City News Update

Your Cleveland Heights City Government

City Council Passes 2023 Budget

On Friday, December 16, 2022, Cleveland Heights City Council unanimously approved the Mayor's first recommended budget with just one amendment: Councilman Anthony Mattox Jr.'s motion to allocate $500,000 to install a splash pad at Dennison Park.

All of City Council's budget hearings and Council meetings where the considered the City's 2023 budget are available for viewing on the City's YouTube page.

After a year aboard with transitional government, Cleveland Heights Councilwoman Josie Moore resigns

After serving a little over a year on City Council, and with another year still left on the half-term, Josie Moore abruptly resigned her seat Friday (Dec. 16).

"I've done a lot of reflection on how this year developed -- how our new council started, and where we are now," Moore said. “I recall beginning the year excited to collaborate with my new colleagues to make our community stronger, to work on the issues that are my driving force, and to learn all that I can in the process.”

Read more on Cleveland.com

Congratulations Director Eric Zamft!

On Friday, December 16, 2022, Cleveland Heights Planning and Economic Development Director Eric Zamft won Power a Clean Future Ohio's Clean Energy Staff Champion Award "for leadership and dedication to building a clean energy future for their community."

Congratulations Director Zamft for this well-deserved award!

Cleveland Heights Named

A Climate Action Community

And congratulations to the City of Cleveland Heights for being named a Climate Action Community at the same ceremony for its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and effectively address climate change!

Lower Speed Limits on Five Street Segments Will Go into Effect on December 21, 2022

Lower Speed Limits Affect High-Traffic Roads That Pass Through Residential Neighborhoods

At its Monday, November 21, 2022 meeting, Cleveland Heights City Council passed an ordinance introduced by Mayor Kahlil Seren that changed the classification of five street sections from throughways to local streets. As a result, the speed limit on the street sections will change from 35 to 25 miles per hour. The new speed limits will go into effect on December 21, 2022 and will be enforced once new speed limit signs are posted.

Reducing speed limits in residential neighborhoods is an essential part of Cleveland Heights' efforts to achieve "Vision Zero," a strategy for eliminating fatalities and severe injuries from traffic accidents. Traffic studies have shown that a pedestrian struck by a car going 30 miles per hour is FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE than if the car had been going 20 miles per hour.

The street sections affected by this change are:

NEW 25 MPH SPEED LIMITS

All of Lee Road in Cleveland Heights

Euclid Heights Boulevard from Coventry Road to South Taylor Road

Noble Road, north of Monticello Boulevard

North Taylor Road, north of Monticello Boulevard

South Taylor Road between Fairmount Boulevard and Euclid Heights Boulevard.

To give everyone a chance to adjust to these changes, Cleveland Heights Police Department officers will issue warnings to motorists who violate the 25-mph limit during a one-month grace period after it goes into effect. HOWEVER, motorists who violate the previous 35-mph speed limit during this grace period will still be ticketed.

Loose Leaf Pick-Up—EXTENDED

The map below shows upcoming dates for leaf pick-up in different parts of the city.

Blue indicates pick-up has been completed.
Yellow indicates areas awaiting final pick-up.
Green indicates final pick-up is underway.

Leaf collection schedule map as of Friday, December 16, 2022

Due to the large number of leaves being collected, leaf pick-up has been further extended, at least through December 20.

To get the most current leaf collection schedule, please click on the Cleveland Heights Leaf Collection app button.

Use the Cleveland Heights Leaf Collection App

The online app displays a map of the city that is updated daily to show where leaf collection has been completed and when future collections will take place. It also allows you to get the updated collection schedule for your address.

IMPORTANT LEAF COLLECTION INFORMATION

PLEASE DO NOT PLACE LEAVES IN BAGS OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING BROWN KRAFT PAPER BAGS. Instead, please rake or blow your loose leaves ONTO YOUR TREE LAWN.

Please do not rake or blow leaves into the street. Putting your leaves in the street creates a safety hazard and can block sewer drains, which may cause flooding

It is illegal to burn leaves in the City of Cleveland Heights.

