The Observation Deck

Not me.

I think they are doing a pretty damn good job, cutting $4 million from the budget.

However, we now need to find at least another $1.5 - $3 million.

Raise taxes?

Charge for trash pick-up?

Front yard trash pick up?

Cut more from the elderly?

Raise rates on permits?

OR

figure out something new.

Well, what are your thoughts?

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here's a few off the top of my head:

• An analysis of city employees' compensation and benefits; specifically looking at renegotiating with insurance carriers for lower premiums not less insurance. Also, look at Worker’s Comp claims and reserves to see what can be paid out to lower reserves and thusly premiums.
• A department-by-department review of large projects and expensive capital items and recommendations to delay some of those purchases.
• Reviews and recommendations to reduce fuel consumption in each city department. Does the City use a Fuel/Fleet management program(like Fuelman), for example?
• An examination of planned travel and training and ways to reduce those costs.
• Any ways to reduce contract or temporary labor, using city employees when possible.

Oh and Steve Hoffert has an excellent idea…tell ‘em Steve!

Jim---you never did get it, did you. Stan

Stan Austin wrote:Jim---you never did get it, did you. Stan

enlighten me.


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Three thoughts:

1. Add the “Lakeâ€￾ back in “Lakewoodâ€￾ by creating a marina at Lakewood Park waterfront – one of Lakewood’s biggest assets. The forward thinking, well-designed plans Savannah Farris created for the waterfront at Lakewood Park include a marina. Lakewood could pull in annual revenues of a half million to 1.5 million from dock fees alone.

2. Provide entertainment at Lakewood Park, almost every night of the week: bands, idol contests with radio stations sponsoring, movie nights, festivals, open air theater… Arts / entertainment would be provided free of charge to the public. Money would be made from food concessions. This is a tried and proven approach. Food concessions at Lakewood Park could be greatly improved and food could be added at Madison Park. Food ‘podsâ€￾ could be used, menu could be kept very simple. Many examples and models could be reviewed, including methods of underwriting. Would bring in revenue to city and drive additional money into Lakewood businesses.

3. “Going green to save greenâ€￾: Lakewood could become green AND save money on recyclables using RecycleBank. – incentive-based recycling. Conservatively, recyclables put out at each household would double. “In test neighborhoods, the amount recycled per household went from an average of 5 lbs to 35 lbs per week.â€￾

http://www.recyclebank.com/
Here's a video that appeared on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp ... 0#27286665

I agree why do we not have public access to our lake. We have the space and the will. We can make our lakefront the destination for NE ohio in the summer boosting the city's profile as well as tourist dollars.

It is not just Lakewood. There is a large of people that would kill for what we have. But we just squander it away with fancy walkways and highways.

Just a thought.

Barbara/Ruthie

One problem with some of your suggestions. Hoffert who has completely turned around the Oberlin Water Treatment plant to green, and money making projects, is talking of Lakewood Water Treatment Plant making $3 - $5 million dollars a year.

Savannah's Peninsula could add $200 million in taxable property, and as much as $10 million a year in additional funding for the city.

THE CITY IS ONLY LOOKING FOR $1.2 million.

That is way more than we need, and the other thing it would not allow for the privatization of many things that will be in the near future.

For those that forgot or do not know...

One of the best studies and ideas for Lakewood Ohio, what has become known as Savannah's Peninsula.

The story
http://lakewoodobserver.com/pdfs/Observ ... e%2001.pdf



Savannah did this as part of a course at Cleveland Institute of Art. My wife and I had the pleasure of going to the opening and it blew away everything else at the opening.

Savannah compiled 6 notebooks of information on the park now, the cost of running, property values, impact negative and positive, and to this day still the single best idea I have ever seen for this city.

It was on display for a party and viewing for 3 months in our archive room, and in that time came relators, developers, politicians from Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay, and Cleveland. Not one person had any real negative comments.

Developer Bob Stark thought it should be doubled in size noting that it would only cost a couple million more to build but would add possible another $200 million to the final value.

Relators loved the idea but noted, the $50 million dollar project might only generate $100 - $150 million in property value, that the city could sell and tax, or lease.

Savannah presented it to City Council, but there was no follow up, that I know of. Nate Kelly Lakewood's Planning Director seems open to the idea.

When thing stalled in Lakewood Savannah went out and found $20,000 of the needed $30,000 to do a "city study."

