Volume 2, Issue 2, August, September, October 2018 Published Quarterly

A Message from MayorAnnette M. Blackwell

These past few months have been examples of thereal life experiences of a public servant.

The city was featured on national news platforms witha story about “cutting grass while Black” and then againon several local news outlets when two very youngpeople lost their lives in senseless acts of violence.

Our city gained international exposure when I was askedto meet with elected officials from Afghanistan who were here in Clevelandon the program “Deputy Governors’ Oversight and Advisory Capacity” whichwas sponsored by the U.S. Department of State through the InternationalVisitor Leadership Program. The officials were here to examine the con-nections between federal, state and local governments, and the principlesof representative democracy.

Dunham Park Becomesanother Jewel in Metroparks’

Emerald Necklace

Maple Heights has added a gem to the nationally recognized Cleveland Metropark“Emerald Necklace”! Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell and ClevelandMetroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman finalized the partnership on Friday, June 22at the Schreiber Road entrance to Dunham Park.

The road to this successful and exciting new chapter in the city actually beganin late 2016 initiated by Bill Brantsch, Administrative Assistant to the Mayor.After a meeting with personnel from the Metroparks, Mr. Brantsch presentedthe information to Mayor Blackwell and so the journey began.

Cutbacks in the recreation department over the years led to a somewhatblighted park, but Mayor Blackwell believed in its potential, and decided toexplore the possibility of a Metropark partnership. Maple Heights is one of thelargest communities in Cuyahoga County that Cleveland Metroparks did nothave an active presence and it was believed, this might help make this 50acre parcel all the more appealing.

Three days after contacting Metroparks, they met in executive session - witha decision to meet with Mayor Blackwell and city officials to further explore. Inearly March, 2017 a productive and encouraging meeting took place, anddiscussions quickly were met with both curiosity and renewed hope. Environ-mentalists, park personnel and other high ranking officials from Metroparksfollowed up in April, walking the woods, ravines, and open fields, who in turnfollowed up internally with their Board of Directors.

During the year, both Maple Heights and Metropark attorneys and engineersworked out some ‘housekeeping’ issues.

Phase 1, of the Dunham Park revitalization followed in November, as aCuyahoga County grant was utilized to remove blighted fences, structuresand equipment – with plans to construct a new, gently winding main entranceand parking lot off Schreiber Road in 2018. Unseasonably cool and rainyweather created a slight delay, but by late April construction resumed, alongwith new drainage.

On June 22, CEO Brian Zimmerman met Mayor Blackwell for a formal signing– accompanied by many Metropark officials, media, curious neighbors, andseveral Maple Heights councilmembers and administration.

Rangers are now actively patrolling the park, while Metropark personnel are atthe new Dunham Park/Bedford Reservation – cutting grass, removing diseasedtrees, cleaning and maintaining the park on a daily basis. Things may appearslow in its infancy, but behind the scenes the Cleveland Metroparks announcedin their late June meeting almost $195,000 in improvements for walking trails,new pavilion and playground at Dunham Park – along with improvements to thebathrooms and general park area. Additional plans include converting the Dun-ham shopping plaza entrance to a “walk in” entrance.

Dunham Park is now officially a jewel in the Cleveland Emerald necklace, andneighbors and residents can be assured the park will see many improve-ments in the years ahead. (Additional images of the work performed, alongwith updates to the park, can be found on the city website link – http://citymapleheights.com/dunham-park)

Also, newsworthy in city news is the real estate recovery. More specifi-cally, the increase in median home sales prices; the number of homessold and the most recent news from the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officerwhich announced an increase in our property values! When in 2012, resi-dential property values fell by 33.1% in the state-mandated property reap-praisal.

The Music-in-the Park series this summer has been very well attendedand I am seeing new faces at every concert. A “BIG” thank you to all of thesponsors who make this event possible. We are hoping to expand theseries next summer given the feedback from the attendees, they want“more.”

While, speaking of summer, I can’t help but remember how happy, excitedand proud so many residents, businesses, city employees, elected local,county, state and park officials were at the Metroparks’ Ceremonial Dedi-cation on June 22, 2018. Our Dunham Park is now Dunham Park – BedfordReservation.

Lastly, we are continuing to pursue grant dollars to make infrastructureimprovements in our city, parks and roads, for senior and youth services,to replace old and outdated city equipment and vehicles, upgrade citybuildings and make the living experience and quality of life in the City ofMaple Heights one that serves the people of this community in the bestway that we can.

As the Mayor of this city, I want every resident to know that your supportand engagement is essential to our continued recovery and success. Staywith us as we move forward.

Best wishes always.

