Kirtland Chronicle 1-13-23

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Kirtland Council Rings in New Year

By John Karlovec John@Karlovecmedia com

Kirtland City Council members held their first meeting of 2023 on Jan. 4.

Prior to tackling the agenda, Mayor Kevin Potter thanked Eugene DiFranco for his continued investment and reinvestment in the city.

KIRTLAN

“I want everyone to know that Eugene has been a tremendous part of this community,” Potter said.

Potter then read and presented DiFranco, owner of landscape supply and equipment company Village Outdoors, with a proclamation …..

While Fire Chief Anthony Hutton did not have a formal report, he thanked Potter and council members for their support of a $589,060 state grant from the Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention and Resilience Program to hire three full-time firefighters, a decision city officials said would help with department staffing and also provide cost savings over the next 10 years.

CHRONICLE

Coffee with Council

Coffee with Council is Jan. 21 10-11 a.m., at Kirtland City Hall. For more information, contact Joe Smolic at 440-487-8984 or JSmolic@ kirtlandohio.com

“We did swear in three firefighters on Dec. 28,” Hutton said, adding two already are working for the city and the third will start at the end of the month.

“It’s been awesome, looking at our schedule going forward, things look good, very few open shifts,” he said.

LCC Civic Chorus Celebrates 50 Years

By donna l roBinson editor@Karlovecmedia com

When people sing in a choir, they’re doing something they could not possibly do by themselves.

At least, that’s the way Ben Richard sees it.

“An excellent chorus is truly greater than the sum of its parts. There is something so satisfying about working together and accomplishing something together, as a group, and as an ensemble,” said the director of Lakeland Community College Civic Chorus. “For me, that’s the most fulfilling part about directing the chorus.”

Richard has led middle school, high school and church choirs around the state since 1999, and recently rounded the corner on LCCCC’s 50th anniversary last month.

“I’d say the longevity of the chorus is largely related to and influenced by a genuine love of music and a genuine love of singing instilled in the ensemble from the

beginning by founding director Romeo Pallante,” Richard said during a recent interview. “The Lakeland Civic Chorus is absolutely an asset to the college and to the community in general. For one thing, local choral singers have an outlet for their own musical participation and performance. Secondly, the college has, in all of the civic music

ensembles, a community liaison, of sorts, a musical representative of the college in the community. And people in the community have easy access to affordable, quality choral performances.”

Richard, who has a master’s degree in music from Ohio University, took over the LCCCC last year, making it one of eight choirs he

currently directs in Lake County.

“I can tell you that, from a technical standpoint, we’ve been focusing on improving blend, intonation and overall musicality, while continuing to establish and solidify good vocal technique,” he said. “I’ve led the group through three performances during the spring and fall semesters

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Councilman Rich Lowery asked

Hutton if all city buildings are equipped with automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs, referring to Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest in

SCREENSHOT

Briar Hill Drive resident Barbara Nye shared with council members recent concerns and issues her family has experienced with police due to many officers being part time. She asked council to hire a victim advocate for the department.

DONNA ROBINSON/KMG

Director Ben Richard has the chorus members stand at the end of the 2022 Lakeland Christmas chorus performance.

A Note from the Mayor

A Note the Mayor

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Every so often I am asked questions like – “Why would you want to be mayor?” I typically reply with something along the lines of, “Great question, and it’s not always easy. But when you see hard work pay off and good things happen in the community, it really is worth any amount of effort.” That may sound cliché, but it really is the truth.

December began with a good dose of community spirit and we certainly have some folks to thank. First, to the Kirtland Garden Club for their holiday decorations at city hall and on our street posts. I am especially appreciative to this group for dedicating their time, resources and energy to beautify Kirtland. Speaking of hard work, the service department once again did a tremendous job lighting both city hall and the Christmas tree, generously donated by Dominic and Angela Farinacci.

On Dec. 23, as I watched Congress pass a bill that included $820,000 of funding for the Old Town Sewer project, the notion that hard work does pay off really came to pass. That funding, coupled with a recent commitment of $1 million dollars by the Lake County Commissioners’ office, will reduce the cost to each homeowner in that neighborhood by more than $13,500.

