More Evasive Maneuvers

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• http://southeuclidoversight.blogspot.com/2008/05/transparency-postponed.html

• http://southeuclidoversight.blogspot.com/2008/05/httpwww.html

More Socialized Real Estate?

The Mayor and City Council are preoccupied with attempting to manipulate the real estate market again, rather than doing what they were elected to do. How about “being the number one choice” in the “whole country” for having the safest community? Now that would certainly make South Euclid a very desirable place to live.

City Hall is now wasting more public money on the deranged concept of socialized real estate. $41,200 could have been beneficial to any number of community needs. The list is long, but a good place to start would be for additional money to provide the police department with the resources to be more effective. After reviewing the crime statistics on the South Euclid police website, among other crimes, for 2007 it notes 184 incidents of burglary/breaking and entering. That equates to 3 per week.

After investing in safety, another matter on the agenda should be the infrastructure. The roads are in need of repair, but city officials have said they don’t have the funds to adequately address this matter. The issue of sewer repair and updating desperately needs attention.

These problems have been neglected in lieu of land grabs at public expense. Who is really reaping the benefits?

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Please click on the links below to view other posts on this site:

• Limited Reality

• Fiscal Fiesta?

• Failure To Act!

• Mixed Messages

• Band-Aids vs Reconstructive Surgery

Weak Website At Lavish Cost

The saying, "You get what you pay for" does not always hold true. One of the more conspicuous items missing from the City Website is the full and complete text of all legislation up for consideration. Why have a website if it doesn't keep the public informed?

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Cedar Center Facts

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• ORDINANCE 86-06 : DECEMBER 26, 2006:
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3508188/8606

• PARTNERS ENVIRONMENTAL "REVISED" PROPOSAL - January 25, 2007:
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3508044/12507

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• CUYAHOGA COUNTY BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT FUND COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE APPLICATION:
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3527399/BrownfieldMarch07

According to the Cuyahoga County Department of Development, the resolution below is the ONLY "grant money" the City of South Euclid has, or will receive in the form of a "grant" from their office. Any and all other financial assistance applied for from the Department of Development will be in the form of LOANS.

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• "PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT FOR SALE OF LAND" - October 2007:
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3322069/ProjectDevelopment102307

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• BURGESS AND NIPLE: PROJECT PROPOSAL - DECEMBER 21, 2007:
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3508046/BurgessNiple122107

• BURGESS AND NIPLE: PROJECT PROPOSAL - FEBRUARY 11, 2008:
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3322057/Burgess-Niple11108

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Commercial Redevelopment Fund

Due to the strong demand for this program, all funds are currently committed. Please check back to this site for updates. The Cuyahoga County Commercial Redevelopment Fund is specifically designed to overcome barriers to the full re-use of abandoned, idled or underutilized commercial, industrial and institutional properties within Cuyahoga County. The primary focus is directed toward urban and “first ring” suburban communities. Job creation and an increase in property values are expected outcomes of redevelopment. The Commercial Redevelopment Fund consists of three programs: the Municipal Redevelopment Program, the Private Redevelopment Program and the Local Parking Needs Program . The CRF can be utilized to redevelopment vacant buildings or demolish idled properties and make way for redevelopment. Eligible projects must include a significantly vacant (at least 40% vacancy for the last 2 or more years) building that is at least 20 years old. Eligible applicants are public entities, non-profit organizations, businesses, and developers located in the county. Funds are not available for projects with environmental contaminants other than asbestos and lead paint. Commercial Redevelopment Fund does not support big box, retail mall development, lifestyle centers or other large-scale retail projects. The Commercial Redevelopment Fund cannot be used for the development of for-sale housing. More detailed information can be found in the description of the Commercial Redevelopment Fund , Loan Subsidy and Forgiveness Schedule , our Green/Sustainable Building Incentives and the Community Benefit Calculator . The Department of Development requires the local community to demonstrate their support by having the local government in which a selected site is located approve a resolution of support for the project. Community Development extends a special thank you to Peggy Weil Dorfman of the City of Solon for her invaluable assistance Contact Information: Christine S. Nelson Community Development Manager Cuyahoga County Department of Development 112 Hamilton Ct., Fourth Floor Annex Bldg. Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: (216) 443.8066 Fax: (216) 348.4479 mailto:cnelson@cuyahogacounty.us Pequita L. Hansberry Development Finance Analyst Cuyahoga County Department of Development 112 Hamilton Ct., Fourth Floor Annex Bldg. Cleveland, OH 44114 Phone: (216) 443.8397 Fax: (216) 348.4479 mailto:phansberry@cuyahogacounty.us

• COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT FUND - PUBLIC ENTITY APPLICATION (LOAN REQUEST):
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3322061/CommercialRedeveopment

Brownfield Community Assessment Initiative

The Cuyahoga County Brownfield Redevelopment Fund Community Assessment Initiative provides professional services to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments on brownfields contaminated with hazardous substances and/or petroleum products in Cuyahoga County. The County contracts directly with experienced environmental consulting firms to conduct the assessment work. The most appropriate consultants will be assigned to a selected project. All Phase I environmental site assessments will meet the USEPA's "All Appropriate Inquiry" criteria; however, there is the option to complete all assessment activities under the standards of the Ohio EPA's Voluntary Action Program (VAP) and/or the State of Ohio's Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations' (BUSTR) 3-Tier Evaluation process. Eligible applicants are public entities, non-profit organizations, businesses, and developers located in the County. Funds are not available to any parties that caused or contributed to the contamination of the site. Please complete and submit an application if you are interested in receiving environmental site assessments under this Initiative. The Department of Development's brownfields staff highly recommends contacting them before applying. A committee, consisting of the County's brownfields staff and local community organizations, will review and make recommendations for suitable sites to the Development Director on a first-come-first-served basis. The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications: Community and Economic Benefits - Has the Applicant demonstrated the community and economic benefits of assessing and, subsequently redeveloping the project property? Redevelopment Viability - Has the Applicant demonstrated that the redevelopment of the project property is viable in the near-term? Risk - Has the Applicant adequately indicated the possible existing risks to human health and the environment at the site and demonstrated the need for assessment? Leverage - Has the Applicant adequately attempted to leverage additional funds and/or will County assessment funds stimulate additional funding for assessment/cleanup from other sources? The Department of Development requires the local community to demonstrate their support by having the local government in which a selected brownfield is located approve a resolution of support for the project. For additional information, contact the Department of Development's brownfields staff .

• CUYAHOGA COUNTY BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT FUND - PUBLIC ENTITY APPLICATION (LOAN REQUEST):
• http://www.scribd.com/doc/3322049/BrownfieldApplication

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Below: partial agenda for June 9, 2008. Full and complete text of legislation will be posted when it is obtained.

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• ORDINANCE 27-08 - Full Text

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Public Commentary

South Euclid Oversight would like to thank all those who take the time to visit this site. Your comments and input are encouraged and appreciated.

Bill has left a new comment on your post, "The People Will Decide":

Point of Sale Inspections are among the most unethical and immoral things a city government can do.

They exist for one reason and for one reason only: to raise revenue for the city.

The city government wins every time, because few have the time or money to fight it, especially in the middle of a home sale (where stress is high enough already). The city government loses every time, because they leave one party with a bad enough taste that it's unlikely they'd ever move back.

As pointed out on this website (and in the city's legislation), these activities are already underway...for "free"...on a routine basis (something I support, by the way). The ONLY reason to do it at the time of sale and to charge for it, is to stick it to someone that's not coming back anyway.

Any South Euclid politician who supports this will lose my vote and anyone who's ear I can bend for two minutes on the topic. This will be true pretty much regardless of what other good they may do, simply because it shows a base misunderstanding of what is and is not right.

I recently sold a home in Euclid, where they do point of sale inspections, and on the way out wrote a letter to the mayor and key business owners in my neighborhood explaining why I would never buy there again, and I will do the same here...as well as advising my friends and family to stay away.

My councilman Icove and his little buddy Romeo are full of nothing so much as themselves (along with a potent mixture of hot air and bullshit) in introducing this incredibly stupid tripe.

• Posted by Bill to SOUTH EUCLID OVERSIGHT at June 3, 2008 8:19 AM