Winter has descended upon us as we round out another year in our beautiful Village. While 2021 presented some challenges, I’m proud to report that we administered substantial infrastructure improvements and will end the year with healthy reserves. As mentioned in earlier newsletters, this success is not borne from the efforts of any one individual. Members of my administrative staff, along with your Village Council, work incredibly hard to produce results in a fiscally responsible manner. As we move into 2022, we will be sure to post all relevant financial information in the form of a PowerPoint presentation that can be viewed from our website and Facebook page. Look for this report in the first quarter of the new year. I continue to be very proud, and consider myself fortunate to work alongside such dedicated individuals.

If you are driving by Village Park on River Road, you will undoubtably notice our new and beautiful pavilion. As I write this letter, the structure has been completed and features a stone fireplace and several patios. Additional improvements will include a grill area, restroom facilities, firepit and improved landscaping. Residents will be able to reserve this structure in 2022 after we have completed the drafting of policy as it relates to such use.

You may have recently noticed increased activity from our coyote population. I know that some of our residents continue to be concerned about their presence. To that end, I recently attended an Urban Coyote webinar that I found to be incredibly informative. We have posted the link to this presentation on this website and our Village Facebook page. As we were advised by our good friends at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources this past year, these animals are here to stay and our best effort is to become better educated as we continue to coexist with our coyote population. As a cat owner (four of them) I share some of the concerns related to the safety of our pets. However, concerns for personal safety are not typically supported by data and this presentation reinforced the fact that coyote attacks on humans are very rare. However, there are some steps we can take to keep our pets safe and some of these practices are detailed in the presentation I referenced earlier. Residents can also contact my Administrative Assistant Sherri Arrietta who can provide notes from our meeting this past year with ODNR experts. Lastly, we have several copies of “Coyote America” by Dan Flores available for those interested. This book documents the behavior of these animals and also takes a look at the cultural evolution of the American coyote.

I had the honor of attending the wreath ceremony in honor of President James A. Garfield. Our Village is fortunate to share in the history of this man. Since he was born in Moreland Hills, the day started with some brave souls who hiked from the birth site on our campus all the way to Lakeview Cemetery. Along with Council President Steve Richman, I attended the ceremony at Lakeview and was impressed at the pageantry and the beauty inside of the Garfield Monument. If you have never visited this site, I highly suggest that you add it to your list of places to see. Special thanks to Moreland Hills resident Maureen Geck and the Moreland Hills Historical Society who work so very hard to keep the legacy of this President alive. If you or a family member are interested in donating some time, I know that Maureen, as President of the Moreland Hills Historical Society, would love to chat with you regarding the mission of the Historical Society. Maureen can be reached at: mhhsohio@gmail.com.

On this past Veterans Day, I also had the honor of introducing Moreland Hills resident Ron Janke as our guest speaker in Veterans Park. Ron, a Vietnam veteran, and his wife Mary Ann have raised their beautiful family in Moreland Hills. Ron is no stranger to community involvement and we will continue to benefit from his input. Ron’s son Bill will be assuming the role as your new member of Village Council this coming January. Ron delivered a very poignant speech that included his experience as a combat veteran as well as his father’s experiences as a WW2 veteran. We are proud and thankful for the brave men and women who have served. On behalf of our Village, I wish them all good health and prosperity.

From my family to yours I wish you all a most joyous Holiday season and a wonderful 2022!