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A Message From Mayor Daniel Fritz

Dear Residents,

It is with an increasing sense of optimism that I write to you this month. The COVID-19 vaccination program for 1B has been in place for several weeks now. While it is not functioning at capacity, the news is good. Both Moderna and Pfizer will be increasing production and the supply sent to our County will be increasing. I have heard from many residents within the 1B designation who have received their first dose. I have also heard from some who have been experiencing trouble in getting this appointment scheduled. I continue to participate in updates from the Governor’s Office as well as the Ohio Department of Health and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. In Moreland Hills, we will continue to message our residents through this newsletter, social media, the Village website and CodeRed email updates. We continue to strongly encourage our residents to subscribe to our official Facebook page and to sign up for CodeRed (see link above). These two platforms allow for frequent and immediate communication related to Moreland Hills events and issues.

Speaking of issues. Many of you have reached out to me with concerns about the frequent coyote sightings within our Village. Most of these concerns seem to be centered within two areas of the Village. The Skyline/Bentleyville/Greentree neighborhood and the Mill Hollow/Jackson Road area continue to report sightings of multiple coyotes. We have been working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and our Police Department has arranged for a community ZOOM event featuring officials from ODNR. This event will be held on March 9 at 6:00pm and will allow residents to ask questions related to the presence of these animals. Look for more information in the News and Events section of this website.  I have also reached out to the Head of the Division of Wildlife in Columbus at which time I sought answers to some specific questions related to pet safety, human safety, precautions to be taken and some options if we should realize a “hot spot” as defined by the presence of aggressive animals. This issue is not an easy one to navigate and seems to reappear every few years with the only changes being the neighborhood(s) reporting the sightings. In the absence of an aggressive animal, our guidance suggests that we can peacefully coexist with these animals and that through education and messaging we can reduce the likelihood of any negative interactions. After our community ZOOM meeting we will package all of this information and distribute it to all residents. If you are unable to attend this virtual meeting please submit your question(s) to my Administrative Assistant Sherri Arrietta (villagehall@morelandhills.com) and we will be sure to include them in our meeting.

I have received several concerns from residents related to runners and walkers on the streets at dusk. A few residents have contacted us stating they had a “near miss” while driving on our dark streets. It is imperative that all runners and walkers wear bright reflective clothing while out at dusk. I have even noticed that those wearing all black are even difficult to see in the middle of an Ohio grey sky day. Please help us spread this message so that we can avoid a tragedy.

Recently, I met with the Chagrin River Watershed Partners in order to discuss goals for 2021 and to identify areas in the Village where erosion scenarios exist. Moving forward, it is my goal to work with this wonderful agency in an effort to apply for a Section 319 Grant. These grants are administered by the Ohio EPA and are utilized to reduce erosion and sediment issues in areas vulnerable to significant failure. We are working with our Village Engineer to determine areas where this definition could be applied, and to start preliminary groundwork that will allow us to apply for such funding. Additionally, we discussed other areas of concern and proactive stewardship of the Chagrin River.

Lastly, we are in the final stages of finalizing our FY 2021 budget. This will include our Road Program and other capital improvements. Our goals are significant but must be tempered with the economic realities of the current state of the economy, our anticipated revenue streams and other variables that guide our conservative financial planning. I look forward to sharing the results of this budget which must receive legislative approval from your very engaged Council Members.