The Cleveland Foundation has notified LakewoodAlive that it will be the recipient of a one-time, 24-month $44,000 grant award to expand its housing outreach service capacity. The program provides outreach to low-moderate income household for assistance in exterior house maintenance. The grant award will fund the balance of a full-time staff position and support efforts to bring volunteer resources to homeowners in need.

Riders To Bring Back The Daily Lakewood Circulator is sponsoring a Candidates Forum on Monday, August 30, at 7pm. The forum will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Main Branch of the Lakewood Public Library at 15425 Detroit Avenue.

CLEVELAND – Lakewoodian Charmaine J. Davis of AIIA Entertainment hosts the 1st Annual “Singing for Survivors” karaoke fundraiser, Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at Around the Corner Café, 18616-20 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. The event will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the restaurant’s warehouse room. $5.00 donations will be accepted to participate in karaoke, with a 50/50 raffle drawing taking place at the end of the event, based on audience votes of their favorite participant. There will also be 2 for $1 raffle tickets sold for special prize drawings throughout the evening. The more participation, the bigger the pot grows – the better you perform, the more chances you have to win the top prize! One winner will be randomly selected through the raffle to take half the pot, with the other half’s proceeds to go directly towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s annual Light the Night Walk (LTN) campaign.

Sign up and support the Buy Lakewood! Loyalty Program that is available for Lakewood residents to receive discounts at Lakewood businesses.  Below is a list of businesses already signed up for the program:

Did you know that there are thousands of animals across the nation that need a good home? That is where All Dogs’ Heaven, located in Lakewood, is stepping in. The group is hosting Rally to Rescue, August 21st 2010 at Kauffman Park from 12-4 p.m. “We are working to spread the word, raise awareness and promote adoption. There will be several other rescue groups, vendors and fun games for the family,” says Melissa Limkemann, the owner and director of All Dogs Heaven. Kauffman Park is located behind the Drug Mart shopping plaza in downtown Lakewood. “It is going to be a great family event, where you can bring your dog or come find a new family member. We are asking everyone to make this a great event for Lakewood. We are also hoping to make this an annual thing, with each year being bigger.”

In Lakewood, small business is big business. The offices and storefronts featured in our commercial corridors are the perfect spot for entrepreneurs and growing businesses. Lakewood’s population density and young demographics make our city rich with home-based businesses bursting at the seams.

This week, the City of Lakewood is offering for sale the first properties it has rehabilitated as part of the city’s housing initiative.

“These are homes that were neighborhood eyesores,” said Mayor Ed FitzGerald. “Now these are properties that are practically new inside and out, yet still share the neighborhood’s distinction and charm.”

Where properties have fallen into disrepair, the city has taken aggressive action by acquiring troubled properties, turning them around, and offering them for sale. The city targeted properties that were hard-to-acquire because of legal wrangling, or in such disrepair they had been passed over by prospective buyers.

Offered for sale this week are 1598 Wyandotte and 1300 Andrews, which will be followed by additional homes throughout the city. Both properties were in a complete state of disrepair due to years of neglect, foreclosure and vacancy. The City partnered with Home Again Restoration Company, to ensure both homes are code compliant, completely updated and energy efficient.

The homes feature new kitchens and baths, new appliances, restored floors and trim, new roofs, driveways and HVAC, updated electric and plumbing, dry basements and other improvements. To retain the historic Lakewood charm, first floor hardwoods were restored and the City consulted with the Cleveland Restoration Society to ensure the color selections met the age and character of the houses.

Council President Kevin Butler called the July 19, 2010 council meeting to order at 7:38 P.M. He then turned it over to Mayor Ed FitzGerald who read a communication thanking Virginia Marti Veith, of Virginia Marti College of Art and Design, for being grand marshal of Fourth of July parade as well as congratulating the award winners from the parade. The winners were as follows, Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 249 for Best Color Guard, Brennan’s Floral Gift Shop for Best Float, Beck Center for the Arts for Most Original Entry, Emerson Unicycle Club for Best Bicycle and the Lakewood High School Ranger Marching Band for Most Spirit. Council passed a resolution congratulating and thanking Virginia Marti Veith and then passed out plaques to the award winning participants of the parade.

