Age
70
Education
Shaker Heights High School; Miami University, B.A.; Cleveland Marshall College of Law, J.D.
Qualifications for office
City Council 2019, 2021 to the present. I have been an attorney since 1982 with a background in municipal government from serving as an Assistant Law Director for the City of Cleveland followed by many years representing municipalities while in private practice. In addition, before first serving on Council, I was well prepared through a long history of public service on a variety of boards and commissions (CHts. Planning Commission; CHts. Charter Review Commission; CHts. Citizens Advisory Committee; CHts. Fair Housing Board; State of Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Governing Board; City of Cleveland Civilian Police Review Board; Friends of Shaker Square, Inc.).
Campaign Phone
(216)630-8934
Current occupation
Recently retired from Farmers Insurance as the Managing Attorney for Cleveland Legal for 23 years.
Yes. Norms regarding Council interactions with department heads and other key employees are needed that allow for Council members to have reasonable direct access to them along with provisions providing for timely access to information and documents. When requested, department heads, key employees and the City Administrator should be made available to attend Council meetings (including committee meetings).
I believe it reasonable that before seeking office, a candidate will have met with some Council members; read the City's charter; attended Council meetings; and, reviewed some of the extensive City YouTube video library that includes Council committee meetings to obtain a basic understanding of the job and our government. Ideally, they will have served for some time on at least one of our many resident boards, commissions or committees to gain insight into the "workings" of City Hall. If elected, attending regular Council and committee meetings before being sworn is crucial particularly the Nov./Dec. budget hearings that will provide invaluable insight into our finances and every Departments' operations. Next, is on the job learning.
I believe I enjoy a reputation for being a friendly, trustworthy, reasonable and collaborative person that has demonstrated the ability to have good relationships with people of varying backgrounds, personalities, viewpoints and opinions.
None of the candidates for mayor are strangers to me. Two, I know well from serving with them on Council; two others for years on a social basis; and, another for decades professionally. I have no doubt that regardless of who is elected mayor, we will have an excellent relationship with a mutual level of respect and trust.
I have enjoyed good relationships with every past and current director so to the extent that there are new hires with a new mayor, I expect that will continue.
A trusting, collaborative partnership between Council and Mayor.
A balanced budget proving funding for: full complement of employees; capital improvements on an agreed schedule; support for redevelopment of business districts; rehabilitation of single and multi-family housing; meeting goals of the Climate Forward Plan; and, improved compliance with Complete and Green Streets and Vision Zero resolutions.
At least 30 infill housing units on City lots completed or under construction.
Renovations to City owned properties and facilities and complete abatement of City owned blighted properties along Noble Road.
Renovation of Cumberland pool.
Actual progress with redeveloping Severance.
Approval of changes to modernize zoning code.
Council approval is needed for sale or lease of City properties; zoning changes; economic assistance in the way of loans/grants; and, tax increment financing and tax abatement under some circumstances.
Council must promote transparency through well publicized notices to the residents followed by community hearings before any legislation is introduced.
Direct financial assistance should be provided as a last resort for gap funding and only if within City budget with a demonstrated return on our investment from income or property taxes, or it "jump-starts" other development.
Negotiating with a developer is typically done by the Administration but Council must ensure that the best possible deal for the City has been negotiated.
Age
40
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Harvard University (Government, with citations in Spanish and Hebrew); Master's of Public Policy and Administration, Northwestern University; Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, Cleveland State University College of Law
Qualifications for office
I bring over 20 years of leadership in public policy, nonprofit management, and community service. As Policy Counsel at a Fortune 50 company, I lead legal and advocacy work on privacy, cybersecurity, and AI. I have chaired the Cleveland Heights Planning Commission for over six years and have served as a member for four more, serve on local nonprofit boards, and am deeply engaged with civic organizations across the region. I have been serving Cleveland Heights in public roles for over 13 years. My extensive education and background in government, law, and public policy sets me apart and qualifies me to lead, starting on day one.
