[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6619753,"mediaKeyId","2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b","parentId",2828900,"title","Neighborhood asks city to partner on Ludlow school playground and field improvements","audioSeconds",481,"startMs",7101000,"endMs",7582000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b&start=7101&end=7582","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b/thumbnail_7101000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6619753/Ohio/Neighborhood-asks-city-to-partner-on-Ludlow-school-playground-and-field-improvements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619753-64cf56146e05d26085fd7010296db209/orig.mp4?Expires=1774988746&Signature=iIiB-x7q0jM8uLja8-2aFOhGwY17WRQylTaXhD6iDD9bei09E1eav-QZuNVaQLciL1Wtdw8NskPLhXPhnX5~GRAfoTvX2LjnKzRWDJgbNhettKayNep0kQ~gfiQPbVZ9T4Zj1G6oggesDXaa1uw2tqSjn~THVneGqhTZt9DIbdebWr4pRhlY8vXfXGEvIxRh2AB3Jxe4dFYd-TBJFlOiZv6595PD9xKKwoJECUla-YW7rXo2Pf8SIRCQ1WBKeQf-WG~aGKuK-qzMPrA2~UE81UZfRZgTO-b6mprlPTPkiLNbypQp2eBI4gFt8Ebf4keVbiK7ra19YycNtqxXgk72EA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Shaker Heights","date","2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","article","A neighborhood delegation urged Shaker Heights City Council March 31 to support playground and field improvements at Ludlow School as the district builds an early learning center on site.

Kevin Dreyfus Wells, who said he lives at 3021 Ludlow Road, told council a coalition of 30 neighborhood and community signers requested city participation in a multi-party effort to expand play facilities and create amenities for older children and community gatherings. \"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,\" Dreyfus Wells said, noting the nearby gap in playground and field access on the city's west side south of Van Aken.

Dreyfus Wells asked the city to join the school district, the Shaker Schools Foundation and neighborhood groups in funding and planning a playground and improved fields that would serve both school students and broader community recreation needs.

Mayor and staff response: The mayor reported he met with Superintendent Glasner earlier the same day and said discussions had been cooperative. The mayor said the school district's site design is near final and that the city stands ready to contribute on a partnership basis; he said staff had already begun investigating drainage issues on playing fields and that public works had identified probable causes and were evaluating options to address field ponding. \"We are getting very close,\" the mayor said, and told neighbors he would have further detail \"probably within a week or two\" on final designs and potential city participation.

Why it matters: Improvements at Ludlow would expand recreational opportunities in a part of the city that residents said lacks nearby play facilities for older children and that currently requires families to cross busy roads to reach alternate parks. The school's planned early learning center is under construction; residents argued the broader site plan should include amenities that serve multiple ages and the wider neighborhood.

Next steps: The mayor and public works staff will continue design and drainage work with the district; the administration said it will provide an update to council and the public when final design costs and funding plans are available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Shaker Heights - City Council - Mar 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents urged council to support a broader playground and field-improvement plan at Ludlow, asking the city to partner with the school district, Shaker Schools Foundation and neighborhood groups; mayor said he had met with the superintendent and expects a near-term update.","taxTitle","Shaker Heights City Council, Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",69171,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6619757,"Council approves series of contracts, grants, side-lot sales and capital items in unanimous votes",6584,506000,7090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b&start=506&end=7090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b/thumbnail_506000.jpg","/articles/6619757/Ohio/Council-approves-series-of-contracts-grants-side-lot-sales-and-capital-items-in-unanimous-votes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619757-3f0307aef2f56dc3e5e8518482e8532c/orig.mp4?Expires=1774988746&Signature=mwtrjch1UVHhiTtaMMnUvJSlGTM3rs0FfZSsZTkGlM0W3g3Q2jTadbeM27kzohZVZ8mqXH~Qkfx9imHEo1hEV-8GwTsZAMfoS6~~3n6Kjqx8oRFWBXXaOQPsHIB5Iw~VTbuJh0sPAletRSlhPrKzVpuuvtFNiLyLgEQ-BJbmI41nUiHo9jr0vapdYNb3S-LRB8wXfPsnMrgyZ4QZCTHVPcnIT3bTPXfz1ZNETtoU1lrOCuC9GC7eXEWfWvyTy7abcl8ffHaqNa7dkvh6cMiXU5ehrkJ4Orn9ewCTCct~cSh6fI1zfHshkUtnJGDZAMcclCiIOgX7gBIeWE~Hp7SVog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shaker Heights City Council approved a package of motions and ordinances March 31, including financing to support sewer capital work, contracts for planning and engineering, capital appropriations for park improvements, equipment financing for the public works department and a series of side-lot and small property transfers. Most items were adopted unanimously under suspension of the rules.