Our municipal center and grounds were ceremoniously lit on Dec. 1 in the presence of a very special collection of guests. To kick off the holiday season, the Kirtland High School football team and its supporters made the tree-lighting countdown even more exciting this year. Immediately after the tree was lit, a boisterous and loyal contingent of Hornet fans followed the team as they paraded back to Rogers Field for one last pep rally.

Over the last three years, whether in public meetings or individual encounters with residents around town, my response to concerned Old Town residents has been “we are working really hard to find money to assist with this extraordinary burden of cost.” Thank you to the residents for their patience. And a big thank you to Eddy Eckart, Kirtland’s economic development consultant, for working so closely with Congressman Dave Joyce’s office to make sure our request was included in the bill.

The air was brisk, but the energy and the community support for the Hornets made the descending artic chill almost exhilarating.

Although the Hornets came just short of another title, I have to say I couldn’t be prouder of the team. My hat goes off to the coaching staff and players for giving their absolute all, right until the last tick of the clock. Not the outcome they were hoping for, but they sure did fight and once again demonstrated class on the field and commitment to each other. Congratulations, especially to

With January already halfway over, we will soon be discussing the 2023 budget with city council. Over the course of the next few weeks, I’ll continue to meet with Finance Director Louis Slapnicker, as well as council leadership, to review fund balances and consider how we best continue to put your tax dollars to work. This annual process is a great exercise in determining wants vs. needs, and I always look forward to it.

Stadium

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We will also be working to finish the 10year Comprehensive Plan for the city. It has been a pleasure to work with planning and zoning these last six months or so, as we have worked to compare the goals from the last plan, 10 years ago, to what today’s challenges and opportunities seem to be. To build the document, we’ve used input from our residents ascertained through surveys and public meetings held over the last several years. One major goal of the forthcoming plan is, to make sure it becomes a living document so

$20,000 for the next 10 years, with $10,000 paid at signing of the agreement. Under terms of the deal, which Kirtland Schools Board of Education officially approved at its Nov. 28 meeting, the stadium will be known as “Wilson Stadium.”

“John is a great fit for the naming rights of our renovated stadium,” Kirtland Schools Superintendent Chad VanArnhem said. “He is a Kirtland graduate and self-made success story from years of hard work. Mr. Wilson is a huge sports fan and loves following the Hornets.”

the seniors on the team, and thank you for a great season!

to speak. Zoning board members and I have been intent on the creation of annual review mechanisms, so this important work that gets done every ten years is no longer a document sitting on a shelf or buried on the city’s website. I’m looking forward to completing the exercise and rolling it out to the community.

The city’s fiscal year will be closing soon and we are anticipating income tax receipts to finish well ahead of 2021. The additional revenue is attributed to more Kirtland residents working from home and paying a larger percentage of their income tax to Kirtland, as opposed to the cities they previously reported to for work. We are hopeful this trend continues, but will budget conservatively in 2023.

On Jan. 4, I had the pleasure of issuing a city proclamation to Eugene DiFranco, owner of Village Outdoors on Euclid Chardon Road. Difranco has been a business owner in Kirtland for 25 years and the proclamation gave me a chance to thank him for his recent expansion and reinvestment in our city. I look forward to continuing working with DiFranco and so many other Kirtland small businesses. These entities are quite an integral part of our community’s fabric and are much appreciated.

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John D. Karlovec, Editor

Recently, the City of Kirtland was awarded a grant from Gov. Mike DeWine’s office to fund three new full-time firefighters for the next two years. I am proud to report we worked to ensure the grant did not put any future stress on our city budget. Working with the finance director and Chief Anthony Hutton, we came to an agreement that includes eliminating an administrative position within the fire department, reducing overtime, decreasing part-time personnel hours and through future attrition. All told, the plan stands to save the city nearly $350,000 over the next 10 years.

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In closing, I hope you all had a happy and healthy holiday season and look forward to seeing you all at community events throughout the year.