Lakewood is amazingly diverse! Over the years, the Community Relations Advisory Commission of the City of Lakewood has sponsored many DIVERSITY POTLUCKS. These have been a wonderful way to meet and greet people from around the world right here at home!

This week the Lakewood Dog Park is once again under attack by a very small group of Rocky Riverites that have for years claimed that the dog park used by so many Rocky Riverites, but on Lakewood property, is ruining their lifestyle.

This claim might have some traction for a variety of reasons. However, the courts have already found it to be not true. In addition a sound surveying company has now found it not true. Most recently I myself, after having a small meeting with one of the loudest proponents for moving the dog park now realize that there may be issues here, but the fault is not with one of Lakewood's finest assets- the dog park. In fact, I found quite the opposite. The dog park patrons are one of the best groups of citizens in this city, a city that has much better and more important things on which to spend their time and money.

Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called the June 21, 2010 Council Meeting to order at 7:40 P.M. The first order of business was to excuse the absence of Councilwoman Mary Louise Madigan (Ward IV) who was on her way to Washington D.C. for work related training.

Lakewood Mayor Ed FitzGerald today announced that Virginia Marti Veith, founder of Virginia Marti College, will serve as the Grand Marshall for the City’s Fourth of July parade. The parade is scheduled to step off on Sunday July 4, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. on Lake Avenue at Kenneth Drive and conclude at Lakewood Park.

Beginning in July, North Union Farmers Market will begin accepting SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Cards at its Lakewood location. SNAP recipients may bring their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to the farmers market and obtain tokens which may be used to purchase fresh, local vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat products, honey, preserves, baked goods, plants used to produce food at home and much more. SNAP recipients should first visit the “Market Information” tent to receive tokens before purchasing items.

National economic conditions continue to press on Lakewood’s budget. While we’re far from out of the woods, we’re in better shape than many of the nation’s other cities that waited too long to take prudent steps towards shoring up their budgets. The City’s budget is still very tight, but fiscal responsibility is already delivering results, including the ability to sell Bond Anticipation Notes at historic lows.

Knowing that revenues would be much lower in 2010 due to the economy, the City of Lakewood projected property tax, income tax and other charges to be 7 percent lower than what was received in 2009. That might not sound like a lot, but it is a $2.5 million reduction, and a significant impact on the City's operations.  However, no services or events have been eliminated in 2010.

On December 21st, Lakewood City Council passed a structurally balanced 2010 General Fund Budget of $33.9 million. The General Fund is the City’s primary operating budget that supports core services such as police, fire, refuse and recycling, parks, etc. Structurally balanced means that budgeted expenditures do not exceed projected revenues, and no prior year-end balances are used to make up any revenue short-falls. Therefore, the City is rebuilding a financial cushion that at its highest was $6.3 million at the end of 2002 and its lowest was less than $350,000 at the end of 2007.

Let the flowers grow!

At the June 7 Lakewood City Council meeting, Mayor FitzGerald and Councilman Tom Bullock introduced legislation to create the Ohio’s First Advanced Energy Special Improvement District (AESID). An AESID has been called “pay as you go for energy improvements,” because it will establish a mechanism to finance energy improvements and all but eliminate up front installation costs. By participating in an AESID, participating property owners finance energy improvements taxes at special rates and repay the cost of the improvements via through their property taxes using the savings yielded through the savings in energy efficiency improvements.

“We intend to create a mechanism that goes beyond an ordinary incentive. Establishing the state’s first ever Advanced Energy Special Improvement District initiates a financing tool that virtually eliminates the up-front project costs and makes these improvements a reality for ordinary property owners. The savings from property owners’ lower utility bills will more than cover the costs of the energy efficiency improvement,” said Lakewood Mayor Ed FitzGerald. “The SID will cost the city almost nothing, while improving participating property values and making it easier to modernize older residential and commercial properties.”

