During the past months, I’ve mentioned that last year was a “learning year”. The first order of business as a newly-minted Mayor was to understand the structure, policies, and procedures of our City. Equally important was becoming familiar with our departments and our staff as well as becoming fully acquainted with residents’ issues and concerns.

As we enter the new year, we are looking forward to growing our many outstanding events and adding a few more. We will also place additional emphasis on assisting the Downtown Willoughby Organization (DTWO) in order to support the growth o four merchants, restaurants and bars. For our Lakeshore District, we need to develop erosion control strategies for city-owned properties, For our residents living on the lakefront, we will continue to identify funding sources for erosion control measures by assisting in the creation of a Special Improvement District (SID). It would also be the appropriate time to evaluate land-use along our lakefront and begin to develop long-term plans for our shoreline.

Another important task for this year is to refresh our website to make it more user-friendly. This will include better navigation and more resident-requested features. The effort will take months, but we believe better and easier access to important information will make this effort worthwhile. Also, the expansion of our presence on social channels will be a priority in order

Finally, we will be evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of our many Boards, Commissions, and local organizations. I have been approached by many residents asking to become more involved in the city government and this is what makes Willoughby a great place to live, work and raise a family. Being a member of a Board or Commission is an excellent way to become an engaged citizen and we are always in need of community-minded citizens to fill positions within these groups. Specifically, those with planning, financial, business and development experience that will help foster thoughtful decision making. If anyone is interested in becoming a member of any of our Boards, Commissions or local organizations, please feel free to contact me via email at rfiala@willoughbyohio.com or at City Hall at 440.953.4124.

January is a time of New Year Resolutions, so here goes…

The first resolution for City Hall is to fully commit to our other resolutions. Too many of us start the New Year with great intentions to (fill in the blank) exercise more, eat healthier, sleep longer, save more only to quickly give up. Not that any of these are unimportant, we simply get distracted or overwhelmed by other daily obligations. It is a challenge for any of us to commit to and stick with our resolutions, it is a larger effort to keep an entire City focused on common goals and objectives. Understanding this, our New Year’s resolutions include:

• Re-imagining our Historic Downtown as an Arts, Entertainment and Cultural District. The first of its kind in three counties.
• Continuing our efforts in growing our Lakefront District a destination.
• Assisting our manufacturers in attracting a skilled and motivated workforce as well as helping promote the unique services and products they provide.
• Identifying underutilized commercial and manufacturing properties and creating strategies to make them more productive.
• Creating opportunities for new housing near our Historic Downtown.
• Working to create a balance in our merchants and restaurants in the Downtown mix in order to enhance day and evening activity.
• Providing access and activities along our riverfront.

These are ambitious objectives individually, an especially exciting challenge when considered collectively. The effort is more complex given the economic headwinds we face; stagnant revenues and increased expenses. Fortunately, the team assembled at City Hall is equal to the task and anxious to meet the challenge. We are committed to using each of our New Year’s resolutions to enhance the quality of life in our City and stimulate economic growth. This work will be challenging and we will face obstacles as we move forward, but with focus and a healthy work ethic, we expect progress. It will certainly require cooperation and collaboration from all stakeholders, but we are a City known for this.

For me personally, I resolve to exercise more, eat healthier, sleep longer, and save more. I know I will be successful through January, but I cannot guarantee how long after. I can promise our work for the City will be a year-long, intensive effort.

 

 

 

 

 

As we near the end of 2018 it is a great time to reflect on the challenges and successes Willoughby encountered in the past months. Change always brings excitement and concern and with a new Mayor, four new councilpersons and four new directors the past year has witnessed the remarkable resilience of our City. The encouragement from our residents for the administration has been overwhelming and has helped the transition to be smooth and effective. Our new councilpersons have eagerly assumed their responsibilities with the support and guidance of the three veteran council members. In all, our city government has continued to function at the same level of excellence expected by our citizens for decades. Collectively we are looking forward to an exciting New Year.

