The Citizen-Powered Community Newspaper WESTLAKE | BAY VILLAGE 5.6 • 19 MAR 2013 FREE FREE TO READ! FREE TO WRITE! SUBMIT YOUR STORY ONLINE BY MARCH 29 Community News & Views Written by the Citizens of Westlake & Bay Village • Join in at www.wbvobserver.com Business growth, sound planning keep WESTLAKE’S ANNUAL EASTER Westlake stable in tough economy EGG HUNT SET FOR MARCH 23 by Al Psota prizes. The scramble will be repeated at 1:30 p.m. for ages very year since 1955 the seven to ten. Westlake Town Criers Simultaneously there is a Ehave sponsored the non-competitive egg hunt for annual city Easter Egg Hunt. children up to age three. Mr. This year the event will be and Mrs. Easter Bunny will be held on Saturday, March 23, at passing out candy and will be the playground in front of the available for pictures. There Westlake Recreation Center, will also be face painting and 28955 Hilliard Blvd. refreshments by the members Promptly at 1 p.m., chil- of Westlake High’s National dren ages four to six will take Honor Society, and a raffle to off on a scramble for wrapped win large stuffed animals. candy and in search for spe- There is no charge and a cial eggs redeemable for good time is had by all. Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough explains the city’s action plan for a challenging economy during his March 12 State of the City address before the West Shore Chamber of Commerce at LaCentre. by Tara Wendell One of the things that makes hrough diligent planning, Westlake“ a very attractive community dedicated employees and Tcommunity reinvestment, is simply [that] we do manage the Westlake has maintained its status taxpayers’ dollars pretty wisely over the past year as a premier ” destination for residents and objectives set for the year. Westshore, and in some cases, businesses alike, Mayor Dennis Mayor Clough said Westlake the county, while income tax Clough told members of the West sits in a strong financial posi- rates have been steady for the Shore Chamber of Commerce on tion, calling it “pretty much debt past twenty years. Clough, a cer- March 12. In his 28th annual State free,” with a “higher bond rating tified public accountant, credits of the City address, Clough high- [AAA] than the U.S. government.” his city’s diverse economic com- lighted the achievements of each In accordance with city goals, position and responsible fiscal city department and measured his Westlake’s property tax and sewer management. administration’s progress toward rates remain the lowest in the » See CLOUGH, page 2 Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny at last year’s Easter egg hunt. League of Women Voters forum Bay civic groups team up explores city, county collaboration for ‘Fly a Flag’ project by Conda Boyd by Deb Marisch hree Bay Village civic organizations – American Legion ounty officials Ed Jerse and Dale Miller Post 385, Bay Village Kiwanis and Martha Devotion kicked off the League of Women Voters– THuntington Chapter Daughters of the American CCuyahoga Area’s three-part forum on Revolution – have teamed up to help Bay residents show regionalization on March 5 at Bay Village’s Dwyer their patriotism. Center. Both speakers emphasized opportunities If you are a Bay resident with limited abilities or funds, for voluntary collaboration among cities, as well you can obtain a 3-by-5-foot outdoor American flag, flag as between cities and the county. Both stated that pole and bracket installed at your home at ground level. mergers between political entities are not the first (Homeowner assumes all responsibility for the flag bracket’s choice, given local communities’ desire to preserve installation location.) their identities, as well as the expense and length of The flag, brackets and labor are completely free and all time to effect mergers. parts are made in America! Mr. Jerse, Cuyahoga County’s Director of To have a flag set installed at your Regional Coordination, cited the county’s 59 com- home, phone 440-871-7680 or email deb@ munities signing a landmark anti-poaching agree- spfutures.com between April 1 and Memo- ment, promising not to attempt to persuade busi- rial Day (May 27). Requests will be taken nesses to relocate within the county. Ed Jerse discusses Cuyahoga County Executive while supply lasts; first come, first served! » See FORUM, page 10 Ed FitzGerald’s policies of regional collaboration. 