The AESID is a growing collaboration among the City of Lakewood, the City of Cleveland, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority and other first-ring suburbs. The legislation helps establish the multi-city special improvement district, and authorizes Lakewood’s participation in the new organization. Local leaders believe this is the first ever multi-city collaboration in the country.

The goal of the AESID is to enable property owners to cut their utility bills and benefit from renewable energy. It is a self-financing program where the energy cost savings will be greater than costs of the solar improvements. Without the AESID, energy efficiency projects have significant up-front costs; it takes a property owner several years to recoup their investment in energy efficiency. The Solar Energy Special Improvement District changes that. 

 “This financing option will help more businesses and homeowners afford clean energy projects and invest in their properties--at little or no cost to the city” said Councilman Tom Bullock. “Our community intends to be a leader in sustainability and clean energy, and taking this step makes us one of the first municipalities in Ohio to pursue this innovative new strategy."

In October 2009, Ohio House Bill 1 became effective, enacting changes to Ohio law allowing municipalities to create such SIDs for “special energy improvement projects” in their communities.  Just last Friday, that legislation was expanded to include other energy efficiency improvements, including geothermal and wind—energy efficiency applications that are better suited for residential use in Lakewood. 

Lakewood City Council will consider the legislation over the coming weeks. Mayor FitzGerald expects other communities to adopt similar legislation in the coming months. Property owners will be invited to participate in a pilot program in autumn 2010, with full scale implementation expected in 2011.

A long time Lakewood family tradition, the City is again hosting Friday Night Flicks in the Park. Join us for a free outdoor movie on select Fridays throughout the summer. The June 25, July 9 and July 23 movies will be shown at the Bandstand in Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue. The final movie of the season on August 13 will be shown at Madison Park, 13929 Madison Avenue. The movies begin at dusk.   

The City of Lakewood is pleased to announce the 2010 schedule for its Summer Band Concert Series. A long time Lakewood tradition, the concerts are held on Sundays at the Bandstand in Lakewood Park, located on the lake at Belle and Lake Avenues. The free concerts begin at 7:00 p.m.

On June 9, the Fund for Our Economic Future announced the winners of their EfficientGovNow competition. A consortium including the City of Lakewood, the First Suburbs Development Council and the City of Cleveland were among the winners that received funding.

The funds will be used to help establish Ohio’s first Renewable Energy Special Improvement District, or RE-SID. Just this week, the City of Lakewood introduced legislation to establish the RE-SID after declaring intent to pursue an advanced energy improvement district in November of 2009. Seventeen communities have been invited to participate in this first-of-its-kind consortium.

A RE-SID has been called “pay as you go for energy improvements,” because it will establish a mechanism to finance energy improvements and all but eliminate up front installation costs. By participating in a RE-SID, property owners finance energy improvements at special rates, and pay for the improvements via a special voluntary assessment on their tax bills. The energy cost savings will outweigh the payments.

“Lakewood has been a leader in building this strong and diverse coalition of cities working together to be more efficient. Our proposal was the only one that builds a public sector mechanism to help the private sector. These funds are going to be used to help property owners in Lakewood save money and use less non-renewable energy,” said Lakewood Mayor Ed FitzGerald.

The Fund for Our Economic Future sponsored the competition to encourage greater citizen advocacy for more collaborative, efficient local government. Residents were asked to vote for their three favorite government collaborations from 10 finalists chosen by the Fund, a collaboration of philanthropic institutions and individuals throughout Northeast Ohio that works to strengthen the region’s economic competitiveness.

The goal of the RE-SID is to enable property owners to cut their utility bills and benefit from renewable energy. It is a self-financing program where the energy cost savings will be greater than the costs of the solar improvements. Without the RE-SID, energy efficiency projects have significant up-front costs; it takes a property owner several years to recoup their investment in energy efficiency. The Renewable Energy Special Improvement District changes that.

