BIDDERS HOT FOR HIGHLAND HEIGHTS

There is going to be a good deal of major infrastructure work going on in the city this year and next.
First up: an extension of the Alpha Drive sewer line.
According to engineer Brian Mader, the city did quite well bidding that project out.

9 companies submitted bids for the work.
The winner?
Longo Sewer Construction Company.
Winning bid? $100,461.

6 companies have taken out bid packets for the city’s next project:  the widening  and repaving of Miner Road.

FORECLOSURES DOWN
Building Commissioner Dale Grabfelder gave some good news to Council on March 10^th: foreclosures were down in the city last year:

“There were only 10 foreclosures (in 2014) versus 38 in 2013.
Most of them (the city’s foreclosed homes) have sold.
They sell very quickly after they go on the market.”

THE TIMES THEY ARE A’CHANGING
COMMUNITY DAY WITHOUT CARMELINA…?!

Councilman Chuck Brunello is once again heading up the planning for this year’s Community Day event.
He told Council that his committee is exploring the idea of adding food trucks to the culinary mix.
Brunello also dropped a bombshell:

"Carmelina is retired….at least from doing festivals."

So for the first time in quite a long time, there will be no Carmelina to wow the crowd this July 25^th.
No doubt that will come as a huge disappointment to her devoted fans.

NO NEW IDEAS: DEER CONTROL
Council President Cathy Murphy recently attended an area-wide meeting.

The topic: urban deer management.
Her impression:

“There were a lot of handouts.
I can’t say the meeting had a lot of substance.
It was a little disappointing there.
It was well attended. Close to 80 (people) or so.
They didn’t seem to offer a lot of substance.”

Murphy said she intended to sit down with Mayor Scott Coleman and go over the meeting items with him, to see if they could come up with anything to bring to Council on the deer overpopulation issue.

BISHOP ROAD ACCIDENT
I live on a short cul de sac street off a major city thru-street.
The wail of sirens and the rumble of traffic are constant and familiar sounds to residents like me, who live near or along Bishop Road.

A week ago the sirens stopped at the end of my street.
Soon neighbors were phoning neighbors, checking in and passing along the news.
You didn't read about it in the Sun Messenger.

An eyewitness said that a south-bound driver suddenly veered across the northbound lane of Bishop Road, crossed Hawthorne Drive, and ended up plowing into a tree.
Emergency responders used the "Jaws of Life" to remove her from the car.
I was told that the driver, a woman, was wounded but talking before being transported to the hospital.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS GREEN TASK FORCE
DISCUSSES FRAC DRILLING

 

Alsion Auciello, a spokesperson for Food and Water Watch, will be the featured speaker at the Green Task Force's upcoming April 1st meeting.
Her topic: "frac" (fractional) drilling in Ohio.

The environmental impact of frac drilling is no April Fool's joke.

Frac drilling involves using water, sand and chemicals (some toxic) to fracture shale rock deep underground to release trapped gas, oil and other substances.
Not all of the frac fluid returns to the surface, and released gas can travel underground along fissures in the rock.
The house explosion in Bainbridge is an example of what can go wrong when frac drilling is undertaken in urban neighborhoods.
Ohio has halted the use of some old wellsites as "production water" (i.e. drilling byproduct) disposal sites due to earthquake risk.

The meeting notice states that Ms. Auciello:

"...will be traveling from the Cincinnati area to share with us what is fracking and where is it happening in Ohio?
Why has Ohio become a regional dumping ground for the toxic, radioactive waste from fracking?
What policies have been implemented to regulate the oil and gas industry?
Learn the answers to these questions and, most importantly, find out what you can do on the local, state and national level to help stop this dangerous and shortsighted energy policy."

The meeting is Wednesday April 1st, 7 to 9pm, Highland Heights Community Center.

OUT OF THE LOOP…!?

The February 24th Council meeting began with a gift presentation.

And what a gift….

Several representatives from University Hospital (UH)---including the EMS director---presented the city with a “Lucas Chest Compression System,” an automated device that, according to them, “does perfect CPR”.
The device is used by emergency medical personnel on patients in cardiac distress.
Fire Chief Bill Turner commented:

“It’s a $15,000 piece of equipment….
It is as beneficial to us as to the patient. It’s truly a benefit to our (fire) personnel. It frees up the firefighter in the back of the rescue squad (vehicle). It allows him to be seat belted in (during transport).”

Turner mentioned, in passing, that the city (which previously had a close affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic) was now partnering with UH.