Thank you, Mayor Potter

As I write these community updates each month, I am appreciative of the opportunity to reflect on all that is good in Kirtland. We have a strong and faithful community. A city with residents that care for one another. A

It is my great privilege to wish you all a

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ers support has helped ensure the turf will be

“The Kirtland Athletic Boosters continue to be extremely supportive and helpful to the

The district continues to pursue other zations or individuals can contact VanArnhem at chad.vanarnhem@kirtlandschools.org.

production costs — is accomplished primarily through the support of generous support you give us, whether it’s financially or simply by continuing to be a loyal

Mayor Kevin Potter

Mayor Kevin Potter

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Chorus

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of 2022, and I believe all of these aspects of excellent choral performance are continuing to improve with each and every rehearsal and concert. Also, I know that the concerts before I took over featured about 25 singers. Our numbers are now in the low 50s.”

While Richard has received positive feedback and appreciation from choir and audience members alike, he continues to strive toward excellence.

“I would like to continue to grow our numbers. I would love to have even more Lakeland Community College students participating,” he said. “Beyond that, my goals are specific to musicality and the choral sound itself. We’re pursuing a choral tone that is focused and vibrant while also being well-blended and well-balanced. Again, the ensemble has made good progress toward that goal in the past year.”

Former Director Leonard DiCosimo,

president of the Cleveland Federation of Musicians, re-established the Romeo Pallante Music Scholarship in the music department at LCC during his tenure, which lasted from the fall of 2015 through the spring of 2021.

“I was absolutely delighted to re-establish and award (the scholarship) to deserving students,” he said, adding he is not surprised the chorus has lasted five decades.

“I attribute the 50-year longevity of the ensemble to community members who come to rehearsal, sing in performances and attend administrative meetings,” he added.

A true example of longevity, Harold Meier, 86, has been singing bass in the LCCCC since day one.

A friend had asked him to join because they needed a male voice, he said.

“I enjoy singing with fellow musicians that love and enjoy music,” he said. “I also enjoy the different types of music you get to sing. I’ve made a lot of friends over the years. I truly enjoy the chorus and always look forward to the next concerts. Fans like the style of music

we sing and each concert has a special theme that people really enjoy. We practice two hours a week during the season and I look forward to each practice because of the people there. I love to sing and want to share the music with others. It’s thrilling to sing in front of a packed house and I’m just amazed at how professional a lot of the chorus members are. There are some incredible singers in the chorus.”

Longtime member Suz Walker is also a bonafide original, being one of three members who sang with the first group started by Romeo Pallante.

“The group originally numbered around 80 folks. Unfortunately, many of those original members were older than me at the time I came on board and many have since passed on … including at least three former directors of the group,” she said. “In my opinion, the Lakeland Community College Civic Chorus is the bestkept musical secret in Northeast Ohio and I’m always happy to talk it up because singing with this group has given me so much joy over the years.”

On an esoteric level, Walker said there is

no other experience in life compared to making music together with others of like mind.

“At some point, one’s mind and body find a compatible natural resonance within the sound created by the group as a whole, and one becomes part of something much greater than being one individual singing voice,” she said. “It is within that collaborative harmonic resonance that the human body finds itself ‘in sync’ with the ‘creative vibration’ that is found in the spaces between the notes of the written composition. Being a part of that experience takes one to a higher state of consciousness similar to meditation and the body reacts with many positive responses: lower blood pressure, heart rate, muscular relaxation, dissipation of stress. Simply put, no matter how difficult my day may have been, after two hours of singing with the Lakeland Community College Civic Chorus, I find I am completely relaxed, at peace, positive and looking forward to tomorrow.”

“I know I am not alone in this phenomenon,” she continued. “That is what tacitly binds choral singers together cohesively. We find a joy in the music we make together that becomes almost addictive … our ‘feel good’ drug of choice,’ if you will.”

Walker, who comes from a musical family and had been singing since she was a child, recalled when she first heard the chorus rehearsing in 1976.