In looking back at 2018 we’ve had an emphasis on “branding” our Historic Downtown as and Arts, Entertainment and Cultural District. The effort was advanced with the creation of the Willoughby Arts Collaborative. This group of volunteers has been working to establish our Downtown as a premier location to experience the arts with the goal to increase traffic for our merchants and continue the success of our bars and restaurants. We have had outstanding cooperation from the downtown stakeholders and we are looking forward to a great collaboration in 2019. The City is also strengthening our relationship with the Fine Arts Association and their wealth of talented students and teachers to provide additional emphasis on the arts. Finally, we are delighted to see the start of construction of Courthouse Square, the much-anticipated residential development adjacent to the Willoughby Municipal Court, and the sale of the former Memorial Junior High School which will be remodeled into office space. We expect these projects will add new life to our city center.

In North Willoughby we have invested in more amenities at Osborne Park and we have been adding banners and flowers to match the character of our downtown. A private developer has started construction on a manufacturing warehouse facility at Lost Nation Airport that will add more jobs for our city and help sustain the airport. Also, we are getting increased interest in new commercial construction along the Lost Nation Corridor and we will continue to solicit others to invest in convenience retail to support the new housing in this area.

Overall this has been another great year for Willoughby. While we have challenges ahead of us we are blessed with dedicated professionals at City Hall, Service, Police and Fire as well as intelligent and cooperative Council members committed to serving their constituents. It is wonderful time of the year to give thanks!

 

 

 

 

I may have confused a few residents with last month’s report. To clarify, the former Memorial Junior High School is the building sold to developers to be renovated as office space with adjacent townhomes and ranch-style duplexes. This is the property that recently housed the Indian Museum. The current Middle School on Ridge Road near the High School will be demolished after the High School additions and renovations are complete. The site will then become practice athletic fields.

Our road and road striping programs are complete with nearly $1 million dollars of improvements over the past summer. Our City Engineer and Service Director will soon begin their review of repairs for next year and, as always, this list is developed based on need and age of streets. We are also planning significant repairs to Erie Street next year in conjunction with Lake County’s water main replacement in Downtown. Finally, we have started the engineering associated with road and walk repairs on Erie Street adjacent to the railroad tracks by Sheraton Furniture, Brim and Spirits of Willoughby. As the schedule for these projects become more defined, we will alert our residents through our website.

Yard waste pickup has ended and leaf pickup will continue through the month of November and please remember to bring your leaves to the tree lawn, but not in the street. Our crews will be continuing pickup for as long as weather permits. The schedule for these activities as well as the schedules for all public meeting can be found on the City of Willoughby website. Agendas and minutes of all meetings can be found here as well.

As we enter the holiday season, please check our website and Facebook page for events. The Squash Hunger scavenger hunt is currently underway in downtown Willoughby through November 10^th. Next up is Shop Small Saturday on November 24^th. This is a great way to experience and support our local merchants, restaurants and bars.  Our “official” kickoff to the season begins with our Christmas Tree lighting on Thursday, November 29^th at 7:00 pm and throughout that weekend our Downtown Willoughby Merchants are planning an exciting series of events and shopping experiences that have been re-imagined for a family-friendly experience. We encourage you to experience the Downtown holiday lighting on Thursday, Holiday Stroll on Friday, Miracle on Erie Street 5K and Breakfast with Santa on Saturday.

Wishing everyone a great Fall season!

 

Summer 2018 has been great for Willoughby! On August 31^st we celebrated the groundbreaking for Phase I of the Courthouse Square Apartments. This project will eventually include 64 luxury apartments near our Downtown. On the same day, we sold the Willoughby Middle School property to a development team that will construct 6 new ranch-style duplexes and 7 new townhomes. The former Middle School will be renovated as office space and is fully leased. These projects will help grow both our income tax base as well as our property tax base. We are excited and pleased to see these projects underway.