That comment clearly caught some on Council by surprise.

Councilman Bob Mastrangelo asked:

"The city is switching services to University Hospital from the (Cleveland) Clinic?

Maybe that memo got lost in the mail…

Turner explained:

“We were approached by UH and they made a proposal that was hard to pass up.
They offered not just equipment, but also ongoing training and access to their emergency department.
It does not change our operation, where we take patients...
We transport (to hospitals) based on patient choice if the patient is stable.

Today all cardiac and trauma cases go to (Clinic-affiliated) Hillcrest Hospital. That’s state law (based on Hillcrest’s trauma level  certification).
As Ahuja Medical Center (in Beachwood) continues to grow, more residents are UH users.

It’s still patient choice or medically the best service.”

Councilwoman Ann D’Amico asked Turner whether the city transports residents to hospital main campuses (downtown).
Turner responded:

"We will transport to main campuses.
We charge for transportation. If someone pays for the service, we owe it to them. …But they have to be (medically) stable.
There is a financial issue.
For them to get transferred again (if we bring residents to a hospital not of their choosing), their insurance will not pay for that.
We try to provide best service we can.”

Of course they do. …
They are the Highland Heights Fire Department.

REGISTERING COMPLAINTS
ABOUT THE GIANT GARBAGE TOTERS

At the same meeting, a Glencoe Lane resident shared his concerns about the giant toters which are required under the city’s new automated garbage contract

The fast-tracked contract that 4 Council members recently approved.

The resident told Council:

“I am 78 years old. ….15 yrs ago I had bypass surgery…
Let me tell you what I do now (with my garbage).My driveway is at an angle.

 I put my garbage in my car, drive down to the end of my driveway and leave it there.

What you are asking is more difficult for me to do….It will be dangerous in the winter.

I would like to see if it (the requirement that he use a giant garbage toter) could be modified …or if I can continue to put 2 bags (of garbage) in my car so I can drive them to the curb and put them there..I am asking for an accommodation for my disability.”

Speaking in the first person, Council President Cathy Murphy replied,

“I have always intended that this be addressed on a case by case basis.
Please provide your name and phone number to the Clerk of Council.
We will try to be in touch before system is rolled out.”

 Residents wanting or needing an exemption from the giant toter requirement now know what to do:

Get your name on the Clerk of Council's exemption list..

Contact information for the Clerk, Jean Buchak:

440 461-2440, ext. 151 jbuchak@highlandhts.com

And if anyone gives you a hard time about putting your name on the list, tell them:
You are just doing what the Council President told residents to do.

Of course one resident had a different idea for dealing with the giant toters.
She proposed that residents park them at the Council President’s house (or the home of their ward Council rep) during the mandatory 60 day shakedown period….

Do you suppose that would get the message across?

CONGRATULATIONS AND BON VOYAGE
JEAN BUCHAK
If you want to get on Council Clerk Jean Buchak’s NO GIANT TOTER list you need to act fast.

After 50 years working for the city, Buchak is set to retire at the end of March.

Council will advertise the part-time position.
Resumes can be sent to Council President Cathy Murphy.

Act fast.
Council will be discussing filling the position during an executive session at a special meeting next Wednesday.

LET THEM DRINK….AND I DON’T MEAN WATER

Law Director Tim Paluf told Council on February 24^th that the new Chipotle (being constructed on the former Walt’s BP site, Wilson Mills and Alpha Drive) has applied for a beer license.
Residents will be able to sip beer and Margaritas on an outside veranda this summer-----

That is, if summer ever comes....

Paluf also reported that Grindburger’s (Wilson Mills and Brainard) liquor license (presumably the one originally owned by Catalano’s) doesn’t allow hard liquor to be served on Sunday.
Not a good thing for a restaurant…

And how old fashioned is that?

Residents will have to approve expanding the license.
No doubt Council will be asked to place an issue on the ballot allowing 7 day full liquor service at the restaurant.

If not, Grindburger can petition to get the issue before voters this fall.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS:

March 14^th, 11 am to 1 pm. HHts. Fire Department Open House. Everyone welcome.

March 14^th, 10 am to noon. Community Center. Family Easter party. Fee charged.

May 4^th, 7 pm, Community Center. Community discussion of city flooding and drainage issues.
May 15^th. Noon. Community Center.  New garbage contract informational meeting.

May 20^th. 7 pm. Community Center. New garbage contract informational meeting.

July 25^th. Community Day (also Councilwoman Lisa Stickan’s wedding day---congrats and best wishes!)