Campaign Phone
2169733552
Current occupation
Public Policy Lawyer
Yes. While the charter outlines the mayor’s administrative role and council’s legislative role, additional norms can strengthen collaboration, transparency, and accountability. For example, when major development proposals come before the city, council should receive early briefings and data to make informed decisions and communicate with residents effectively. Establishing consistent channels for sharing information, setting shared priorities, and tracking progress will help avoid misunderstandings, create mutual trust, and build public confidence in our government. These norms should respect the mayor’s authority over daily operations while ensuring council fulfills its oversight role and reflects residents’ voices in city policy.
Council members should have a working understanding of municipal finance, public policy, planning, development, and community relations to provide informed oversight and policy direction. In my nearly 10 years as on the Planning Commission and 13+ years in public roles for the city, I’ve reviewed complex development proposals, balanced competing priorities, and worked closely with staff and residents. My professional work over the course of my career has deepened my ability to analyze budgets, evaluate policies, and understand long-term impacts. This expertise can also be built through robust onboarding, ongoing training, and participation in regional governance workshops. Continuous learning should be a norm of council service.
I would build a productive relationship with the mayor and directors through open communication, a collaborative approach to the work, and mutual respect and trust. This includes regular briefings, early sharing of information, and listening to understand perspectives before decisions are made. I believe in approaching disagreements constructively, focusing on solutions that best serve residents. Collaboration means recognizing each other’s roles, valuing expertise, and maintaining transparency. From the mayor, I would expect honesty, timely communication, and genuine partnership with council so we can work together effectively to advance the city’s priorities, strengthen public confidence in local government, and move our city forward.
By 2029, I hope to have strengthened city services, ensured fiscal responsibility, a long-term infrastructure plan, and advanced thoughtful, inclusive development that benefits all neighborhoods. I aim to improve transparency and communication between residents and city government, making sure community voices shape policy decisions. I want to see progress on revitalizing our business districts, parks, and recreational assets, supporting local businesses, and maintaining safe, welcoming public spaces. Most importantly, I hope to leave a legacy of collaborative leadership that builds trust, addresses challenges proactively, and positions Cleveland Heights for long-term stability and growth.
Council’s most effective role in redeveloping critical properties is to ensure projects are transparent, community-responsive, and aligned with our city’s long-term vision. Our city needs to assess and develop a long-term plan for all city-owned and available properties to create that vision first. This also means engaging residents early, setting clear and neighborhood-appropriate development guidelines, and working closely with the mayor, staff, and developers. As Planning Commission Chair, I’ve built consensus on complex proposals while balancing growth with neighborhood character. Council must also foster a climate where the city is seen as a reliable, collaborative partner—making it a place where developers and investors want to work.
Age
70
Education
CH High School / BA Political Science, CSU / Masters Education, John Carroll
Qualifications for office
Decades of studying, teaching and serving in government. Four years on City Council; 2 years as Council President. 40+ year resident of CH.
Campaign Phone
4406677843
Current occupation
Retired High School Social Studies Teacher
Yes. Co-equal branches of government are essential to a well-functioning government; and that means, each branch must be fully empowered to do their job. To that end, I am supporting charter changes that will mandate council receive timely information from the administration; attendance of department directors at council meetings when requested; subpoena power for investigations when necessary; clarity for mayoral "absence and vacancy" found in Art IV, Sec 10; and much more. Bottom line - Council must have timely information to make the informed decisions legislators must make. This must be codified in the charter to guide our government and ensure compliance. Proposed charter changes will be posted to our City's website by Sept 4, 2025.
Members of council must have a basic understanding of how government works as well as their legislative and oversight roles. That should happen through education and just paying attention, but the Ohio Municipal League holds seminars that could help as well. As far as municipal finance, planning and economic development goes, serving on a committee or a commission can help prepare a council member (also OML). Attending council meetings, asking questions and plain old research can also help. Bottom line - City Councils rarely have reasonable levels of expertise vested in each member, but if you can get an array of experience from individual members that compliment and subsidize the other members, you should have an effective city council.