Lakewood City Council will consider the legislation in the coming weeks. Other cities and the City of Cleveland are expected to propose similar legislation in the coming months. Property owners will be invited to participate in a pilot program in autumn 2010, with full scale implementation expected in 2011.

On June 7, 2010, Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called  the Council Meeting to order at 7:37 P.M. He then gave the floor to Councilwoman Nickie Antonio (At-Large) who introduced April Sultz from the Community Relations Advisory Board to give an annual report to Council as to what they have been up to. She discussed the Board working with Facing History and Ourselves to work on several projects including a forum discussion on immigration in Lakewood. They have also worked with the Race and Diversity (RAD) club at the high school. One of the things they have done together was to hold a diversity potluck dinner which over 100 community members came to. They also helped students of that club go to Washington, D.C. to participate in a workshop and concert about the impact of the music of the Civil Rights era.

Garage sale enthusiasts and bargain hunters; your Christmas is in June this year. The First Annual Lakewood City-wide Street Sale, an event featuring over 40 merchants, 13 block clubs and more than 20 residents throughout the city of Lakewood will take place from June 24th to June 26th.

With school out next week there will be more kids out riding their bikes. Lakewood’s Neighborhood Police Officers want to do something proactive to help keep our kids safe while they enjoy their summer. They have been dedicating off-duty time planning for a Bike Rodeo here in Lakewood. The Bike Rodeo will be held Saturday, June 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Madison Park on Madison Avenue. Held in many other communities, a Bike Rodeo is a bike safety program usually held for kids.

Council President Kevin Butler called the May 17, 2010 Council Meeting to order at 7:43 P.M. He then turned the floor over to Director of Planning and Development, Nathan Kelly, who introduced Rick Sicha, Chairman of the Lakewood Heritage Advisory Board, to present the Historic Preservation Awards.

The City of Lakewood and the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA invite you to attend the 5th Annual Meet the Trucks on Saturday, June 5, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue.  Come see, touch and explore the City’s fine fleet of trucks and vehicles.

Vehicles on display will include an aerial truck, dump truck, refuse truck, fire truck, ambulance, police car, police motorcycle, SWAT vehicles, MetroParks Nature Tracks Bus and more. In addition, the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA will offer crafts, face painting, a D.J., bounce houses, Jungle Bob, a bike raffle, a balloon artist and much more.  Refreshment will be available.

Quality bike and multi-purpose helmets will be available for purchase while supplies last. The Burning River Roller Derby Girls will perform at 12:00 PM at the skate park and Spin Bike Shop of Lakewood will offer a bike repair station.

At 9:30 AM, the City’s will hold it’s annual Arbor Day Ceremony prior to the start of the Meet the Trucks. Join us as we plant a tree near the swimming pool.

Attendees are asked to bring a canned good which will be donated to the Lakewood Christian Service Center, the City’s food bank.

The following organizations helped to sponsor this event: Lakewood Hospital, The Kiwanis Club of Lakewood, Romp n Stomp, Donatos, Cliff Tower’s Marathon Midway Oh Boy, Jungle Bob, Zap Entertainment and Music Connection.

Lakewood will have two farmers markets this year. The North Union Farmers Market will operate on Wednesdays in the Kaufmann Park Parking Lot. The new Lakewood Farmers Market will be held on Saturdays beginning June 26 in the City Center Park.

The North Union Farmer’s Market will open for its 12th season on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in the Kaufmann Park Parking Lot behind Drug Mart, 15412 Detroit Avenue. The Market will operate every Wednesday through September 29, 2010 between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 pm. The Market is operated by the North Union Farmer’s Market in collaboration with the City of Lakewood and features vendors who grow their own produce on small, family-owned farms. Organizers expect up to 15 vendors at each Wednesday’s market.

