Here is the video for the State of The City Address:
The PowerPoint presentation can be found here: http://bedfordward5.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018-State-of-City-Final.pdf
This is the text from the PowerPoint.
A Plan for Bedford’s Future
2018 AND BEYOND
A successful income tax ballot issue – 81% approval
- Balance operations and maintain current services
- Provide three additional police officers
- Reinstate major infrastructure program that was previously cut in 2007
- Continuing to operate at minimal levels City-wide while continuing to provide quality services
- Changes as to how services are delivered
XELLIA CLEVELAND
Xellia Cleveland is on a quest to build the foundation for Xellia’s future.
- Committed to a future in Bedford (152 FTE)
- All U.S. packaging and shipping takes
- place out of Bedford
- 100 additional positions in 2018
- Professional, Scientific and production roles
- Attracting people to move to the Cleveland area to join the Xellia team
- Xellia has forged partnerships with Greater Cleve. Partnership, Jobs Ohio and others to build their talent pipeline.
- Facilitate GMP course at Cleveland State University for College of Engineering
- 8 Co-Ops/ Interns currently employed
- Sponsor of CWRU Chemical Engineering senior design project team
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Staffing
Chief: Dave Nagy
Asst. Chief: Shawn Solar
- 25 Line Firefighters (26 Paramedics)
- Firefighters work 24 hour shifts
- 2 Chief Officers (2 Paramedics) 28 Paramedics Total
- 96% of Department are Certified Paramedics
- 1 Civilian Administrative Assistant
2017 Request for Service
- 2681 Total Requests for Service – 5% increase from previous year – Highest Total In Dept. History
- 1961 Requests for Advanced Life Support Rescue Squad – Accounted for 79% of department’s calls (5% increase)
- 720 Fire / Specialized Rescue Calls
- Responded to 38 structure fires
- Total fire dollar loss decreased by 43% from previous year
2018 Goals & Initiatives
- Increased focus on long term Firefighter health.
- Continued progress on Regional Initiatives
- Monitor stress on resources from Regional Partners
- Mutual Aid Rescue Squad – 132
- Mutual Aid Received – 166
- Decrease fire dollar loss
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Chief: Marty Stemple
Deputy Chief: Rick Suts
2017 in Review
- Overall, the department traffic and parking enforcement increased significantly from previous years, resulting in safer roads for the motoring public. This was in large part, due to our Motorcycle Unit enforcing traffic violations in problem areas.
- Continuing to align with the University Hospital’s O.V.I. Task Force objectives, the department dramatically increased OVI arrests from previous years. There were 66 arrests in 2016, and 89 OVI arrests in 2017.
- Safe Passages – Partnering with Berea, Olmsted Twp., and Newburg Hts. P.D.’s, we launched the Safe Passages Program. Safe Passages is a revolutionary new policing program aimed at getting people suffering from addiction the help they need, instead of putting them in handcuffs. The Police Department acts as a liaison between the addicts and the treatment centers, helping to facilitate a quicker placement. As a community – region “We cannot arrest our way out of this problem”
2018 Goals
- Focus on Community Policing: Maintain quality of life
- With the hiring of three additional officers, made possible due to the tax increase, we will be able to get more “boots on the ground” and officers into the neighborhoods and businesses more frequently.
- Adding a second K9 Officer. This will result in a K9 working virtually everyday.
- Engage the community to become involved through open and honest communication – has resulted in apprehensions in the past.
- Continue the deer management program.
- Continue to seek grant opportunities to assist with department programs and operations.
SERVICE DEPARTMENT & PUBLIC WORKS
Director: Clint Bellar
Superintendent of Public Works: Shawn Francis
37 employees in the service, water, waste water and cemetery
- Consistently provide multiple services such as:
- Operation and maintenance of Bedford Water Dept., Waste Water Treatment Plant & Bedford Cemetery
- Leaf pick–up, chipper service, snow plowing
- Water, sewer (465 calls, including 20 main breaks), sanitary and storm needs
- Currently maintain 50 miles of roads within the City resulting in 35 road repairs from utilities and 14 other asphalt repairs
- Landscape/maintain Public Square, Veteran’s Park and downtown area
- Christmas lighting display improvements
- Major infrastructure improvements completed in 2017
- Installation of 4,500 residential water meters
- Complete roof replacement at the Service Garage ($149,000.00)
- Installation of a new park at Broadway and Mitchell.
- Waste Water Treatment Plant Improvements
- Upgraded lighting, interior and exterior.
- Purchased a tow motor.
- Replaced some roofing, windows and door throughout the plant
- Finished the digester improvements.
- Landscaping improvements, including a new staircase.