The items that impressed me most.
1) The project would pay for all the improvements she outlined to Lakewood Park. Including the stage and marina Barb mentions.

2) It not only incorporated all green construction, by learning centers as well.

3) It was truly visionary and would give much great press to Lakewood, even in the study phase.

4) It would add to property values in the immediate area.

5) It addresses the problem with Lakewood being built out.

6) It gave the few that cry out for high end stores, a high end area.

7) It gave Lakewoodites access to the lake, which every relator mentioned would add as much as 20% to the value of all homes in Lakewood.

8) Costs would be shared by the city and Army Corp of Engineers.


I still cannot believe the study has not been done.


FWIW


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I liked the idea of anexing into cleveland. make the new borders: the river to the west, I-90 to the south and West Blvd to the east.

Then build a new regional jail in the space at Madison and Berea Road. Build it big enough to take on overflow from the other western suburbs (billing them for the service). There's a couple hundred new local jobs right there.

acquire houses along the rail line, then tell CSX that they can quadruple rail traffic if they pay for additional over/under passes, sound barriers, and enough room for a commuter rail to parallel their line. RTA could make major cuts to the 55 routes with the addition of a couple rapid stops in Lakewood. Sell exclusive land lease rights to McDonalds, BK, etc. to have their restaurants at each location if they pay for and maintain an attached platform and ticket plaza.

I would also prefer to have additional costs attached directly to the particular budget shortcoming, as opposed to throwing out some new generic tax. For instance, if garbage pickup is costing more, then start charging people if they have more than a certain amount (say, two containers). Or go to a curbside pickup, but offer valet pickup for an additional charge.

Just a thought.

Hi,
Not sure if this goes here or not but I've been thinking about what the new President could do "New Deal/Big Bang" to help the broadest range of people and businesses. Universial Health care comes to my mind as a great new stimulus that would aid a broad spectrum of people, businesses and local and state governments.

If suddenly everyone was covered with health insurance equal to what Congress gets, couldn't our City government stop paying for health care promised via contracts with the City workforce?

That would save Lakewood a nice chunk of cash. And Lakewood businesses and the State of Ohio and the Auto Industry.

Also, I have heard many politicans from California calling for the "New Deal/BigBang" to cover infastructure improvements. I would think the peninsula would fall into that also. But without our local elected officials asking fo help to build it, I can't imagine the federal government giving us the funds for it. One think I'll credit Palin for was she got a bunch of federal dollars for her small town. She asked and they delivered. Time for Lakewood City Hall to start asking.

Donald Farris wrote: Universial Health care comes to my mind as a great new stimulus that would aid a broad spectrum of people, businesses and local and state governments.

Universal Health care won't do any of those things because some still has to pay for it. Health care won't get any cheaper just because it's paid through a 25% payroll tax.

It's a little like all of this nonsense about school funding reform. All it amounts to is the desire to get someone else to pay for it. Keep in mind that YOU are that someone else.

Anyway, the peninsula idea is one of the more sensible projects I have seen. It makes more sense than the proposed flats development or the Euclid Cooridor Project. However, develoment in Lakewood competes with development downtown and it is all about downtown.

I just read an aticle on some news website, maybe channel 5...dang I forgot and can't find it, but the mayor there said he was shutting down city offices for 3 days and that would save almost a million dollars. of course union workers are fighting him on that, but I could not believe how much money they would save if they shut down for 3 days. Wow

You know I really can't answer what I would do, that is why I work with dogs and not in politics. I can't even manage to balance my checkbook, or create a budget for the rescue, so doing it for a city would instantly put me in the room with the padded walls. (not that I am far off from going there now...LOL)

I created the Plan for Lakewood Park because I wanted to do something for the city that had given me so much. While creating the plan I tried to talk to everyone from the current mayor, Tom George, to the Lakewood historical society, to the chamber of commerce and countless residents. I tried to take in everyone's thoughts and make a "Place to Grow" for Lakewood where we could play, gather, learn and prosper. That is what Lakewood Park could be.
Presenting the plan to City Council and the mayor shortly after the completion of the project in 2006 I have meet with Our new mayor, Ed Fitzgerald and the new planning director Nate Kelly. I have tried to explain to all that I have spent a lot of time and effort on this plan because I care for the city, but this is where my area of expertise ends. I am not experienced in gathering funding for a feasibility study. This is something the city needs to say they want to do and they can go after the funding for a feasibility study. Nate Kelly told me that I would need to have the plan be adopted as part of our community vision by the planning commission. I have tried to contact Bill Grulich ti see when I could present the plan to the planning commission, but never got a response. That's where that plan currently stands. I haven't tried to contact Bill in a while, I will shoot Him another email and maybe I'll hear something from him now.

