Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and memorable times with your family and friends. It is hard to believe we are at the beginning of another year, which means only one thing...we at City Hall are busy creating events and solidifying plans and budgets.

Last month, the Highland Heights Police and Fire Departments once again collaborated with a fundraising drive to benefit Providence House. Providence House is located in Cleveland, whose mission is to keep children safe and families together, supporting families through crisis and strengthening communities. A giving tree was located on site with ornaments listing wish list items needed by Providence House. On December 20th I, along with Police Chief Dennis Matejcic, Lieutenant Brian Dassatti, and members from City Hall, helped deliver all of the donations that were received. I want to thank Moving Ahead Services, who generously donated their services, staff, and truck, to load all of the donations and deliver them to Providence House. I want to extend a special thank you to Police Dispatcher Dana Dipenti for her time and dedication in organizing this event. Last but not least, I want to thank the residents for their generous donations of products or gift cards for this charitable initiative. The staff at Providence House was most appreciative of our philanthropic efforts.

I have been actively involved in budget discussions with City Council and my Department Heads. As we continue down the path of making final budget preparations for 2025, I remain committed to ensuring our residents continue receiving high-quality services while maintaining fiscal responsibility. A recap of our 2024 financials will be published in the 2025 spring newsletter, which residents will receive in mid-March.

Please note that in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, City Hall offices will be closed on Monday, January 20th. There will be no delay in trash collection. As a reminder, especially during the winter months, please remember to place your trash cans at least 3 feet apart from each other and any nearby objects, such as mailboxes, trees, or snow piles.

As we continue to navigate through one of the coldest months of January that I can remember in a while, please stay warm and healthy. In the event of a power outage that would affect the heating of homes in our community, we will open the Community Center as a warming center. Please refer to the city website and city Facebook page for further details should this be needed.

I look forward to sharing some of our plans for spring with you next month.

Sincerely,

QR codes seem to be everywhere. You may have scanned one to see the menu at a restaurant or pay for public parking. And you may have used one on your phone to get into a concert or sporting event, or to board a flight. There are countless other ways to use them, which explains their popularity. Unfortunately, scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal personal information. Here is what to know.

There are reports of scammers covering up QR codes on parking meters with a QR code of their own. And some crafty scammers might send you a QR code by text message or email and make up a reason for you to scan it. These are some of the ways they try to con you:

• They may lie and say they cannot deliver your package, and you need to contact them to reschedule
• They may pretend like there’s a problem with your account, and you need to confirm your information
• They may lie saying they noticed suspicious activity on your account, and you need to change your password

These are all lies they tell you to create a sense of urgency. They want you to scan the QR code and open the URL without thinking about it.

A scammer’s QR code could take you to a spoofed site that looks real but isn’t. And if you log in to the spoofed site, the scammers could steal any information you enter. Or the QR code could install malware that steals your information before you realize it.

• If you see a QR code in an unexpected place, inspect the URL before you open it. If it looks like a URL you recognize, make sure it is not spoofed — look for misspellings or a switched letter.
• Do not scan a QR code in an email or text message you were not expecting — especially if it urges you to act immediately. If you think the message is legitimate, use a phone number or website you know is real to contact the company.
• Protect your phone and accounts. Update your phone's OS to protect against hackers and protect your online accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.

Part-time Police Officers Wanted

The Highland Heights Police Department is in need of Auxiliary Police Officers. This position is a non-sworn part-time job. Duties would generally include helping out with our Lyndhurst Municipal Court Docket and park patrol duties in the summer.

We are also in need of part-time patrol officers. This is a sworn position and duties would include all the same functions as a full-time sworn officer.

Interested candidates should contact Lt. Dassatti at bdassatti@highlandhts.com.

Highland Heights Fire Department Community CPR/AED Classes

The Fire Department will be offering HeartSaver CPR/AED Classes on the following dates:

Thursday - March 6, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

OR

Monday, March 10, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Class will be held at the Highland Heights Fire Department, located at 5827 Highland Road. Please contact the Fire Department at 440-442-7406 to register.

A public service message from the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District...

Winter Salt Awareness Week runs from January 27 - 31, 2025. Register here for daily webinars. Topics that will be covered are:

• An Eye on Salt Pollution
• Dilution is NOT the Solution

You can also take the S.A.L.T. Pledge (Stuff, Amount, Location, Time) by visiting their website.

A public service message from the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter...

Whether your dog does a job, rides the couch, or is just a snuggle buddy, they must be licensed each year. Buy your 2025 before January 31, 2025 and keep your best friend legal and safe. Licenses are on sale at local Discount Drug Mart, Pet Supplies Plus, or online at https://animalshelter.cuyahogacounty.gov/