If your tree lawn is damaged during leaf collection, please call the Department of Public Works at (216) 691-7300, and the city will repair it in the spring.

2023 K-12 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ESSAY, POETRY, AND POSTER CONTEST

The contest is open to all K-12 students who live or attend school in Cleveland Heights, and the DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS is Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

All K-12 students from Cleveland Heights (public, private, parochial, and home-schooled) are invited to enter essays, poems, or posters that address the following prompt:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist for racial equity, economic justice, and an end to war. What work does our society still need to do on these issues, and how will you help carry on Dr. King’s legacy?

Essays and poems should be no more than 500 words in length. If they wish, students may submit entries in more than one category.

Essays, poems, and posters will be judged by the City, and contest winners will be invited to the City’s annual Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 7:00 pm at the Cleveland Heights Community Center to read their poems and essays and explain their posters. Winners also will receive a certificate and have their photograph taken with the Mayor and City Council.

Photographs will appear in the City’s social media and print publications, and posters, essays, and poems will hang in the City Hall Atrium throughout Black History Month in February 2023.

Essays and poems should be submitted as text or pdf documents; poster entries may be submitted as digital photos or image files. We will arrange to pick up hard copies of entries from students who are unable to submit them through the online form. Students must fill out all the required fields so that we can contact the winners and include their correct information in the ceremony program and other media.

If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Rosenblatt at [email protected] or 216-291-2854.

No Holiday Lights in Recycling Carts

(PLEASE!)

Please DO NOT put used holiday lights in your recycling bin.

Instead, bring them to the Service Garage, 14200 Superior Road, or donate them to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Lights for Lions program.

Drop-off bins for the Lights for Lions program are located at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Boulevard; the Heights Libraries Lee Road Branch, 2345 Lee Road; and in the Millikin neighborhood at 1541 Maple Road. Please do notinclude any bags or other packaging when dropping the lights and cords in the bins.

Also, No Fireplace Ashes in Your Carts

THEY'RE A FIRE HAZARD

Ashes from fireplaces and wood stoves should never be included with trash or placed in plastic trash carts. We have already had one report this season of a melted refuse cart.

This summer, someone put grill ashes in their refuse cart, which ignited a fire in a transfer trailer while it was connected inside the transfer station. (See photo)

Protect your home and family, and city employees and property. Leave your ashes in your fireplace or stove for 24 hours or more to give them a chance to cool. Wear gloves and use a metal shovel and bucket to remove the ashes. Take the bucket out of your house, add water to the bucket, and cover it with a metal lid.

Make Sure Your Home is Safe While You're Away During the Holidays

Submit an Away-From-Home Request

With the Cleveland Heights Police

The Cleveland Heights Police Department will conduct periodic security checks on occupied homes that will be unoccupied for short periods of time due to vacation or work travel.

To register for this service please fill out this online form.

You also may download a pdf of this form and email the completed version to [email protected] or mail it to CHPD OIC, 40 Severance Circle, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118.

Homeowners: Please realize that the Cleveland Heights Police Department and the City of Cleveland Heights do not assume any liability for any loss or damage to your property during the specified period.

MetroHealth CH Expands Breast Cancer Care and Screening

by Angela Townsend

In early December, MetroHealth began offering 3D breast cancer screening services inside its Cleveland Heights Medical Center at 10 Severance Circle.

The permanent onsite service replaces MetroHealth's Mobile 3D Mammography Coach, which had been a weekly fixture at the medical center for the past three years.

Breast cancer screening mammography at MetroHealth in Cleveland Heights is now available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

10:00 am—4:00 pm

Location

Cleveland Heights Library

2345 Lee Road

Congratulations Heights Libraries!

Heights Libraries Earns 2020 Library Journal Star Rating Despite COVID-19

Despite the challenges of the COVID lockdowns throughout 2020, The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library qualified for a three-star rating from the Index of Public Library Service's publication Library Journal.

The Library was one of only three Ohio libraries to receive a star designation for the year 2020-for comparison, Ohio had 27 star libraries in Library Journal's rankings for the year 2019.

