CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Renovation of the Surrey-Lennox parking lot could be completed by the end of this year — with immediate reopening likely to follow.

City Administrator Danny Williams gave the council a recent update on all three public parking lots as well as the status of 200 security cameras installed in the city.

Most of the funding for these projects comes through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), providing post-pandemic aid and initiatives.

Williams told the board last month that work at Garage with 98 spaces in the Cedar-Fairmount neighborhood began in late September after being shut down about eight months earlier due to concrete falling from the first-floor ceiling.

There was initial question whether the garage could be saved, but GPD Group engineering studies showed it could be repaired with $500,000 already allocated in ARPA funds.

Councilman and Cedar-Fairmount resident Jim Petras noted that the work did not hold up traffic in the district, asking if there would be delays in reopening the garage once the work was done.

Williams said that seems likely, “barring any unforeseen circumstances.”

In Coventry Village, ARPA funds will also cover an estimated $270,000 in renovations to that parking garage, namely the elevator, with an estimated completion date of late 2025.

The current scope of the project calls for replacement with either a “traction-type” elevator — if possible, Williams said — or a hydraulic elevator that includes adequate COVID-19 mitigation and prevention measures, possibly an ARPA requirement.

The proposed work also involves replacing the roof of the Coventry elevator to include all mechanical, electrical, HVAC and data connections.

Council President Tony Cuda asked if additional work could be done to the stairs, frontage and main entrance of the Coventry garage.

“We know everything can’t be done at once, but right now it’s a bit of a miracle,” Cuda said.

Williams said the city will make the complex as “useful and user-friendly as possible.”

Not yet covered by ARPA but expected to be completed sooner than Coventry will be the Cedar-Lee garage, where the elevator has been “problematic” in recent years, Williams told the council.

“With the current problem preventing the elevator from working properly, it appears that he can go up to the fourth floor, but cannot reach the fifth.” Williams explained.

And when it somehow reaches the fifth level, it “just shuts down the whole system.”

The source of the problem appears to be water damage to the elevator circuit control panel or “motherboard”.

Unspecified price quotes indicate that a replacement motherboard could be installed within six to eight weeks.

Other work would include pressure washing and sealing the entire Cedar-Lee parking garage, as well as regular maintenance.

Those quotes could be submitted, approved and implemented by the end of the year, Williams said.

Security cameras

In addition to addressing parking accessibility, Williams said the ongoing security camera upgrade has already shown a significant impact on public safety.

Williams said that of 200 surveillance cameras to be installed, 75 of them have already been installed.

Installations began with about two dozen in a town hall around the city, which was selected “because that’s where the servers are located to facilitate the entire network.”

Williams added that future deployments will be “guided by constituent traffic volume and other factors.”

Police Chief Britton’s reports indicate that CCTV has already played a vital role in the investigation and solving of various crimes.

For example, cameras around City Hall helped identify a woman in connection with a grand larceny, as well as an individual tampering with an officer’s personal vehicle.

Newly installed cameras in Cumberland Park helped identify a suspicious vehicle and those involved in a shooting at the park over the summer.

“While it is premature to establish causal links, police have indicated that since the cameras were installed in Cumberland Park, there have been no notable incidents,” Williams said, adding that “the word is spreading.”

Much of the $1.1 million in funds it comes through ARPAincluding $500,000 approved last year through a grant from Cuyahoga County.

“safe haven” trans

At its Oct. 21 meeting, the board introduced a resolution declaring Cleveland Heights a “safe haven” for gender-affirming health care, with a final vote expected Monday (Nov. 4).

The resolution cites research demonstrating that gender-affirming healthcare “improves the physical and mental health and well-being of transgender, non-binary, and gender-expanded individuals.”

In January, the Ohio General Assembly voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of Ohio House Bill 68, which prohibits minors from receiving sex-affirming medical care.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) appealed a ruling in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, upholding the law and lifting a temporary restraining order.

Ohio’s 10th District Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in September, with a pending decision which will probably lead to another appeal from one side or another.

The city’s proposed resolution states that “Cleveland Heights will not prosecute or impose administrative penalties under any local law on any person or organization that provides, seeks, receives, or assists (with) gender-affirming medical care.”

On first reading, the council heard from Harley Rubin, who proposed the bill with the assistance of Councilwoman Gail Larson.

“It’s a very tough time when we’re constantly seeing (political campaign) ads targeting and attacking us,” Rubin told the board.

Rubin believes the resolution can provide a starting point for establishing “sanctuary cities” in Ohio.

“I want trans youth everywhere to know that they are not alone and that there are people fighting for them,” Rubin said.

“It’s really, really hard when you’re the only weird person you know.”

Anna Powaski said the aspect of the safe haven resolution she most appreciates is “deprioritizing enforcement of laws that seek to punish those who seek and provide gender-affirming care.”

She added that Cleveland Heights should “be defiant and pay attention” to neighboring jurisdictions that might prioritize enforcement against gender-affirming care, “which could be empowered and taken away from them.”

Since graduating from Case Western Reserve University, Sidney Negron plans to move to Cleveland Heights to continue receiving gender-affirming medical care through the local MetroHealth Medical Center.

“But all of that assumes it won’t be banned statewide, which we all know has been a significant risk to trans people in Ohio,” Negron told the council.

“We are all inundated with attack ads that have happened recently.”

Drew Herzig said she knows what it’s like to question “gender identity — before even having that term.”

Herzig believes local protective legislation is now essential — saying he also knows what it’s like to feel like the world is hostile.

“And that was long before a political party decided to weaponize transphobia and put a target on the backs of every trans person in this country — and their families.”

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