November 2018 also brings the mid-term elections. This election includes four charter amendments for consideration. Every six years the Mayor and council appoint a Charter Review Commission to identify any changes, updates or corrections suggested for this document. A brief description of each amendment follows:

Issue 7

Proposed Charter Amendment – Shall Article III, Section 1 be amended to provide that the term for each member of Council shall commence on the first day of January following the council member’s election?   The January 1^st day was recommended by the Commission to ensure no time gap in the event of an elected Council member’s change or retirement.

Issue 8

Proposed Charter Amendment – Shall Article III, Section 5 be amended to provide for the Vice President of Council to have the authority to perform the duties of the President of Council in the absence of the President of Council?   This recommendation expressly formalizes the role of Vice President of Council.

Issue 9

Proposed Charter Amendment – Shall Article IV, Section 1 be amended to provide that the Mayor of the City of Willoughby upon election shall commence and assume office on the first day of January following the Mayor’s election?   This recommendation to a January 1^st date was recommended to close potential time gaps when there is an elected Mayor change and/or retirement from the office of Mayor.

Issue 10

Proposed Charter Amendment – Shall Article VI, Section 5 be amended to delete and eliminate in its entirety this Section 5 and its language reading “This article and all ordinances, rules, and regulations shall be liberally construed to give effect to the beneficial distribution of population, and the orderly development, improvement and general welfare of the City”?   The Commission believes this language to be confusing and subject to varying interpretations.  As such, the Commission recommends its removal.

Thank you to the Charter Review Commission for this excellent work. Members include Jim Ralston (Chairman), Greg Patt (Secretary), Steve Norris, Joe Farroni, Brian Lutz, Al DiFranco, Bruce Shade, Jeff Mackey, and Lawrence Gradwell.

 

This has been an exciting and busy summer. The gazebo concerts and our four summer events, the Rib Burn-Off, Classic Car Cruise-In, ArtsFest and Last Stop Willoughby, were huge successes. In addition, Willoughby hosted a boat parade and display for the Offshore Powerboat races. The event organizers informed me that our parade was the third most successful event they sponsored this year after Key West and Sarasota, Florida. Every year, our events continue to improve and we will increase our efforts to make our Downtown a fun, family-friendly environment. Also, in anticipation of the ArtsFest, we introduced the Willoughby Arts Collaborative. This group of local artists, arts administrators, and arts supporters are offering their talents and experience to reinvent our downtown as an Arts, Entertainment and Cultural District. You may have noticed the painted crosswalks, custom-designed bike racks and “Art Happens. Willoughby” window clings throughout our downtown. This is the beginning of our messaging to identify Willoughby as an arts-friendly community. Similar efforts are in the planning stages.

In addition, we are also placing an emphasis on growing our merchant base as well as helping our merchants flourish. Our Economic Development team is in daily communication with our downtown shop owners and assisting them with event planning and marketing. Our goal is to increase retail customer activity during the weekdays and weekends. In doing this we believe we will provide additional patrons for our restaurants and bars. We are also working to fill vacant tenant spaces with fresh retail merchants.

We are pleased to announce that several new housing projects are planned in and near Downtown Willoughby. The much-anticipated Courthouse Square project, located adjacent to our Municipal Court, is starting construction, and four townhomes are planned near City Hall. Seven new townhomes and six ranch-style duplexes will also start construction in spring at the former Willoughby Tech Center (Indian Museum) site. This housing will be fresh, unique and aimed at attracting young couples and seniors to live within walking distance of our downtown.

Finally, you may have noticed additional planters and banners along Lakeshore Boulevard in our Lakeshore Gateway District. In collaboration with local landowners and merchants, we are aggressively working to create a second activity hub in our City. With the recent improvements at Osborne Park, including a walking trail, pavilion, and parking near our lakefront, and the addition of the Sunday market, we have increased amenities for our residents along the Lost Nation/Lakeshore Boulevard corridor. We are also in the process of developing an event schedule for our “north coast” to boost activity in this area.

With summer ending, the excitement of a new school year and a busy fall is here. Keep up to date on city events on the City of Willoughby Facebook page. Have a great Labor Day!

