Mayor's Report

With the holiday season behind us, the mayor’s office and City Council are initiating plans for 2024. City Council recently conducted the election of officers during its first meeting in January. Ward 4 Councilman Bob Carr will continue to serve as council president, and Ward 3 Councilman John Tomaselli will retain the position of vice president. Additionally, key roles within the council include Ken Kary as the Planning Commission representative, Alisa Novak as the Clerk of Council, and Cheri Lory as the Deputy Clerk of Council.

We also had reappointments to several of our Board and Commissions, including Steve Norris for the Planning Commission, Mike Maniche for the Board of Zoning Appeals, Paul Garcia and Adam Brown for our Design Review Board, Jay Byram for our Board of Building Code Appeals, and Tara Wrd for our Sign Review Board. Each volunteer board member brings specific knowledge and expertise to the board they serve, and we thank them for their time. We continue to seek future board members, and if you are interested in becoming a board or commission member, please contact the mayor’s office at 440-953-4124 or rfiala@willoughbyohio.com.

This year, we also embark on our Charter Review. This occurs every six years and is an opportunity to review the document that is effectively our constitution. The Chater Review Commission comprises representatives appointed by the city council and mayor. Commission members must be an elector of the city and cannot be a city employee. The charter review process will begin immediately and be complete by the end of June. If approved by council, the charter changes recommended by the Charter Review Commission will be on the November 2024 ballot and must be approved by the voters.

Finally, as we enter the snow season, we’d like to offer a few reminders. The first is to please be patient during heavy snow events. Our Service Department plows and salts main streets, such as Rt. 84, Rt. 91 and Euclid Avenue first, followed by police and fire stations, public parking lots, and finally, side roads and cul de sacs. Also, we may issue a parking ban when snowfall exceeds two inches. The parking ban allows our plows to work safely, efficiently, and without obstructions. We will post a notice of a parking ban on the Police Department and the City’s Facebook pages during a significant snowstorm.

Please stay safe and warm in the following months, and, as always, check our social pages and website for the most current information.