Village Budget

The village budget for 2025 is nearly complete and a meeting of the Committee of the Whole will be scheduled during the first week of November to review. The budget will remain on readings for the November 11, November 25, and December 9 meeting of Council. If all goes according to plan it will be passed on December 9 and the village will start the new fiscal year with an approved budget for the first time in ages. (Possibly ever? If you know the answer, please share.)

Sidewalks

Rob Jamieson shared that the 2024 sidewalk program is underway, with approximately 700 linear feet of sidewalk being replaced in the Senlac Hills neighborhood.

He also said that for 2025 the Streets & Service Department will conduct a village-wide sidewalk assessment to identify damaged or unsafe areas in need of replacement. They have found a new source for sandstone slabs, and are updating the cost-sharing policy for homeowners who want to maintain that historic material.

If you have concerns about specific areas please let me know and I will make sure they are included on this list.

2025 Budget

The Finance Director is preparing a rough draft of the 2025 budget – it should be ready by the end of the week. The Administration & Finance Committee has scheduled a meeting to review it on October 28 at 6:30 pm. The entire council will review it at a Committee of the Whole meeting to be scheduled in early November.

Grove Hill Park

Erinn is waiting on Rob to schedule an on-site Facilities & Services Committee meeting for a walk-thru of the property.

Jaycees Events

The Chagrin Valley Jaycees plan once again to host Oktubafest on Saturday, October 26 in Triangle park. Deck the Falls will return on December 7 and 14 from 11:00 to 3:00. We voted to recommend both events and they will be presented to Council on October 14.

Riverside Playground

I again suggested that we add benches along the northeast side so there is somewhere to sit with sight lines of the play area for older kids. Rob Jamieson confirmed that those will be added to the budget for 2025. John Brockway mentioned that the turtle sculpture and an additional trash can will return to the east end as soon as a concrete pad can be poured, possibly this year but more likely next.

Food Trucks by the Falls

The Jaycees plan to return to Triangle Park and North Franklin Street for Food Trucks by the Falls on September 28 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. For the last few years this event has been held on the day of the Community Yard Sale, and the Parks Commission voted to recommend it again to Council which I will do on September 9th.

Strategic Plan Updates

Council’s Facilities & Services Committee is requesting money in the 2025 budget to hire a firm and conduct a community survey. Unlike in past years – when the budget is not prepared until after the new year – the administration has been asked to present the budget to council for approval before the holidays, so it can be approved and in effect on January first. I’m hoping that happens, so the process to select the firm that will conduct the survey can start early in the year and we have the results sooner.

We looked at an extension to the village contract with Kimble Recycling & Waste Disposal, a contract amendment to address cost increases to the Police and Fire Renovation project, and discussed plans to conduct a community-wide survey in 2025.

Short-Term Rentals

Council passed Ordinance 2024-38 by a vote of 6-1. This ordinance creates a requirement for anyone renting a room or entire home for less than 30 days to register annually with the village, and meet safety standards.

I didn’t vote for it because – as written – the process is opaque and complaint-driven. Registered Short-term Rental properties won’t be listed on the village website, so there will be no easy way for neighbors to know which properties are legal. Registrations are not required to be displayed on short-term rental platform listings, so renters will have no easy way of determining which properties are legal. I preferred an alternate version that includes additional Hosting Platform Accountability measures.