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is a great time of the year. After a long winter sequestered indoors and limited contact with others we can finally journey outdoors and re-connect with friends and neighbors. It is also a great opportunity to experience the monthly events sponsored by our civic organizations. These include:

• Downtown Willoughby Car Cruise-In on Saturday, June 16^th from 4:00PM to 10:00PM. This event showcases great motor vehicles. Proceeds from the Cruise-In are used as donations to The Glenn Sheffield, Kenneth F. Stafford Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Willoughby Food Bank, and Toys for Tots. Any additional proceeds go directly back into the community.
• ArtsFest on Saturday July 21^st from 10:00AM to 6:00PM. Sponsored by the Willoughby-Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce, this popular event showcases artists and craftsmen from throughout the region and it is a great opportunity to visit our local craftsmen, merchants and restaurants. This year we are planning a downtown surprise immediately after the event that will display unique artworks of a much larger scale!
• Last Stop Willoughby on Saturday, August 18^th from 10:00AM to 5:00PM. Sponsored by the Heart of Willoughby, the event includes free narrated Trolley Tours of the historic areas in and around the downtown area; a Kids-Zone located in Point Park with arts, crafts, and face painting;  Trains at Your Place will return with their model train layout around the fountain that provides kids the opportunity to be the train operator; music in the gazebo; and The Willoughby Library will be hosting an elaborate train layout made entirely of Legos.

These events are free and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon in our community. While Downtown we encourage you to shop at our local merchants and enjoy our great food and beverage establishments.

Spring is also a great time to consider a few “good-neighbor” behaviors. One is to remember to keep all dogs leashed when Downtown. Some adults and many children are nervous around pets they are unfamiliar with. Also, pets have accidents. Please clean up after them.

We also encourage our residents to follow city ordinances regarding the use of equipment and tools during early morning hours, the disposal of grass clippings and yard waste and property maintenance in general. These ordinances are meant to enhance our property values and maintain the quality of life in our City.

Finally, we asked that all residents keep “eyes on the street”. If you observe suspicious vehicles, people or activities please report these to our Police Department. Our safety forces rely on community involvement and we have a shared responsibility to look after our neighbors.

Have a safe and wonderful Summer!

 

 

https://willoughbyohio.com/office-of-the-mayor/mayors-report/mayors-report-3/

 

At the age of 14 I went to work.

I didn’t come from a broken home, nor did my dad lose his job. I and my siblings had shoes and we didn’t walk uphill in the snow to school both ways. I came from a middle-class family with a strong work ethic and simply decided I wanted to work. But finding a job isn’t the real story, it’s the type of job I found. Shortly after eighth grade I began working in construction and continued through summers and school breaks until my graduation from college. These nine years were the most transformative of my adult life. Besides learning to curse from the company truck driver, Joe, working in construction taught me the value of planning, execution and craftsmanship. I learned that after a physically exhausting day I could point to a real, physical accomplishment. I discovered that working with your hands was valuable and important.

After five years of college I began a professional career as a “knowledge” worker. Those of us that obtained college degrees and went to work primarily in offices. However, I have retained a close connection to those that work in the skilled trades or manufacturing. These workers possess abilities learned from generations of others who did similar tasks before them. Clearly the tools and machines are better, there are higher levels of technical skills required and the projects and products are more sophisticated and challenging. But at the end of each day or task there is something tangible to see, touch and experience. There is dignity in making things.

Today, because so many of us decided to become knowledge workers there is a troubling shortage of those willing to work with their hands. Manufacturers are starving for a trained workforce and construction prices and schedules are impacted by a labor shortage. We are already experiencing the quality and cost issues associated with the loss of a valuable portion of our workforce.

Fortunately, there are opportunities to correct this compounding problem. One of these is located here in Willoughby, The Northern Career Institute. Located in the former North Coast Lincoln-Mercury dealership, NCI includes programs in Auto Collision, Auto Services, and Welding, among others. These are important and well-paying careers where we know there is a significant lack of talent. In a highly creative move, Mayfield Schools will be occupying a structure near NCI to initiate a construction trades training program. These are challenging and fulfilling career paths that are a perfect fit for those who prefer to be “makers” rather than office dwellers. I am hopeful that we will begin to celebrate and support this new generation of tradespeople.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So a contractor, a steelmaker and an architect walk into a bar…

Sounds like the beginning of a joke, doesn’t it? Well it isn’t a joke and we didn’t walk into a bar, we walked onto Eastlake City Hall. Over the past months Mayors Rich Regovich from Willowick, Dennis Morley from Eastlake and I have been working together to investigate new ways to pool resources and develop strategies to help our communities.