Key measures approved included:

- Sewer financing: Council approved issuance of $2,000,000 in bond anticipation notes to fund the city's multi-year sewer capital plan. Finance staff and the municipal advisor said BANs are more efficient for the city's immediate small-dollar financing needs than a full bond issuance; the plan is to roll these notes for the next three years and consider a bond when critical mass is reached.

- Professional services and capital contracts: Council authorized multiple consultant contracts on first reading, including:
- ZoneCo: up to $59,925 for a Lee Road zoning code update to implement the Lee Road Action Plan.
- Weber Murphy Fox: up to $140,000 to design a City Hall addition and renovate the old fire bay and lobby, including security and HVAC upgrades.
- Chagrin Valley Engineering: up to $477,500 for the Winslow-Avalon sewer study and design project (50% reimbursable grant from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District).
- DLZ Ohio Inc.: construction inspection services (estimated $75,000 for 2025 with options to renew through 2027).
- Zoneco and Chagrin Valley engineering contracts were reported as funded from capital line items or grant reimbursements as noted in memos.

- Capital projects and equipment:
- Hildana Park improvements: $200,000 in Cuyahoga County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and supplemental grant funds were appropriated for park improvements and coordinated public art.
- Vaccon sewer cleaner truck: Council authorized a six-year lease arrangement with NCL Government Capital for a 2025 Vaccon dual-engine combination sewer cleaner truck; the structure includes a sale-back arrangement after five years, with an annual lease payment of $102,234 reported by the administration.

- Human resources/IT relocation and inspection services: Contract approvals were granted to support City Hall renovations and to provide inspection staffing during the construction season.

- Fair housing and workplace protections:
- Council adopted a resolution proclaiming April 2025 as Fair Housing Month and reaffirmed the city's long-standing fair housing ordinance and partnership with the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research.
- Council adopted a resolution expanding the city's equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination based on natural hair texture and hairstyles, aligning local policy with the state CROWN Act passed in the Ohio House.

- Conditional use and land-use confirmations:
- Council confirmed a conditional use permit for Superior Academy Training Center to operate a specialized instructional school at 3649 Lee Road (training for up to 10 individuals in CPR, home health care and nursing assistance training).

- Side-lot and small property transfers:
- Council approved 17 separate transfers of city-owned side lots and small parcels to adjacent property owners (sales commonly for $1), each approved by separate ordinance so each conveyance becomes part of that property's title history and so challenges to any single title would not cloud others. Several transfers were conditioned on minor open housing-code items being resolved by May 30, 2025.

- Administrative housekeeping:
- Council approved a then-and-now certificate for an inadvertent purchase-order timing issue and fixed council compensation for the term starting Jan. 1, 2028 at $12,500 (no change from the current scheduled increase already adopted to take effect Jan. 1, 2026).

Votes and process: Many items were approved on first reading and under suspension of the rules, with unanimous or near-unanimous roll-call votes recorded. Committees (finance, safety & public works, planning) reviewed most contracts and recommended approval; memos cited funding sources, grant reimbursements, and public engagement schedules where appropriate.

Why it matters: The approved measures fund immediate capital work (notably sewer infrastructure and park upgrades), move forward zoning and planning work needed for Lee Road implementation, and transfer small city-owned lots to neighbors — a city priority to reduce maintenance burdens and encourage private stewardship. Several grants and reimbursement funding sources were identified in memos and committee discussions.

