Just shy of 7pm I heard a weird crash outside my window and got up to investigate, thinking car crash. The more I found out, the worse it got. There were two huge tree branches down in the street, and two kids lying motionless on the sidewalk, with a few people hovering around them.It took me a while to put it together, but a pick-up truck ran up on the sidewalk, sheared off two trees about eight inches in diameter and hit two kids. I think one of the trees hit and badly injured an adult farther down the sidewalk, then the guy might have struck another child on a bike before skidding to a halt over 50 meters beyond the original impact. This all happened on a sometimes busy, 35mph street, though no other cars seem to have been on that stretch of road at the time.
Initially I thought the trees in the road were branches from one of the very large trees in a yard across the road, and that they’d fallen on the kids (I only saw the two most visible kids). Later my roommate came out and pointed out how they were trees sheared off by a vehicle, and I looked around some more and saw the truck, the skidmarks, and the adult victim. I’m still not sure whether there was a third child on the bike (bystanders told me so later) or the bike parts I saw were dragged farther down the road by the truck. I thought the police must have been pursuing the guy, because even as I was dialing 9-1-1, a police car of some kind (different coloration than the local cops) pulled up to the curb where the kids were, but then I went downstairs and a good forty minutes after the incident the cops were just giving the guy a sobriety test.
And oddly enough, it occured to me on the train platform today, “If some kind of violent incident broke out, would I dial 9-1-1 or would I film it?” Later the same day, I ended up doing both.
There were several patrol cars involved in the incident. Only the footage from the lead car was immediately available. The video did not include much audio, so I added a bit of a whimsical soundtrack. I do not mean to diminish the seriousness of the situation. This kind of an event is incredibly dangerous. Excellent police work on the part of the LPD in recognizing the suspect and aggressively seizing the initiative to bring about a relatively peaceful resolution.
I expect to be able to post some new police reports early in the coming week, including the one outlining the circumstances of Matthew Hockey’s death.