Children!
A community that is good for children is a good place for everyone.
- Schools-they must continue to improve. Money is not the primary issue. We spend over $16,000 a year per pupil.
- We must make prevention of child abuse a top priority; we have a higher rate of child maltreatment than our surrounding communities. We will change this.
- In addition to individual suffering, child abuse impacts schools and crime rates.
- We must make prevention of animal maltreatment a priority; child and animal maltreatment are connected.
- We need dog parks.
- We all have to accept responsibility for what goes on in our communities. That includes the youth and their families who cause problems for others. We must hold our youth and their families accountable.
Youth need jobs and positive outlets for their energies. Our non-profits, churches and government should partner to provide youth employment
- This will also build trust between generations.
I have already presented to Cleveland Heights City Council about the following issues:
- Prevention of child maltreatment-we have a higher rate of child maltreatment than surrounding communities.
- G.R.E.A.T. program- a school-based delinquency and violence prevention program sponsored by the federal government; it has been evaluated twice in the past 15 years and found effective in some aspects. http://www.great-online.org/
- Retire/rehire of city manager without engaging the city. I was the only person who spoke at the public hearing on the retire/rehire process. I asked that the city manager give a presentation about his 25 or so years as city manager, reflect on what he has done, what our issues are now, and where he wants the city to be in the next 5 years. This was NOT a criticism of the individual involved; I just felt strongly that the process should engage the community.
- Architectural integrity- I think that residential security doors give the wrong message about our community. I began addressing this issue with the city about 2 years ago. Future Heights then ran an opinion poll on the issue. http://www.futureheights.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=39714&PID=47224
I presented to the CH-UH School Board about Milliken School
- The city of Cleveland Heights and the CH-UH School Board must work together to plan for the use or sale of Milliken School. The empty school has been vandalized.
