It was a small public turnout for tonight’s Lakewood City Council meeting. Council President Michael Dever called the meeting to order at 7:37 p.m. Clerk of Council Mary Hagan called the role. All members of council were in attendance as well as Mayor Ed Fitzgerald and all department directors. The docket for the evening was 65 pages with 36 agenda items.

Finance Chairperson Michael Summers presented the Finance Committee report. He gave a concise explanation of the action recommended with respect to a total of $3.5 million in debt due to mature on April 17, 2008. In 2005 this was to be a short term commitment for technology and vehicles. No provisions were made for the retirement of this debt. However, a plan will be developed and incorporated into the current financial strategy. Summers explained that the terms of the debt allow for at least two more rollovers but must begin retiring by 2010. It will most certainly mean that “the city will be retiring the debt when the items are past their useful life”.

Councilperson Bullock asked if this was an additional burden on the general fund. Finance Director Pae answered that “this is capital money and unrelated to the general fund.” She went on to explain that currently “we don’t have the capacity to pay a principle and interest payment for 3 – 5 years.”

Councilperson Summers summarized the problem, “it’s like a home equity loan that we haven’t begun to pay back.”

There was a limited discussion regarding the remainder of the agenda items. Several liquor license permits were filed with no objections. Mayor Fitzgerald presented a resolution in support of Building Ohio Jobs, a $1.7 billion jobs package that creates over 80,000 jobs in Ohio.

Planning and Development Director Nate Kelly submitted a communication requesting council’s approval to renew Lakewood’s participation in the Cuyahoga County Housing Consortium, an entity created to access federal HOME funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Councilperson Butler asked about program oversight and was assured by Director Kelly that the program has just been audited. Councilperson Bullock requested a copy of the audit to council. Councilperson Butler raised the issue of program effectiveness wondering about the appropriateness of income level versus home value and maintenance needs. Director Kelly explained that the program income levels are not discretionary. “Low to mod income levels are designations from the federal government.” Additionally, Director Kelly asked council to approve his request to access administrative funds for reimbursement from the FY2008 amended contract for the HOME award.

Acting Public Works Director Strong submitted a resolution to enter into an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District to accept a recycling grant.

A final agenda item concerned a liquor application for Donato’s Pizza. Action on this item was deferred.

The final business of the evening was a comment by Lakewood Resident Edward McCartney who came to the microphone to compliment council for making “candid admissions”.

Lakewood City Council adjourned its meeting at 8:27 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting of Lakewood City Council is Monday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council auditorium at Lakewood City Hall.