Answering the question as it has been asked, I would create time for personal interaction (not emails, texts). I would start with the mayor and ask that we meet regularly as the mayor's schedule permits. I would ask the mayor to share her/his vision and I would share mine. I would look for common ground and ask the mayor how council can help. As far as directors; each council member is assigned to 3 committees. The department directors of the corresponding committees have information/priorities that are dependent on the legislative role played by council. Discussing how we can work together to make the mayor and the director successful is the key part of the relationship. Bottom line - you must build relationships to be successful.
Broadly, I want to increase the capacity of the City to deliver top-notch services to our residents by working with our new mayor on a budget that accomplishes that goal. That means increased street resurfacing, the timely filling of potholes, leaf pickup, bulk trash pickup etc. I want to approve a plan for Severance that fulfills both our housing and commercial needs. I want to execute a plan to rehab vacant and abandoned properties and sell them to owner-occupied buyers. I want to contract our vacant lots to developers who build economy of scale housing for owner occupancy. I want to attract young residents/families with housing and amenities that appeal to them. I want seniors to have first floor living opportunities. Revitalize Noble+
Council has done some of this work already. We created a process for council and the administration to work together on economic development opportunities. Planning Director Eric Zamft and I created a document that was approved by council mapping out a process for getting redevelopment projects approved.
Council's role is to first give input to the Planning Dept in executive session when they first come to us with an idea. Next, council needs to do its due diligence; that means, walking the property, doing research, asking questions and making suggestions before a piece of legislation is put in front of us. Once the administration has formally put forward legislation, council must weigh the pros&cons&vote. Residents must be kept informed!
Age
49
Education
Journalism degree from Northwestern University
Qualifications for office
Current Parks and Recreation Advisory Board member. Former CHUH Lay Finance Committee Member. Small business owner. Community organizer. Nationally recognized journalist, marketing and public relations professional.
Campaign Phone
6306752737
Current occupation
Owner - Dew Media, Inc. (20+ years)
Council cannot legislate effectively without some level of access to department heads. I witnessed this issue first-hand as a member of the Parks and Rec Advisory Board as we attempted to work with our Council liaison to draft legislation on multiple occasions.
However the most important missing elements at City Hall right, mutual respect and trust between the branches, can't be fixed through charter changes.
I think the ideal council is a diverse team of our best and brightest residents. We have the talent in this city to cover all our bases. We can't build the best team and attract our most talented citizens to participate unless we first fix the culture.
If elected, I'd fill several council blind spots. I've owned a small business for 20+ years. My marketing and video production business has survived and thrived while facing near constant technological shifts. Image issues have plagued Cleveland Heights all my life. I look forward to helping the next administration help sell the Cleveland Heights I love.
You will hear the other candidates, both new and incumbent, talk about building/repairing bridges. If elected, I come to the table with those bridges pre-built. I've spent the last twelve years building relationships across Cleveland Heights and the region. Talk to city staff and many will tell you that they know me and trust me.
Unlike most of the other council candidates, I am intentionally staying neutral in the mayoral race because I think that's what best for the city and what voters want right now. I intend to be of value and trusted resource to our next mayor and I've worked to establish a good relationship with all five candidates.
When it comes to city services my passion is recreation. This is another weak area for both our current council and the mayoral candidates. Sadly we have to immediately get to work on the neglected overhaul of Cumberland.
By the end of my term I expect an improved level of satisfaction across the board from basic services to recreation to coordination and communication among the branches and civic institutions.
In some cases, the role of council is to know when to get out of the way. The current Park Synagogue development plan will be a huge win. From the public trail access to the Oberlin partnership to the possibility of Cleveland Heights being a home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it checks so many boxes.
I couldn't be more excited about the unprecedented amount of development in Cleveland Heights. While I don't yet have a personal relationship with Director Zamft I trust the seemingly universal sentiment that he is leading us in the right direction on just about every development front.
Again, my usefulness will be in helping build relationships and showcase Cleveland Heights as a city worthy of investment.