Maple Heights HeadlinesPage 2 August, September, October 2018

Meet Our NewAssistant Finance Director

The City hired Mr. Carl Macey, CPA as the Assistant Fi-nance Director on June 12, 2018 after an extensive searchfor a highly qualified candidate to assist with the day-to-day of the Finance office as well as payroll.

Carl lives in Westlake and has lived there for 25 years. He has two sons and onedaughter with his wife Toni. Carl grew up in the West Park area of Cleveland.

Why Is Stafford Pool Not Opened?Many residents are asking Mayor Blackwell when she is going to open StaffordPool. That is not a simple question to answer. Let’s start from the beginning.

In June of 2005, citing a deficit of $1.5 million, the layoff of many City employ-ees and unsafe conditions at the two City pools, Mayor Michael Ciaravinoclosed the Stafford and Dunham Pools. Due to their safety issues and age,City Council allocated money to demolish both of them.

With the passage of an income tax increase and a campaign promise, MayorJeffrey Lansky was elected in 2007 and began plans to build a state of the artpool and spray ground for $1.4 million and make other needed improvementsto the City. City Council approved the borrowing of $5 million and the improve-ments commenced.

On June 6, 2009, the grand opening of Stafford Pool took place. In the four (4)years the pool was opened, fees remained constant: $30.00 for an individualand $80.00 for a family of four (4). Daycares paid $15.00 for each child to usethe pool three (3) days a week. $5.00 each time you came to swim, if you didnot have a pass.

The pool was opened from the first week of June until the week that schoolbegan in August. That amounts to about ten (10) weeks give or take a week.At its peak, approximately 325 residents in a City of about 22,000 residentsused the pool.

The cost to maintain and run the pool for those ten (10) weeks was $75,000.Included in that cost was opening and closing (winterizing) the pool, thechemicals to keep it safe for our residents, lifeguards, cleaning all areasincluding restrooms, admission and concession staff and security. The revenuetaken in for our highest grossing summer was $17,000. So on average, theCity needed to subsidize the pool in the amount of $58,000. According toDave Hastings of Hastings Water Works, CEO of a major pool company inNortheast Ohio, only 5% of all municipal pools in the State of Ohio break evenor turn a profit.

At this same time from 2012 to 2014, Maple Heights was dealing with theState of Ohio cutting the municipal fund to the City by over $4 million andCuyahoga County devaluating home values in our City costing us approximately$3 million. These were two of the main operating funds utilized by MapleHeights.

So, as Maple Heights was heading into fiscal emergency, the formeradministration made the very difficult decision to close Stafford Pool in Juneof 2014 to avoid additional layoffs in the Police, Fire and Service Departments.

Mayor Blackwell and her administration are working diligently to reduce thedeficit and get us on a firm, stable financial footing. As real estate valuesincrease more residents become current with paying their real estate taxes,long time businesses expand and new businesses make Maple Heights theirhome, Mayor Blackwell is committed to finding a way to reopen Stafford Poolfor the residents of Maple Heights. Additionally, she is seeking corporatesponsors to assist in making this a reality.

Maple Heights Real Estate UpdateThe 2008 recession and housingmarket foreclosure crisis had a greatimpact on Maple Heights, a bedroomcommunity, with about 9,885 residen-tial properties.

Traces of the recession and foreclo-sure crisis are becoming less evidentwithin our community. Maple Heights’real estate market is stabilizing whileattracting and retaining newhomeowners and residents.

As of April 2018 only 11 homes clas-sified as a short sale, pre-foreclosureor foreclosure were for sale. This isan almost 60% decrease from April2017 in which 27 homes under thisclassification were for sale. Havingfewer homes that under this classifi-cation indicates that homeowners areable to financially maintain theirhomes, which cultivates strongneighborhoods.

Further evidence of Maple Heights’post-recession real estate recoveryis illustrated in Cuyahoga County’s2018 reappraisal of all real estatevalues. Residential values increasedby 7.2% and commercial/industrialvalues increased by 19.6%. Thesevalues show great improvement fromCuyahoga County’s 2012 reappraisal

in which Maple Heights’ residentialvalues decreased by 33.1%.

A total of 461 properties were sold in2017 with a median sales prices of$42,100, a $5,100 increase from2016 and a $7,100 increase from2015. As of present there have been344 properties sold in 2018 with ayear-to-date median sales price of$49,000 and a year-to-date averagesales price of $68,291.

These strong numbers reflect the in-vestment that homeowners have putinto their homes via home renova-tions, additions and remodels andcontinuous home maintenance.

These strong values reflect about halfof 2018, with more homes put on themarket each day, the end of year val-ues are something to look forward to.