2 WESTLAKE | BAY VILLAGE OBSERVER • 19 MARCH 2013 services company Equity Trust and CLOUGH Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Center, a continued from front page Civic Writers and Photographers 30,000-square-foot recreational facil- ity. Mayor Clough stated that Ameri- Would you like to learn more about writing stories or taking photos “One of the things that makes West- can Greetings is moving forward with to be published in the Observer? We’ll be sponsoring two programs lake a very attractive community is simply design work, while waiting for approval at our local libraries to help citizen writers and photographers [that] we do manage the taxpayers’ dol- to construct its new headquarters in fine-tune their skills. Both programs will be presented by lars pretty wisely and we have a good, Crocker Park. Bob Rosenbaum, adjunct professor at the Kent State School of economically diverse base,” Clough said. The city has a number of infrastruc- Journalism & Mass Communications. Westlake takes a conservative posi- ture projects ahead, Clough said, namely We hope to see you at one or both of these upcoming free workshops: tion with regard to revenue estimation improvements to Clemens Road and the and uses “worst case scenario” plan- Bradley/Detroit intersection, as well as a Thursday, April 4, 7 p.m. ning for expenditures. This approach handful of projects in the design phase, Westlake Porter Public Library has helped the city meet its objective of including the I-90/Columbia corridor, “Photography for Citizen Journalists” controlling costs and keeping expendi- two Canterbury Road intersections and tures below the level of general operating the Bradley Road storm sewer. A simple workshop on how to take photographs for citizen media. revenue for at least the past several years. Mayor Clough hopes to soon have a With a constant eye toward increasing resolution to the matter of switching the Wednesday, May 8, 7 p.m. efficiencies, Westlake managed to main- city’s water supplier from Cleveland to tain a high level of service to its residents Avon Lake, which is currently tied up in Bay Village Branch Library while spending $3 million less in 2012 court, saying he “still feel[s] it’s in the best “Reporting for Citizens: An easy path to than in 2006. interest of the city of Westlake to change … Westlake benefits from a thriving because it gives us more control over our covering your community like a pro” commercial sector, with roughly 73 busi- maintenance as well as the opportunity to A step-by-step workshop for citizen journalists to find, report and nesses opened, expanded or relocated use resources that are generated from the write about the people, news and events in our community. in Westlake last year. Aside from notable sale of water to replace water lines.” exceptions including St. John Medical Under the current agreement, Clough Center, Hyland Software and TravelCen- explained, the city of Cleveland will repair Writers might also be interested in the following program sponsored by ters of America, most of the growth has water lines, but Westlake is responsible Cuyahoga County Public Library: occurred on a smaller scale. for the cost of replacement. “It doesn’t Monday, April 15, 7-8:30 p.m. “The key to economic growth often make any sense for the city of Westlake is the result of the expansion of small to replace a road without taking care of Bay Village Branch Library businesses,” Clough told the Chamber the infrastructure underneath that road.” Less Is More: Editing Your Own Writing, From members, “so we’re very pleased that so Already Westlake’s longest serving many businesses have invested in our mayor, Clough expects to pass the three- Memos to Novels community.” decade mark during his next term, telling Editors love writers who turn in clean copy. Learn techniques for 2013 will bring a much-anticipated the crowd of community business leaders making your own writing more correct, concise and compelling. Led Nordstrom Rack store, a consolidated that he has been advised that he will be by journalist Frank W. Lewis, former editor of Cleveland Scene and headquarters building for the financial unopposed in the November election. Cleveland Free Times, current executive director of Ohio City Writers. Registration required at cuyahogalibrary.org. Over 500 citizens WARD OF DI E A STI have contributed to AK NC L T T I S 2011 O E the Observer N W WINNER H E ★★★ N The Westlake | Bay Village Observer is a hyperlocal PRODUctION OFFICE R IO ITA AT community newspaper and website written by, 451 Queenswood Drive GE P RESER V for and about the residents of Westlake and Bay Bay Village, Ohio 44140 Joint Pain of the Knee & Hip: Village, providing perspectives and information 440-409-0114 about topics and events in our community. Fax 440-409-0118 “Diagnosis Through The mission of the Westlake | Bay Village Copyright ©2013 The Westlake | Bay Village Observer. Observer is to inform, involve and energize the All rights reserved. Any reproduction is forbidden community through citizen participation of without written permission. Treatment Options” 500+ community writers. PuBLISHER, COMMunity advocate - We encourage residents of all ages in Westlake Denny Wendell • [email protected] and Bay to join in and share stories, photos, and SENIOR EDITOR – Tara Wendell information about our great communities.