Light After Dark Menorah Parade

This Sunday, December 18, Beginning at 3:00 pm

The 2022 Menorah Parade will kick off the first night of Hanukkah this Sunday. Cars with giant, lit-up menorahs will start at Legacy Village and wind their way through Lyndhurst, Beachwood, University Heights and Cleveland Heights.

Mayor Seren will be participating in the parade, so be sure to wave "Hello!"

Made Cleveland is All about Shopping Local

FOX 8's Kenny Crumpton paid a visit to the Cleveland Heights store that features dozens of local creators.

Watch on Fox8.com

Watch the 2022 FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grant Celebration

From Brenda May's Noble Neighbors email newsletter:

Noble Neighbors Children's Book Drive

Please drop off new or gently used books for

children ages 0-12 to Noble Library during December

"Noble Neighbors' teams have installed and constantly restock a few little free libraries in our neighborhood targeted for kids aged 0-12. We all have an opportunity to support that effort! Bring new or gently used children's books to Noble Library during December. Look for the donation box.

Thanks to the Noble Library staff for supporting this collection effort, thanks to the folk who have been restocking our little free libraries every week (and more often) for years, and thanks to you for looking into the future and seeing our kids grow into leaders because they learned to love education early!"

Noble Little Free Pantries

Please donate

"Some of you have donated regularly to the Little Free Pantry in front of the yellow house at 941 Roanoke. Thank you for caring for our neighbors!

Those who donate regularly are noticing that the canned and boxed items are a bit sparse right now. Do consider dropping off food from time to time this winter. Best items are ready-to-eat, or simple heat and eat, or just-add water items. Cans with pull tabs are preferred over cans that need a can opener.

Remember, too, that there is a Little Free Pantry (blue with clouds) in front of the Noble Library. Folks nearby who are in need frequently find it empty."

Just in time for the holidays!

Order TODAY!

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!

Applications for the 2023 Cain Park Arts Fest

are NOW OPEN!

The 46th Annual Cain Park Arts Fest won't be held until July 7, 2023, but the process for selecting the participating artists begins TODAY.

Artists interested in participating in next year's Arts Fest can view the application requirements and apply online at ZAPPlication.org. Applications are due by March 3, 2023.

If you know an artist who might be interested in participating in the 2023 Cain Park Arts Fest, please help us spread the word by sharing this link: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=11055.

OnlyInYourState.com Praises The Stone Oven

Locals Can't Get Enough of the Seasonal Drinks & Sweets at the Stone Oven Bakery in Cleveland Heights

On Lee Roads in Cleveland Heights, there's one spectacular bakery and diner that has been delighting visitors for nearly three long decades. It's the best place to find seasonal goodies like handcrafted soups, fruit tarts, and gingerbread cookies in Cleveland. Whether you're craving something sweet or savory, they have a delicious offering that'll tempt your taste buds.

The Stone Oven is a true testament to the melting pot that this area is. Its owner came over from Russia and found herself craving hearth-baked European bread, but she couldn't find any locally. Her solution? Make her own! Tatyana Rehn's bread was so delicious that she found herself considering opening a bread business...

Heights Arts seeks next CH poet laureate

Heights Arts initiated the Cleveland Heights poet laureate program more than 20 years ago. It is now seeking the city's 11th poet laureate to serve a two-year term, April 2023 through March 2025—Heights Arts’ 25th anniversary. The Cleveland Heights poet laureate receives a yearly stipend, participates in civic and community events, and manages Heights Arts’ popular Ekphrastacy—Artists Talk and Poets Respond series.

Heights Arts is accepting applications for the position through Dec. 31. Anyone applying for the laureateship must commit to serve the full 24-month term of service if selected and be either a resident of Cleveland Heights or have a significant relationship to the Cleveland Heights community.

Detailed information, along with the application. can be found at heightsarts.org/poet-laureate/.

The City of Cleveland Heights is Hiring!

Job openings in the Police Department, City Hall, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and other departments may be found on the Cleveland Heights Job Opportunities webpage .