“I was compelled to become part of it because of my love of choral singing and the reputation of the late, great musician/conductor Romeo Pallante, who was, at that time, the LCC chorus conductor,” she said. “Pallante had an interesting philosophy when it came to choosing the music for each LCC chorus concert. He believed in presenting something of interest and joy for the audience, something of challenge and delight for the chorus members, and something to satisfy his own particular love of the choral genre. My personal feeling is that’s probably the most balanced and fair method to put together a choral program that will satisfy all three, the paying audience, the performers and the director. The current director of the Lakeland Community College Civic Chorus, Ben Richard, is a most gifted and interesting conductor. I really enjoy his insight and the creative ways in which he is able to express his vision of each particular note we sing.”

Like Meier, Walker has seen the choir morph and change throughout the decades.

reader, we know you value a vibrant newspaper that is dedicated to and reflects the community in which you live. An informed public means citizens understand what is happening in their community and have a voice in its direction.

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“In terms of programming and presentation in its concerts, the chorus has evolved through several iterations, according to the directors that followed Romeo Pallante,” she said. “Some preferred to lean more toward classical works, others favored contemporary composers or a mix of traditional choral works, big band and show tunes. The chorus has performed works ranging from Bach through Aaron Copland and the popular compositions of ABBA and Billy Joel, and everything in between. The membership of the chorus has been as high as 85 and as low as 30.”

As she reflected on her long history with the chorus, Walker reiterated the pleasure she feels when creating music with others and how grateful she is to have had that experience for so many years.

“I love creating joy, for myself and others … within the experience of the natural harmonics of the ‘Cosmo’ is my passion,” she said. “However, I don’t imagine this to be just a choral experience, but is probably also to be found in being part of an orchestra or a band. It’s the human reach for perfection by finding our balance within the natural harmonics of our reality that drives us to resonate together to achieve the ‘Whole.’”

For more information about the LCCCC, visit: https://lakelandcc.edu.

Kirtland Library

The Kirtland Public Library is located at 9267 Chillicothe Road. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about any of these programs or to register, please call the library at 440-256-7323 or visit www.kirtland.lib.oh.us.

Cookbook Club

Jan. 17 • 6 p.m.

Bring a soup or stew to share to help us stay warm this winter. Bring your own place setting and drink, too. We meet monthly and we explore some fun challenges every time.

Space is limited so please register.

Gentle Yoga

Jan. 24 • 2:30 p.m.

Join us to unwind from the stress of the week. Instructor Mala White from Harmony Yoga starts with relaxation techniques for self-care that seamlessly lead into a gentle vinyasa yoga.

This class is suitable to all-levels, including beginners and experienced yogis. Cost is $10 per person.

Bring a mat and wear loose clothing. Participants will need to sign a waiver.

Space is limited so please register.

Book Discussion Groups

No Pressure Book Discussion

Jan. 23 • 1:30 p.m.

Come and talk about what you’ve been reading lately. Be prepared to add to your ‘to be read’ list.

Let’s Talk About It

Jan. 23 • 7 p.m.

Read and discuss “The Dictionary of Lost Words,” by Pip Williams. Copies available at the library.

Used Book Sale

Feb. 4 • 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Save the Date: Used Book Sale in the Book Cellar at the library.

What are you Reading?

It’s time to start the 23 in 2023 reading challenge. We have come up with a variety of genres, subjects and authors to expand your reading horizons. Pick up your copy at the library.

Here are some other ideas to help increase your “word power” and some resolutions for readers for the coming year:

1. Read with friends, join a book discussion group. There are two at the library:

• Let’s Talk about It, meets at 7 p.m. on

the fourth Monday of the month. We read specific books and talk about them.

• Books for Lunch – A No-Pressure Book Club, meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at the library.

2. Track your reading. Good Reads (www. goodreads.com) nis a great free resource for this, and it has reviews and author information. Also, you can create and maintain a list on the online library catalog, just ask us how.

3. Listen to more audiobooks or read ebooks. Check out Libby and/or Hoopla to download ebooks or audiobooks. Both services available through the library.

4. Check out the Staff Picks display at the library. See what we’ve been reading and recommending.

Weekly Programs For Youths

Lapsit

Tuesdays • 10 a.m.

Bounces, rhymes, one book, scarves, and shakers, geared for families with children under the age of 3. Make friends as you enjoy stories with your child.