Recently, Lakewood Mayor Ed FitzGerald announced an initiative to create a program that would help stimulate Lakewood’s economy as well as create a healthy interaction between residents and merchants within the city. As a result, the Buy Lakewood! Loyalty Program will begin on June 1st. It is a free program offered to Lakewood businesses and Lakewood residents. It is dedicated to educating residents on the importance of buying locally and the economic impact it has on our city.

This program is one of the only programs in northeast Ohio that provides an opportunity for each Lakewood merchant to choose any type of discount they would like to offer card holding members. Merchants within the city limits will have the ability to go online and enroll their business at www.onelakewood.com. Once the business is enrolled, the city will add their business to an online directory showing their participation in the program. Business owners will receive a window cling displaying their support for the Buy Lakewood! Loyalty Program.

Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called the May 3, 2010 Council Meeting to order. Councilman Tom Bullock (Ward II) then read a communication from the Public Works Committee regarding an ordinance that would allow Public Works employees to assess fees for non-compliance to refuse laws and regulations. Compliance has become a problem and there has not been an adequate system of enforcing the new laws and regulations. It is hoped by changing this, citing individuals who do not comply will be easier, which will in turn hopefully mean less problems in the future. The committee agreed on the measure but did not come to a conclusion as to how much the fee should be and when or how it should be assessed. The committee agreed to meet in another two weeks at a time to be determined. Since the committee had not come to a final conclusion on the ordinance the item was deferred. He also said that whereas before 2006 incidents of crime were on the  rise, since then, they have steadily declined, in every single crime category they looked at.

The 8th annual Narragansett-Niagara-Lakewood Heights-Riverside neighborhood sale takes place this Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. rain or shine. Come to our cozy little corner of Lakewood and find something for everyone. More than 25 houses are planning to participate. Some sample items include: a rocker, patio furniture, piano, tools, computer equipment, wicker bedroom furniture, aquarium, stereo equipment, air hockey table, vacuum cleaner, toys, kids clothing, TVs, VCRs and DVD players and a kitchen table. Don’t miss out on finding that bargain item you’ve been seeking!

On April 19, 2010 Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called the Council Meeting to order at 7:34 P.M. He then read a communication from the Committee of the Whole regarding Energy Efficiency Block Grant Funds. These funds were allocated to the City through Community Development Block Grant funds for the purpose of making upgrades in City infrastructure to make it more energy efficient. The Grant will help pay for 12 improvement projects in the City totaling nearly $450,000 dollars, as reported by the Department of Public Works. The improvements will take place between now until about June of 2011.

Why? Because dogs can't flush. Doggies can’t scoop it, so you have to doo it! The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District has introduced a campaign encouraging dog owners to Pick Up Poop, or “PUP.” PUP educates pet owners about the environmental hazards of abandoned poop and encourages them to scoop that poop! 

There is a posting on the Lakewood Observer calendar for May 3 that is so full of errors I cannot let it pass for news.

University Tees, a growing business owned by Lakewood residents, is moving its headquarters to Lakewood this summer. The company sells apparel products to college campuses across the nation.  

The growing business already opened a production facility in Lakewood in September of 2009 as part of its newly created company, 717 Ink.  The company decided to stop outsourcing their printing processes and 717 Ink is the exclusive screen-printer for University Tees.  717 Ink recently entered into a long term lease at Lakewood’s Templar Office Complex (formerly the Lake Erie Screw Building), 13000 Athens Avenue.  

“I have called Lakewood home for over five years, and I’m excited to call Lakewood the home for University Tees,” said Joe Haddad, Vice-President of University Tees.  “A majority of our team lives here, and this move will mean a lot to everyone.” 

To help grow their business, 717 Ink and University Tees applied for and received a $50,000 loan from Lakewood’s economic development fund to finance the purchase of capital equipment the companies needed to facilitate their growth. The loan will be repaid in just few years.