Administration follow-up: Departments committed to returning to council with reports or public hearings on larger land-use and zoning changes (zoning code updates will include public hearings at planning commission and council readings); grant-funded projects will be managed per grant timetables.","At its March 31 meeting Shaker Heights City Council approved bond anticipation notes for sewer work, professional contracts for planning and engineering, park and capital appropriations, equipment leases, and 17 side-lot transfers; most measures passed unanimously on first reading under suspension.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6619763,"Shaker Heights council authorizes mayor to select electric supplier after debate over RFP exclusions",1546,1030000,2576000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b&start=1030&end=2576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2828900-62e72a9fde6cbbcca0fc53460904dc6b/thumbnail_1030000.jpg","/articles/6619763/Ohio/Shaker-Heights-council-authorizes-mayor-to-select-electric-supplier-after-debate-over-RFP-exclusions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619763-a388276f073bad5cf8a019721f985357/orig.mp4?Expires=1774988746&Signature=HUnsXL4Ql2a1fttMiLowFnR3gYnVxJbHrMrfZGT8uXrrAK7lJq46VVqaYZFjdEWPO6NTFD8DEQt~c-w6Q~XgSBjkPvcsFv~ozRcCp~xK6ANhqERwqSJywWJJJ9LTSpaS0171j5O3N1CUEEC1s2e-uyTTIxF77Gb78Dlh~kcH~QY1uo-hQuBGtdsms2mSiipN2if9QVmR9BkYhsD~fgIKNkrSwGJ3v~q5rHuOAaA0gCaCShqXDhwX~SnHVDbh0-eWt014HTsXX6DC53vNVfpEwChmCsU3sxalxKk8ev1kzBhPea8dG0IPLIOSEiCmaM-s8ZwYWR4enc0--nCGXqph3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shaker Heights City Council voted 7-0 March 31 to authorize the mayor to select a supplier and enter an electric supply contract for the city's electric aggregation program, and declared the ordinance an emergency.

The ordinance gives the mayor authority to finalize a supplier after the administration refreshes proposals and negotiates terms. Director Gruber told council the city's administration requested the delegation because electricity markets are volatile and negotiating and locking a rate can require quick action that the formal legislative process does not always permit. \"It's hard to go through a process of nailing down proposals and rates and then having to start the legislative process because it does take time,\" Gruber said.

The decision followed public comment from resident Helen Sheehan, who urged council to reject the proposal, restart the RFP process and keep selection power with elected officials. Sheehan said the initial RFPs distributed in February had excluded the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) and the Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC), and that those organizations were contacted only after the March deadline had passed. \"This process creates the troubling appearance that a third party vendor who stands to gain 45' per megawatt hour from the chosen supplier has predetermined the outcome,\" Sheehan said, and asked council to restart the RFP or limit any contract to one year so the matter could be reconsidered next year.

Council and administration answered that NOPEC and SOPEC were later sent the request for proposals and that the city had received offers from DynaG (a Vistra-owned supplier), NOPEC and SOPEC. Jay Self, the city's aggregation consultant, told council all three proposals were close on price and recommended a shorter contract term — for example, a 12-month price with an option to re-enter the market next year — because market conditions remain unsettled.

Council members asked questions about the benefits of remaining independent versus rejoining an intergovernmental aggregator such as NOPEC. Gruber and consultants pointed to the city's prior decision to operate its own program (approved in 2022) as a way to avoid program adders charged by intergovernmental aggregators and to preserve flexibility for future local renewable sourcing. Councilmember Vixenstine and others expressed continuing concern about transparency and asked the administration to return promptly with contract details.

The motion to grant the mayor authority was moved by Councilmember Moore and seconded by Councilmember Bixenstein. The roll-call vote on suspension recorded all present council members voting aye; the ordinance passed.

The administration said it will notify council immediately after negotiating and executing a contract and will report why a particular supplier was selected and why others were not.

Why it matters: The city's choice affects thousands of residents enrolled in the aggregation program, the composition of the city's renewable energy supply (the proposals reviewed were for 100% green energy but used differing mixes and accounting mechanisms), and whether grant-like funds or community benefits tied to particular suppliers will be available to the city.

Next steps: The mayor will finalize supplier selection under the authority granted tonight. The administration said it will seek a relatively short initial term (one year) to preserve council review at the next contracting opportunity and will report back to council on the executed contract.","City council voted to allow the mayor to select an electric supplier for the city\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000aggregate program and declared the ordinance an emergency after discussion about RFP timing and the exclusion then later inclusion of NOPEC and SOPEC in the bid process.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Neighborhood asks city to partner on Ludlow school playground and field improvements

Council approves series of contracts, grants, side-lot sales and capital items in unanimous votes

Shaker Heights council authorizes mayor to select electric supplier after debate over RFP exclusions