Storytime

Wednesdays • 10 a.m.

Enjoy great books, rhymes, songs, and surprises with your child. This storytime is geared for families with children age 5 and under. Make new friends and have fun at the library.

LEGO Club

Jan. 14 • 10:30 a.m.

Families, spend an hour creating with the library’s LEGO brick collection. Once you have completed your creation with our bricks, we will place it in our display case for all to see. Please register.

Meet Me At The Library

Jan. 20 • 10:30 a.m.

Families with children age 5 and under, meet at library to try lots of fun activities. Come move those muscles, enrich your brain and make new friends as you find out what fun awaits you this time. Please register.

Teen Book Discussion

Jan. 24 • 4 p.m.

Youth in grades 6-12, join our newest book discussion group. In January, the book to be discussed will be “Keeper of The Lost Cities,” by Shannon Messenger.

Whether this is your favorite series or you have never heard of it before, read the book and come see what others thought about it. Please register.

Kiwanis Corner

suBmitted By Jim Porter

Your friends and neighbor members of the Kirtland Kiwanis Club wish you a very Happy New Year in 2023.

This year, we were able to resume the annual senior dinner at the Community of Christ Church Well over 100 Kirtland Seniors gathered on Dec. 1 to welcome in the holiday season and enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by church members and served by the students in the Kirtland Middle School Kiwanis Builders Club. This event, dating back many years, was created by Kiwanian Tom Dice, who realized that many older folks are not able to get out and about in typical Kirtland winters to celebrate with friends. Kiwanis members, with his guidance, called and invited them to attend and provided transportation.

The event featured good food, lots of conversation, singing Christmas carols together

and a visit from Santa, who brought a gift bag with candy and a lottery ticket for each attendee.

This year was one of the most successful dinners of all, although we really can’t be sure that anyone won with the lottery ticket. Club members Rick Blum, Mike Sams, Kathy Talty, Jerry and Marie Bartels, Rick Fox, Jane Lyon and Bruce Sandacz, along with many other Kiwanis members and spouses, joined with Tom Dice to make it happen. A very special twist this year was the attendance of a large group of ex-Kirtlanders now residing at Ohio Living in Willoughby.

Looking ahead, Kiwanis will be presenting the 2023 Citizen of the Year award at the Jan. 12 dinner meeting at the Sausalito Kirtlander. In more good news, rides will be back at this year’s Kirtland Strawberry Festival. President Mike Sams and Kiwanian Frank Lyon have finalized the contract with the ride company.

Campus Chatter

Son of Mark and Jeanette Potosky, Logan is a senior studying communication in the Tim Russert Department of Communication.

Kiwanis Students of the Month

The Kirtland Kiwanis “Students of the Month” for January 2023 are fifth-grader Barrett Bernot, of Kirtland Elementary School, eighth-grader Peyton Dennison, of Kirtland Middle School, and 10th-grader Chase Rodriguez, of Kirtland High School.

The Kiwanis sponsors the “Students of the Month.” The principal and staff chose one student from each school to be recognized. Each student has their picture taken, receives a certificate and a T-shirt that says “Student of the Month.”

CHUCK BICKART/KIRTLAND KIWANIS

From left, “Students of the Month” Chase Rodriguez, of KHS, Peyton Dennison, of KMS, and Barrett Bernot, of KES.

Logan Potosky, of Kirtland, was inducted into the Eta Eta Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society at John Carroll University in University Heights.

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the Jan. 2 Monday night football game.

“We have AEDs in all of our public buildings, at the community parks, we have them outside at the community center, at the rec park,” replied Hutton. “We do training for city employees for AEDs and hands-only CPR. We also do a lot of training with other groups. So, there are AEDs all over.”

The chief added he believed Kirtland Public Library also has an AED.

Public Service Director Joe Fornaro said the city has used about 200 tons more road salt this year compared to the same time last year.

Community and Senior Center Coordinator Teresa Szary reported that from Oct. 1, 2021, through Dec. 30, 2022, there were a total of 637 members, including 104 new resident members and 160 non-resident members.