Savannah,

I met with you several years ago, told you that your plan is a good idea and I still think it has merit. Your dad lobbied me on your project and I have spoken to him at length on specific ways help bring your plan to fruition.

The reality is that the State of Ohio controls our shoreline and Lake Erie. Any lake front discussion has to go through Governor Ted Stickland, State Representative Michael Skindell, State Senator Dale Miller, The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority is the lynch pin to your project. Please see this link http://www.portofcleveland.com/ . The Port Authority has spent a considerable amount of money studying the possibility of moving of the port from its present location to East 55th. The present port location has about 80 acres and the new location will have 200 plus acres.

The new location will be created in Lake Erie from clean fill and dredging materials. The Port Authority has publically stated that all dredging materials from the navigation channels will go to their port relocation project for the next 10 to 12 years. There is limited capacity and funds for dredging our waterways.

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority has helped finance many huge development projects in the past and will continue to fund projects in the future. I can only imagine that the clean rubble / fill from the Flats East Bank project will go to the port relocation project, since the Port Authority is financing the Flats East Bank project.

Your plan will need support from U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, and U.S. Senator George Voinovich. I don’t just mean verbal or written support. They could attach funding to a future Bill that would actually fund the important and needed studies for this project. (Environmental Impact, Cost, Feasibility, and Jobs/Housing created…) After those studies are completed the Congress could help fund engineering and architectural plans. With the election of Barack Obama as President and the shift to a Democratic Congress, you may have some actual success in getting Federal funds.

You can approach the trades unions and ask for their support. Their support will help you when approaching all elected officials.


If your plan can be broken into pieces, you will have more success. The Lakewood Planning Commission has passed Wind Turbine Zoning legislation, which is in support of a portion of your plan. Can you believe that the first wind turbine project is in Clifton Park? Please see this link: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewoodsunpos ... xml&coll=4 .

I have stated to the City of Lakewood’s Planning and Development Director, Nate Kelly and State Representative, Michael Skindell that I will volunteer my time to help find foundation and private funding for a sustainable energy/education project at Lakewood Park. I believe that Michael Skindell and Nate Kelly would support a Lakewood Park sustainable energy/education project. I think Mayor Ed Fitzgerald and Lakewood city council members would also support that project.

The Lakewood Planning Commission voted to support the recent Veterans Memorial upgrade and reorientation of the memorial towards Lake Erie. We approved the proposal in August 2008 and the improvements were completed on Veterans Day, November 11, 2008. The project was completed mostly with private and in-kind donations and many volunteers.

I’m bringing this up because the project was moved forward by empowered volunteers. Some smaller projects in Lakewood Park can be completed with volunteer hours. Please see this link: http://www.ci.lakewood.oh.us/veteransmemorial.html .

The Lakewood Planning Commission is made up of seven community volunteers. I have personally given countless hours to your proposal. Are you willing to break down your proposal into smaller sections and also provide volunteer support?

Thank you,

Bill Grulich

Bill Grulich wrote: Are you willing to break down your proposal into smaller sections and also provide volunteer support?

Thank you,

Bill Grulich

Bill

Thanks for the input.

If I may be so bold. While every part of Savannah's plan is nice, and well thought out. The key is in the peninsula. Build that and it funds the rest. Break it down and the city goes broke trying to make it backwards.

The key is the developer's money for the land.

FWIW


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Savannah and Jim,

The concept and design of this project is truly visionary, but only in a theoretical sense.

Bill Grulich has done a good job of outlining the governmental hurdles that would have to be jumped to build such a project.

And, quite specifically, the only way that this type of new land can be created economically is through the dredging process. Any other method is quite simply too expensive when a profit has to be made. This is especially true when nearby on Berea Road there is underutilized land that would bring a far greater return on investment to any developer.

Actually, the only place in the whole world where this type of land creation has been possible because it is profitable in recent years has been Dubai where that country and city have made new land from sand that has been dredged. And, they have the booming economy which creates the demand and supports such a project. Northeast Ohio doesn't and won't for the next forty years.

Stan