City Prepares for Round of Union Bargaining Agreements

With plenty of uncertainty, the administration is preparing for negations with all seven of the city’s unions.

There are 450 employees in the city of Lakewood, and 390 of them belong to a union. All seven contracts for Lakewood’s seven unions are set to expire at the end of this year.  The city’s administration is getting ready for negotiations at the bargaining table, expected to begin this fall. “In order to prepare for that — and do it thoughtfully — it takes serious consideration,” said Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers. “And we labor with an enormous uncertainty with income tax collections, we not sure of our tax valuations, but we’re reasonably sure of what the state’s cuts are.” Lakewood city officials began adjusting its books last year when Kasich signed the state’s two-year budget, which slashed the city’s local government fund to the tune …

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Questions, Concerns Over New Drug Mart Proposal

About 50 residents attended a community forum to learn more about the new developments on Detroit Avenue.

What about an increase in traffic? What about the project’s proximity to Garfield Middle School? What happens if Discount Drug Mart is a bad neighbor? Those were among the questions from residents attending a forum on Wednesday to discuss the plans for a new Discount Drug Mart at the site of the former Ganley auto dealership on Detroit Avenue.  Hosted by the city, a crowd of about 50 people attended the community forum. The company — with its multi-million-dollar renovation already under way at Lakewood Plaza — has plans to move its eastern Lakewood location to the corner of Cohassett and Detroit avenues. Plans call for a red brick structure, 92 parking spaces, a drive-thru, and green space that includes space for a bio-retention swale.  …

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Abandoned Ganley Dealership Eyed for New Drug Mart

Value World eyed as tenant to take over the pharmacy’s space at 11900 Detroit Avenue.

Discount Drug Mart is looking to expand its presence in the city. The company — with its multi-million-dollar renovation already under way at Lakewood Plaza — has plans to move its eastern Lakewood location to the abandoned Ganley auto dealership at the corner of Cohassett and Detroit avenues. Value World, a thrift store at W. 107th Street and Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, is considering a move into Drug Mart’s vacated location, according to officials. The former auto dealership's showroom building would be demolished — along with an apartment building and vacant house at the rear of the property — to make way for a 24,000-square-foot Drug Mart, according to plans submitted to the city on Tuesday. Plans call for a red brick structure, 92 …

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Lakewood Eyes New ‘Community Vision’

The last time the city updated it long-term planning document was 1993.

A lot has changed in Lakewood since 1993. That was the last time the city updated its “Community Vision,” a document that outlines the state of the city and provides an outlook for the future. About 75 people attended the city’s first workshop to update that plan at the University of Akron Lakewood campus on Monday night. “The work that was done in the 90s was the first attempt to articulate what’s important to Lakewood,” said Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development.  “We’re going to build on that. We’re going to refine it, because the world has changed dramatically in 20 years.” Back in 1993, the planning commission, along with residents, civic and business leaders identified four areas of concern to develop over a …

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100-Year-Old Tree Comes Down in Lakewood

A big shout-out to the city's streets and forestry division.

Editor's Notebook

Area Lawmakers React to Obama's Support of Same-Sex Marriage

What do you think of the president's support of gay marriage?

On May 9, President Obama became the first U.S. president to issue a statement of support  for gay marriage. "Same sex couples should be able to get married," he said.          State Rep. Nickie Antonio — one of the first openly gay state legislators in Ohio history — called the president's announcement "historic." "It's very affirming to have the president say that he believes our lives should matter and be considered equal to everyone else's," she said. "What's not to love about that?" Antonio, as a state representative, isn't even allowed to leave her pension to her partner, she pointed out. She called this week a "roller coaster" for gay rights in America, pointing to a measure in North Carolina that bans same-sex marriage and civil …

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Linda Beebe

8:50 am on Monday, May 14, 2012

Wow! That is well said. I have never been able to understand why some people insist that theirs is the only WAY and brook no disagreement orm discussion. There is an arrogance about evangelism I find really disconcerting.   more ›

Lakewood Eyes Changes to Tall Grass, Weeds Ordinance

If you’re neglecting your lawn, you might have to pay up.

If the city of Lakewood mows the lawn of a negligent property owner, the price may be going up. Under current ordinance, the city charges $100 per hour to visit a property with out-of-control vegetation.    But a proposed change, introduced to Lakewood City Council on Monday, would increase the fee to $200 per visit or the actual cost of the visit — whichever is higher.  “When a property owners is put on notice that they’ve haven’t cut their grass, we give them time to mow their lawn,” said Lakewood Law Director Kevin Butler. “When they don’t, we have the option to send in a crew to cut the grass, and we can charge the owner.” In a letter to city council, Jennifer Pae, the city’s finance director, said that the change would “eliminate the …

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Christina Cocchiarale Ward

9:21 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Bill Craig, WELL SAID!   more ›