A Message from Mayor Ethan Spencer

Dear Residents,

Happy fall everyone.  I’m excited to have a fire in the fireplace soon!  As summer was winding down, we closed out our resident survey with over 250 responses, a very healthy number given the size of our Village. An initial scan of the results shows that most residents are very happy living in Moreland Hills. Most important to residents are Fire Protection/EMS, Snow Removal, and Police Protection.  There were several comments about enforcing our two-acre zoning, maintaining the beauty of the Village, and improving our infrastructure.  Sidewalks were mentioned several times, with comments both for and against.  Fifty-five residents shared their names so that we could follow up if necessary. I will do that as time permits.  Stay tuned for future updates. 

After careful study, the Village Council passed legislation to observe Juneteenth as a holiday for employees at its September meeting.  You may recall that it became a federal holiday in 2021. Many municipalities in Ohio have adopted the holiday already or are considering it now. 

We will have our annual employee clambake on September 30.  This event is funded entirely through donations.  Thanks to all residents who have donated funds.  You are very generous, and our employees appreciate it!

I’m happy to report that after several months of discussion, Verizon plans to install a small cell tower near the corner of Jackson and Chagrin River Roads. The surrounding area has been a dead spot forever, so this should alleviate the problem, at least for Verizon customers. I am interested in learning from you about cell service and internet access issues in the Village.  If you live in a dead spot other than Chagrin River/Jackson, please contact the Village at 440-248-1188 to let us know. Perhaps we can work with providers and neighboring communities to make additional improvements. 

Please join us for Head for the Hills! on October 7 at Forest Ridge.  The Parks Commission has done an excellent job organizing this running and hiking community event once again.  They are also sponsoring a Kid’s Halloween Fest on October 21.  For more details about both of these events, check the features in this newsletter.  

In closing, I wish everyone a safe and fun Halloween. For those participating in Trick or Treating, hours in Moreland Hills are 6:00pm-8:00pm on the evening of the 31st. 

Until next month, you may reach me at Village Hall or at espencer@morelandhills.com.  I welcome all resident comments.