Council 11.05.2007

[Stan Austin]

President Robert Seelie called the election eve council meeting of November 5, 2007 to order at 7:35. The first order of business is the roll call. Edward FitzGerald (at large) was absent.

Normally, Seelie makes a motion to excuse the absence as he did this time. Michael Dever (at large) seconded the motion to excuse. Then Ryan Demro (ward two) questioned, as he has from the beginning of his tenure, the validity of any absence. The lack of response to Demro also followed pattern. The vote was taken with Demro voting against excusing FitzGerald’s absence.

Nickie Antonio (at large) then offered a resolution for one of Lakewood’s most fun fall contests. The resolution honored the winners of the Schoolchildren’s Decorated Windows of Detroit Avenue a Treat for Lakewood. In this contest, kids paint Halloween scenes on the storefront windows of participating businesses. It brings as much fun to shoppers and patrons as it does for the kids. Some pictures will be in the print version of The Observer.

Michael Dever then presented the outlines of a plan for safety on Lake Road. The Cleveland portion of Lake Road has been restriped for different lanes and traffic patterns. Next year Rocky River will repave Lake Road with similar lane markings. That leaves Lakewood in the middle which could cause traffic safety and congestion problems. Dever wanted the communication referred to the Public Works Committee for review.

Audience members are normally allowed to comment on agenda items as they are presented. Colletta Graham of Chase Avenue questioned Dever’s motives for this Lake Road recommendation. Her line of questioning seemed to indicate that Dever, who lives on Lake Road, is making these recommendations solely for his own benefit at the expense of Clifton Boulevard residents.

Two measures from the Finance Department, one on the agenda and one announced earlier in the week will drive the accounting and budgeting process into the new administration and new council.

Director Jennifer Pae presented an ordinance to authorize the formation of an Audit Committee. This has been a recommendation from the State Auditor’s Office for the past two years. It will provide for the independent review and oversight of the City’s financial reporting processes, the internal controls, and the auditor’s comments.

This committee would be comprised of members of Council and financial experts from the community. A key benefit is that it will provide a forum in which audit related issues can be candidly discussed with members of the governing body apart from management.

Earlier in the week, Pae began the communication of the Financial Strength and Stability Process which will update interested citizens and participants on the ongoing efforts to achieve a balanced budget of general fund revenues higher than expenditures for 2007 and create a structurally sound budget in 2008. This process is an outgrowth of the Grow Lakewood Committee which was established by Mayor George shortly after he took office. That committee has been chaired by Michael Summers, who will take a seat on council this January as the ward three representative.

These two initiatives will be drivers of the budgeting and auditing process.

Finally, in more comments from the audience, Colletta Graham questioned what she claimed were Lakewood YMCA memberships that showed favoritism to Lakewood Hospital employees as compared to ordinary people who wanted to join. Because the City has contributed to the construction of the new “Yâ€Â