Collaboration seems to be the new catchphrase in business, education and government and when it does occur the efforts of a group generate larger successes than any of its members can individually achieve. However, for people or organizations to pool resources for shared goals there must be a sense of common purpose and the ability to cooperate as equals.

Willoughby, Willowick and Eastlake are working on several initiatives that will help our cities in several ways. We are currently involved is securing funding for a study of the Vine Street corridor from Lakeshore Boulevard in Willowick, through Eastlake and to Erie Street in Downtown Willoughby. Our hope is this study will help re-imagine a heavily trafficked corridor into a more pleasant experience with a broader mix of uses. Eastlake has already seen interest in light manufacturing and national food chains are aggressively looking at opportunities in the area. A logical first-step in this process is to evaluate the zoning codes of all three cities in an effort to make them consistent.

Another collaborative initiative will be to investigate opportunities for our lakefront from Willowick to Willoughby. Willowick has already secured a grant for a study and Mayor Regovich is assisting Mayor Morley and me in securing additional study funds for our cities. This is extremely important for all three communities as one of our most important assets is our common lakefront.

Finally, we have started discussions with Mayor Barbish of Wickliffe to identify common economic development strategies. The challenges of growth in our four cities are similar, but different from other communities in Lake County. We share similar aging housing stock, underutilized industrial sites and commercial properties needing improvement. We believe that a thoughtful and consistent plan of action can be employed to help each city.

All of the efforts mentioned will require immense effort and patience. Federal, State and local funding for studies is extremely competitive and city revenues are stable or declining. It will require the combined resources of all western Lake County communities to make a significant impact.

So a contractor, a steelmaker and an architect walk into city hall…

Stay tuned for the conclusion.

 

January 17th was Pearl Richards birthday.

This may seem unimportant to some, but it is important for Willoughby. Pearl was 100 years old the first of the year and she and her family represent the stories of so many of us who came to our city, raised families and over the years created the rich tapestry we call Willoughby.

Pearl has lived through the terms of 13 presidents and 8 mayors (including me). She was born at the end of one world war and lived through another. Her family endured the Great Depression and the Great Recession. Pearl has experienced the invention of television, mobile phones, computers, social media and fake news. Through this, Pearl has maintained the grace and wisdom that 100 years bestow on people. She is alert, self sufficient and happiest in the company of her family of three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Moving to Willoughby from Georgia through Cleveland in the late 1940’s, Pearl was not one to take a decision as to where to raise a family lightly. She researched many communities before deciding to move to our City. A few years later Pearl and her husband built a new home. One of her daughters remembers getting “dressed-up” to go to the bank and meet with the bank president (who was also the mayor) for a loan. With a growing family and limited budget, they couldn’t afford to finish the interior or a heating system the first winter. Pearl speaks of this not with contempt, but with pride. She is also proud that her children, grandchildren and now great grandchildren attended and attend Willoughby schools. Pearl represents what thousands of young couples before and after yearn; a great community to build a home and a family. As Pearl’s daughter stated “Living in a great neighborhood with wonderful neighbors, and being a wonderful neighbor herself, has enriched her life and probably added years to her life.”

Today, Pearl stays active with gardening and quilt-making. She has given away over 90 quilts to families and missions.

Pearl Richards’ birthday is important. It is a home-grown story of a woman and her family, their devotion to each other and the community in which they live. It is a story that we want to see recreated in the coming years, with new young families moving to our City, becoming established community members, and raising their children and grandchildren.

Thank you Pearl and Happy Birthday. I look forward to seeing you again next year on January 17.