“Small business is big business in Lakewood. That’s why the city established our economic development fund to grow small, growing, businesses” said Nathan Kelly, Lakewood’s Director of Planning and Development. “We’re glad to be part of their growth and proud that they are calling Lakewood home.”

University Tees will move their office headquarters to Lakewood in the summer of 2010. Together, this growing business will bring a dozen new jobs and almost $500,000 in new payroll to Lakewood. Their conservative growth projections place their 2011 payroll over $500,000. They expect to double their size in five years.

The City of Lakewood has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to community forestry. This is the thirty-third year that Lakewood has earned this national designation.

The Lakewood Department of Human Services-Division of Youth H20 “Help to Others” Summer Service Camp is accepting applications for Summer Camp. Applications are available online at www.onelakewood.com.  Printed applications are available at the Lakewood Division of Youth, the Lakewood Public Library and the Lakewood Recreation Department. The deadline for entering the lottery-style registration is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 30, 2010.

Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called the April 5, 2010 meeting of Council to order at 7:38 PM. The audience was quite sparse, consisting mostly of regulars. The first order of business was a communication from the Committee of the Whole which was delivered by Councilman Butler. It discussed appointments to the Municipal Income Tax Board of Review as well as a new farmer’s market that will be coming to Lakewood this June. The farmer’s market will be on Saturday mornings at the park in front of the Marc’s Plaza from 9 am to noon. This farmer’s market was brought to Lakewood because of the efforts of Council people Tom Bullock (Ward II) and Monique Smith (At-Large) as well as the Planning Department and some hard working citizens.

Calling all Lakewood Merchants and Lakewood residents- come join in the summer fun by participating in the 1st Annual Lakewood Citywide Street Sale, being held Thursday, June 24th, Friday, June 25th and Saturday, June 26th. A good time is guaranteed to be had by all!

Captain Gary D. Stone of the Lakewood Police Department was one of 253 law enforcement officers who graduated from the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico, Virginia on March 19, 2010. The 240th session of the National Academy consisted of men and women from 50 states. Included in the class were members of law enforcement agencies from the District of Columbia, 20 international countries, four military organizations, and four federal civilian organizations. 

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy Program, held at the FBI Academy, offers 10 weeks of advanced investigative, management, and fitness training within their agencies. On average, these officers have 19 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions. 

FBI Director Robert Mueller was the principal speaker at the ceremony. The graduating officers were represented by the class spokesperson, David Moore, Chief Inspector with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. A total of 43,483 graduates now represent the FBI National Academy since it began in July 1935. Of this number approximately 25,971 are still active in law enforcement. 

Training for the program is provided by FBI Academy instructional staff, special agents, and other staff members holding advanced degrees, many of whom are recognized internationally in their fields of expertise.

Chief Timothy J. Malley, a graduate of the National Academy Class 224, commented that “Captain Stone’s dedication to his profession and his enthusiasm to attend advanced training will benefit him in his service to the citizens of Lakewood.  Being selected to attend this prestigious training, from applicants around the world, is an honor for Captain Stone and the entire Lakewood Police Department.”

Captain Stone is a twenty-five year member of the police department and is currently assigned to the department’s Administration and Services Division. He is married to Susan and has two children: Rachael, age seventeen, and Matthew, age fifteen.

Along with being expensive to clean up for businesses, graffiti on visible surfaces can lead to damaging a city’s reputation as a safe and pleasant place to live. As a way to encourage citizen reporting on graffiti taggers, Lakewood city officials are proposing creating a $5,000 reward fund to help police efforts on tracking and arresting alleged offenders.

Lakewood City Councilman Tom Bullock recently introduced a pair of ordinances to toughen campaign donation limits and increase disclosure requirements on candidates for municipal office in the City of Lakewood. Bullock said tougher ethics requirements on public officials are called for in light of the recent investigation and prosecution of alleged and actual misdeeds by public officials, employees, and contractors of Cuyahoga County and a number of its localities.