Godic is latest Metropolis Council member

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — In the end, the sidewalk challenge has been determined, and Mayor Richard Bain stated that work will seemingly start to put in them, most likely on Lander Highway, in 2024.

As well as, election day (Nov. 7) introduced the arrival of a brand new Metropolis Council member, Jackie Godic, and the re-election of longtime Councilmen Anthony Gentile and Jim LeMay.

Bain, a proponent of including sidewalks to a few main streets within the metropolis — along with Lander Highway, these streets, in coming years, embrace Shaker Boulevard and South Woodland Highway — was happy with the voters’ determination. Every of those three streets was named on the poll as streets that might get sidewalks if Situation 65 handed.

“I wasn’t shocked,” Bain stated of the result. ”I believed that the vote mirrored and was very in line with the outcomes of the surveys that the residents had already responded to.”

Metropolis Council elected in August to placed on the poll the sidewalk challenge, which has been mentioned on and off for a number of years in Pepper Pike. Prior to now 12 months, it was town’s major dialogue subject.

Whereas some residents noticed including sidewalks to be a security challenge in order that they and their kids wouldn’t need to stroll or experience bikes on the primary roads, others noticed sidewalks as infringing on town’s rural really feel and had been against having walkways in shut proximity to their properties.

Town oversaw two surveys, each of which confirmed that individuals wished sidewalks, however some residents contended that the surveys didn’t convincingly present a want so as to add sidewalks.

“I all the time had religion within the high quality and the accuracy of the surveys that had been ready and responded to,” Bain stated. “And the outcomes of the election had been in line with the outcomes mirrored within the survey.”

In keeping with unofficial Cuyahoga County Board of Elections outcomes, 2,232 residents (64.5 %) voted in favor of Situation 65, whereas 1,229 (35.5 %) opposed.

Now that voters have given approval, Bain stated, “We’ll make a proposal to council as to the place we expect the set up of the walkways needs to be they usually’ll need to overview it and applicable the funds to do it.”

Every of the council candidates, earlier than the election, acknowledged they might abide by and comply with by means of on the voters’ determination.

“I’d hope we’d have walkways underneath method in 2024,” Bain stated. ”We’d most likely begin on Lander Highway.”

When requested if Lander Highway could be the one road to see the beginning of sidewalk work in 2024, Bain stated, “I’ve to let Don (Sheehy, town’s engineer) do his job and seek the advice of with him. I don’t need to anticipate till I hear what Don has to say about it.”

As for the Metropolis Council election, Godic tallied the second most votes of the 5 candidates, following solely LeMay’s 1,537 votes (22.3 %). Godic obtained 1,514 votes (22 %), and Gentile, 1,490 (21.6 %).

Sandip Dev Mody was an in depth fourth with 1,449 votes, and Brittany Shatteen took in 914 votes.

Bain was unopposed as he gained re-election.

“It was actually thrilling,” Godic stated of campaigning and profitable in her first election. “I believe I’ve completed a fairly good job of constructing a pleasant neighborhood, however I believe simply having youngsters within the (Orange) faculty (district) is form of a giant benefit as a result of for those who’re concerned within the faculty you meet a ton of those that method.

“However I believe the most effective elements for me, probably the most gratifying, was spending lots of time knocking on doorways,” she stated. Godic stated that when speaking to folks at their properties, many, at first, stated that they had no particular points to debate along with her. However as they thought extra about it, residents would consider some city-related matter to inform her.

“It took my small view of Pepper Pike and, listening to their concepts, I realized what could possibly be improved on in Pepper Pike and widened my view.”

Each Godic and her husband, Brad Reynolds, grew up in Mentor. The couple has lived in Pepper Pike for six years. They’re the mother and father of two elementary faculty kids.

As for her duties when she takes workplace in January, Godic stated, “I believe the pure first step could be to implement the outcomes of the walkability referendum and begin to getting the walkways put in.

“However actually, extra essential than that, that was a extremely contentious challenge inside the neighborhood, so I believe that simply attempting to fix some fences and get previous that a bit bit — get folks to acknowledge all of us need what’s finest for town, and simply come again collectively and deal with that, as an alternative of some the division that resulted from the debates across the sidewalks.”

Godic stated she desires to make sure there may be neighborhood enter in council’s plans to maneuver forward with the sidewalk challenge.

See extra Chagrin Solon Solar information right here.