A Plan and Commitment to Infrastructure
City leaders are finalizing a 5 year Capital Improvement Plan that will
include:
- $1.7 million in road resurfacing
- $250,000 in pedestrian walks
- OPWC – Center Road
- Will begin a GIS Mapping project
- Sanitary sewer maintenance and repair program being discussed
City Leaders will continue to engage County and State officials regarding Union Street, Solon Road, Northfield Bridge and other areas in need of improvement.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Director: Erin Fach
Asst. Director: Michael Callahan
The City of Bedford has over 27 acres of park lands and facilities including Ellenwood Center and the outdoor municipal pool and skate park
7 full-time employees and 50+ part-time/seasonal employees
2018 initiatives
- Review overall operations of department
- Implement new registration software to include online registration
- Develop branding and marketing materials – to include newsletter and/or brochure to be mailed to all residents
- Strengthen and increase programming with focus on increasing participation
- Build relationships with community stakeholders; i.e. School District, Cleveland Metroparks, local businesses, etc.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
Beautiful Bedford, Ohio is Less than 5 ½ square miles
Commissioner: Calvin Beverly – Certified by the State of Ohio in all Commercial and Residential building disciplines. President Ohio Chapter IAEI Board of Directors.
- 5 full time employees
- 454 Contractors registered with the City
- The Building Dept. issued permits for over $11,700,000 in commercial renovations and 1,200,000 in residential renovations, alterations and new construction.
- 1737 apartment units & 906 rental dwellings
- Over 2500 inspections performed in 2017
- 200 more than 2016 and 800 more than 2014
- The focus on exterior maintenance will continue into 2018
- The City of Bedford separately and in cooperation with the County Cuyahoga Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga County Land Bank) demolished a total of 15 blighted properties in 2017.
- Currently there are 1737 apartments & 935 residential dwellings rental units within the City subject to compliance by ordinance.
- The number of vacant homes, which includes bank owned, government owned, and estate owned has continued to decline to approximately 250 units.
- The Building Department will continue to enforce our exterior maintenance and property maintenance programs in 2018 as prescribed by ordinance.
- Maintaining our Neighborhoods
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Finance Director: Frank Gambosi
Frank has served as chairman of twelve members of the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada’s Special Review Executive Committee (SREC). Responsible for overseeing the operations of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program, as well as establishing program policy, subject to review by the GFOA Executive Board.
Frank was also appointed as 3 year term trustee in 2012 of the Municipal Finance Officers Association of Ohio representing Municipal Finance Directors of District 8 (Cuyahoga County).
In 2017 Frank received the Dorian Lifetime Achievement Award – GFOA
2017 YEAR END
- City concluded 2017 with under $700k in general fund cash balance. These funds were a result of the reduction in city income tax collections throughout 2017.
- We have experienced additional State revenue cuts and real estate tax collections over the last 4 years totaling $1.9 annually!
- $4.8 million reserve currently in place.
- 7 full time employees in tax and finance departments
- In 2017 department received its 27th consecutive International Award from the Government Finance Officers Association
- The City maintains an investment board consisting of the City Manager, Law Director and Director of Finance.
- The City currently holds a A1 & AA – bond rating with Moody’s and S&P.
- The City has been self-insured regarding Health Insurance costs for our employees for the past 25 years.
- Significant healthcare changes were implemented and 2017 delivered additional cost savings through these changes.
- Monitor throughout the year fund balances, construction projects and grants and report upon them to Council, the State of Ohio and Federal Government Agencies.
- The City has been working with a private collections company in an effort to collect back taxes. The result of this was a record amount of collections on average of about $430,000 annually.
- The Tax department has saved $28,000 from 2014 – 2017 by not issuing tax forms to residents & businesses.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Jennifer Kuzma: Business Development Liaison
Executive Director, NE Ohio First Suburbs
Mission: The City of Bedford is committed to retaining and attracting businesses to our community. The City works in partnership with public and private organizations to enhance local capacity and provides resources that support economic development activities.
Bedford Auto Mile Improvements
Over the course of the last 5 years, the Bedford Auto Mile has invested roughly $42 million into the City with various dealer renovations and improvements. Include Bedford Audi, Alpha Romero, Kia and others.
Meadowbrook Market Square
- City Leaders will soon begin analyzing a comprehensive plan for the roughly 90 acres.
- Industrial Commercial Properties recently acquired the former Walmart facility and will soon begin redevelopment.
- Will also be welcoming Simon’s Supermarket, Davita Dialysis Clinic and other new businesses to the area.
- Villa of San Bernardo -2018
Upcoming Projects and Initiatives
- City continues to target grants and other funding opportunities for assistance. Over the last 9years, the City has been successful in obtaining over $28 million in grant dollars. Bedford Community Development Corporation – Pending $50,000 funding request
- Embark on a comprehensive, City–wide master plan
- Seeking funding through County Planning
- Continue to work with Xellia Representatives
- Continue to market the City of Bedford as a whole…. housing, businesses, service and overall quality of life
- Development of the Taylor / Willis property and the City trail-way.
- Collaborate with Hemisphere to market Tinkers Creek Commerce Park
- St. Peter Chanel redevelopment –30 acres