Mr. Macey has had his CPA license for over 25 years. Hehas owned his own CPA firm and worked in manufactur-ing, health care, non-profits and government.

His favorite sports teams are the Indians and Browns, of course. And Carlenjoys going to see the games when he can.

One is his favorite pastimes is checking out new restaurants, new types offood with his favorite type being Greek. Carl also collects books from the1700 and 1800’s by scouring book stores, antique stores, house sales, estatesales and online. He developed this collection while working overseas inEngland and France.

Carl is looking forward to implementing new policies and procedures, improv-ing the City’s cash flow, streamlining the payroll process, and ensuring thecompleteness and accuracy of the City’s capital assets.

Maple Heights Headlines Page 3August, September, October 2018

~Mayor’s Featured Business~

William A. and Rosa M. Gaines workedtogether at the Ball Funeral Home andshared a dream of owning their own fu-neral home someday. That dream cametrue in 1972 when they went into busi-ness for themselves and purchased theFerfolia Funeral Home at 9116 UnionAvenue in Cleveland. Both familiesshared a strong work ethic and mutualrespect for the service and kindnesseach provided to the families entrustedto their care.

GainesFuneral Home

After a lengthy illness, God called Mr. Gaines in 2006 and Mrs. Gaines in2007. The torch of compassion,care, dignity and respect that has been thecornerstone of the Gaines Funeral Home business has been passed to ChiefExecutive Officer and second generation family member, Kaye Gaines.

Enhancements to Continue asLee-Libby Road Pocket ParkConstruction Enters Phase II

Residents will soon see additionalimprovements take place when con-struction begins on Phase II of theLee-Libby Road Pocket Park Project.The city acquired this vacant prop-erty, located at the northeast cornerof the Lee Road and Libby Road in-tersection, by donation in early 2018.The former gas station site had overthe years developed into an endur-ing eyesore highlighted by sporadicareas of gravel, broken concrete andasphalt interspersed with areas ofweeds and sporadic mud pits. Carsand semi trailers frequently parked or illegally cut through the lot which, see-ing over 20,000 vehicles pass every day, is arguably the gateway to the City ofMaple Heights.

On May 17, 2018 Mayor Annette Blackwell was joined by over 30 volunteersand the Service Department to begin the transformation of this blighted prop-erty into a green oasis which will serve as a pocket park and transportationhub for pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation clients. With finan-cial support from the Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS, the MillCreek Watershed Partnership, the Cuyahoga Soil and Water ConservationDistrict and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, this dedicated groupremoved broken concrete and asphalt, spread topsoil and seed, placed strawmulch, and planted over 20 trees, on the almost half acre site. The transfor-mation has been profound and is only the beginning.

Phase II of the Lee-Libby Road Pocket Park Project will include the removalof the concrete aprons which served the former gas station and the replace-ment of the broken concrete curbs and sidewalks on both the Lee Road andLibby Road of the sites. A bus shelter has been committed to for the LeeRoad side of the site by GCRTA and the city is working to have a smaller busshelter installed on the Libby Road side of the site. Benches and bicycleracks will also be placed along the perimeter of the parcel. Phase II of theproject is scheduled for construction in September 2018 and is funded in partby a $50,000 grant received from the Cuyahoga County Department of Devel-opment through the Community Development Supplemental Grant.

Future improvements including walkways through the site, sitting areas, flowerbeds, and security lighting, are also planned as additional funding becomesavailable. The city recently applied for a Natureworks Grant from the OhioDepartment of Natural Resources to help plan and construct this next phaseof improvements. The announcement of grant recipients will be made in later2018 and if successful the construction of the additional site improvementswould take place in the Summer 2019.

Ms. Gaines tells us that she and the Ferfolia family had an unwritten pact thatif they ever considered selling the Maple Heights location, the Gaines familywould be their first call. And so. in December of 2015, on the birthday of herbeloved mother, Ms. Kaye Gaines was able to fulfill the dream and vision ofher parents to have a second location from which to serve her families duringthe loss of their loved ones, while assisting them in their time of loss.

With a current staff of 27 full and part time employees and the next generationof Gaines family members in school, the Gaines Funeral Home is well pre-pared to continue the legacy of the Gaines family. As Ms. Gaines states,”Whilefuneral care is our profession,our calling goes beyond the day-to-day opera-tion of running a business. We’re here to be an active part of this community,working with local residents - especially children and seniors - to support,strengthen and sustain the neighborhood.”

Gaines Funeral Home is located at 5386 Lee Road in Maple Heights. Theycan be reached by calling (216)-475-4455.

Maple Heights HeadlinesPage 4 August, September, October 2018