Age
40
Education
University of California, San Francisco: M.S.N. Public Health Nursing & Health Policy; California State University, Chico: B.A. International Relations
Qualifications for office
Registered Nurse, Public Health and Transportation Safety Advocate, Small Business owner, Husband & Father
Campaign Phone
5305700289
Current occupation
Small Business Owner
The new mayor and council should meet early after being sworn in to establish communication norms and how best to build an effective working relationship. I believe many of the ongoing communication issues are personality driven. A new mayor and council members committed to collaboration, professionalism and respect will be able to effectively work together on behalf of Cleveland Heights.
All members of council come with varying degrees of expertise on different topics. Where knowledge gaps exist, individual council members should turn to colleagues on council and relevant city staff to better understand the nuances. Additionally, residents of Cleveland Heights are experts in a huge variety of topics, and many selflessly make this expertise available to others through service on city boards and commissions. Council should more fully embrace these advisory committees to inform legislation and city priorities.
As a legislative body, council must be adequately informed in order to craft legislation that best supports city operations. I would hope to meet with the new mayor early and often to understand shared goals and how we could work together effectively to move Cleveland Heights forward. I would also hope to meet regularly with directors and city staff, both through formal committee structures and ongoing dialogue. This level of communication is critical for council to understand how best to support city employees and make progress on strategic goals. Knowing that all of these individuals are busy, I would always come prepared to discuss specific issues and offer my perspective, and would expect the same of the mayor.
By the end of this term, I hope that Cleveland Heights reestablishes our reputation as a vibrant, creative, healthy community that is considered the best place to raise a family in Northeast Ohio. This will be reflected in a growing population for the first time in decades, and increasing investments in our neighborhoods and business districts. We will make significant progress on creating a more sustainable and resilient city in the face of climate change, and a safer and more connected community for all road users. The city budget and staffing levels will be improved by healthy growth of our city, and we will be well positioned to tackle the challenges of the next decade.
Council should be involved in the redevelopment of these and other properties throughout the redevelopment process. Recently, council (and the public at large) has only been brought in at later stages of proposals, which breeds mistrust and resentment, and leads to lost opportunities for Cleveland Heights. Council should be an ongoing partner in these projects in order to help shape end products that are most beneficial to the city at large and celebrated by residents.
Age
43
Education
Training & Development / Risk & Corporate Compliance / Project Direction / Organizational Leadership and Development Certifications
Qualifications for office
20 Years of Banking and Real Estate Experience, 6 years on the Cleveland Heights Planning Commission, 20 years of non- profit leadership, 20 years of workforce development and staffing work.
Current occupation
Senior Pastor, Chief Executive Officer
There needs to be collaboration about the vision for the city each year, The budget directly impacts the Executives ability to make decisions. Both branches need to be in alignment about where to strategically invest resources. We need to ensure that both Council and the Mayor are on the same page about the goals the city will target each year. There should also be partnership in articulating those goals to the community. There needs to be strong partnership in planning for the city. There needs to be regular work sessions scheduled between the branches to discuss planning and forecasting. We need to work together to craft a plan and execute it.
Experience is just as important as education. Experience on a Board or Commission is helpful in understanding the city and its needs. A financial background is key due to our budgetary oversight. There should also be experience around staffing and human resources. I also believe there should be experience in community engagement. We do not just do the work, we need to inform the public. I served on the Planning Commission for 6 years prior to council. That experience gave me a clear understanding of the roles in this city. I have over 20 years of financial and real-estate experience that also inform my decisions. What we bring to the table matters in terms of the effectiveness of council.
I meet directly with staff and the administration to remain informed on a weekly basis. I believe in work sessions and targeted conversations about topics. Regular communication with all Council members, not just council leadership is key.
1. Diversified Boards and Commissions
2. Improved housing stock through programming.
3. Expanded homeownership
4. Development of the North Coventry and Noble Areas.
5. A grant policy that reflects a broader view of the needs of the city.
6. At a minimum, a plan for a new pool.
7. Improvements to all city owned facilities.
8. Stronger public/ private partnerships.
9. Improved community engagement across all neighborhoods.
10. Healthy Budget and Strategic Plan
Community engagement and ensuring the feedback is taken and acted upon. We should also ensure our zoning and laws support the growth of these areas. We can prepare the foundation through legislation.