“On average, we have people doing about 95 activities a day,” Szary said, explaining one resident could do several activities in one day. “So, it’s always pretty busy down at the senior center.”

Potter said the city had received a “significant grant award” through Congressman David Joyce’s office — an $820,000 grant for the Old Town sewer project.

“It goes a really long way for those folks over there,” said Potter, adding it knocks close to $6,300 off each homeowner’s share of project costs.

Potter also said the city’s comprehensive plan should be completed in several weeks and would be discussed at a joint meeting later this month.

The mayor further indicated he spent time earlier this month meeting and touring the city with economic development consultant Ed Eckert.

“We were talking about different economic development potential opportunities, talking about some of the resources existing at our disposal or in the future, we might need to have further conversations related to attracting more business here,” Potter said.

Potter also recognized Frank Wagner, owner of Down the Block, who is looking to expand his presence in Kirtland with the opening of Casa Rosa Cucina.

During public comments, resident Barbara Nye, of Briar Hill Road, talked about her family’s experience with the police department and issues she has faced. In October, she said the fell victim to identity theft to the tune of $70,000 to $80,000. They filed a police report and were assigned an officer. But because the officer was part time, he often was unavailable when they had questions or needed information for credit card companies and credit reporting agencies.

“I have no idea if there is a police report,” Nye told council, adding any information they received resulted from their efforts. “We were very, very frustrated.”

Nye did indicate they did not reach out to Police Chief Brian McCallister because they did not know the process or protocol to follow, having never been in a situation like this before.

Then in December, Nye said they learned a caregiver to their special needs child allegedly had abused him. Once again, they contacted the police department and the responding officer, after watching a home video, told them the caregiver would be in jail within 24-48 hours.

But as of the Jan. 4 meeting, the caregiver had not been arrested and they had not been updated or provided any explanation. Nye added the officers have been “wonderful,” but the issue is the officers are part time and it is difficult to communicate with them.

“We’re very much in the dark. We didn’t know what to expect, we didn’t know what our rights were, we didn’t know what his rights were,” Nye said. “We got no updates at all unless we called.”

Added Nye, “So, I am asking the council to please get somebody on staff who could be available in the police department that could answer questions, help people through the process so they know where to go, what to do, what the next steps are. So, I am asking for a victim advocate position possibly, especially since our police department members are part time and not always available to answer questions.”

Council members and Potter thanked Nye for coming forward and expressed sympathy toward her and her family.

“I’m terribly sorry that any of this … happened to you and your family,” the mayor said.

He said while the police department has full-time officers, he understands how it may seem like they’re working part-time because of the way their shifts rotate.

“When Chief McCallister came in here a little over a year ago, a big part of our discussion (has been) the community policing aspect,” Potter added.

He and council encouraged Nye to reach out to McCallister with any questions.

“I know in certain instances, this chief has been incredibly responsive, so just know that that is always a resource for you, as well as myself and (council member Joe) Smolic is a great advocate for our community,” Potter said. “There’s no question that the concerns you bring up here tonight, I think we’ll have a good conversation with the chief tomorrow. Unfortunately, he wasn’t here tonight. Again, I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through and (it was a) well-heeded conversation tonight from you, so thank you.”

Law Director Matthew Lallo offered to talk to Nye privately about her son’s case and answer any questions he could about the legal proceedings.

Nye thanked council and the administration for listening to her and offering to help.

“We wouldn’t be here for 20 years if we didn’t love our community and the people who serve it,” she said.

Wagner, of Chester Township, approached council to give an update on his plans to build Casa Rosa Cucina, which will be a dine-in restaurant located across from city hall.

Wagner said he is in the process of applying to get his liquor license transferred to Kirtland and hopes the restaurant will be ready to open come spring.

“It’s going to be a fine dining establishment. We’re putting in about $800,000 to a million dollars into the facility in renovations and property and everything,” he said. “It should generate about $80,000 to $100,000 in new sales tax revenue … plus other revenue from 10 to 12 new employees we plan on hiring. Plus, we’re going to help hopefully beautify the city here. We’re gonna take a property that’s a little dilapidated and give it a facelift.”

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