Oath of Office
Mayor Elect Jerry N. Hruby , elected to the term 01/02/2012 to 01/01/2016; City Council Members Elect Michael Harwood, Gerald F. Broski and Laura Redinger, elected to the term 01/02/2012 to 01/01/2016, and City Councilman elect Louis Carouse Jr., elected to the term 01/02/2012 to 01/01/2014 will take the Oath of Office on January 2, 2012 in the Ralph Biggs City Council Chambers of City Hall. The event begins at 8:00PM and is followed by the Organizational Meeting of City Council. The public is welcome and certainly invited and encouraged to attend. Brecksville’s City Charter provides for this date as the date for the Oath of Office and Organizational Meeting of City Council.

Inaugural Ball
The Inaugural Ball honoring Mayor Jerry N. Hruby and Brecksville City Council will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at Carrie Cerino’s on Ridge Road in North Royalton, Ohio. Cost of tickets is $80.00 per person – seating is 10 per table. Those not reserving a table, we will try to accommodate your seating with certain individuals or just assign you to a table if you wish. Tickets are going fast; please make your reservations as soon as possible. The cost of the ticket covers open bar, dinner, event program, favor, dancing, dessert and coffee stations. The event will conclude at midnight, doors open at 6:00 p.m. This is a black tie optional event.
For many years the Edsels have appeared at Brecksville Home Days. By special request of the Mayor, the Edsels will perform an hour cameo appearance from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Aretifex will play prior to and after the Edsels and they are the Edsels backup band. They will make a wonderful evening of dancing and entertainment.

Snow Plowing Season
The winter weather is upon us and we ask for your cooperation in a variety of ways so that we may do our best to keep our roadways clear of hazards and your driving safety protected as best as possible. We have over 200 lane miles of roads to maintain and our priorities, of course, are the main roads. One of the ways that you can help us – first with your driving habits, please adjust your speed and give yourself adequate time to get where you are going. Please stay back from the rear of the snow plow truck, and if you encounter “gang plowing” on Rte. 21 or Rte. 82, please do not try to pass these trucks –for the safety of the City vehicles and your own safety. Please pay attention to the snow parking ban and if there is an advisory to stay off the roads, unless there is an emergency, please do so. Please do not allow your driveway snow to be pushed into the street – accidents have occurred from mounds of snow being placed on the roadway that had been plowed by the City and motorists driving through the area either breaking to avoid the mounds or driving through them lose control of their vehicle. Unfortunately as we plow the snow, snow will be pushed into the apron of your driveway. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove that snow and with over 6,000 living units in Brecksville we certainly cannot maintain those driveway aprons. Please help us as we serve you during the snow removal season. Please report any concerns you have to our Service Department who will assist you

Bicentennial Obelisk Memorial Garden, Still time to be involved.
The Bicentennial Obelisk was dedicated on October 23, 2011. Added features will be plantings, flag poles, granite benches and plaques depicting historic events and the 200 year history of our community. This is being funded by donations rather than tax dollars. We need your help. Names of those persons, families and businesses who have donated have been engraved on the obelisk. Opportunities still exist for those who wish to donate towards this project and have their name affixed upon the obelisk or the other amenities that will be constructed along the historic walk which is part of the garden. Certainly, the city is accepting any donation and all donations will be remembered in the Time Capsule of the Bicentennial to be buried this spring, 2012, as well as all donations recognized in a remembrance book that will be given to the Historical Association. If you wish your name to be added to the obelisk, please do so as soon as possible as the space remaining is limited. Contact the Mayor’s Office for further details – 440-526-2601. Although the Bicentennial year is ending, our commemorative book and other Bicentennial mementos will be sold the remainder of this year and through Home Days next year. Playing cards with historic photos, Christmas ornaments featuring the Bicentennial logo, a special edition Bicentennial clock and a limited number of clothing articles remain for sale. Please consider buying these items as stocking stuffers, they make ideal holiday gifts. All items can be purchased through the Community Center and/or the Mayor’s Office. The program creating a historical file of your family’s history will be ongoing and you can still submit your family’s history to the archives of the Brecksville Historical Association. For information, please contact the Brecksville Historical Association or see the Bicentennial webpage at www.brecksville.oh.us

City Calendar
The 2012 edition of the Annual City Calendar will be distributed by mail at the end of December, 2011. It will feature images from the past Bicentennial year 2011 and contain events for the year along with Rubbish/Recycling/Yard Waste/Leaves and other solid waste programs the city offers. We are considering making this the final edition of the annual calendar in the printed format. We are determining whether or not to revise the distribution to just our web page and also having a three month calendar as part of our Bi-Monthly Brecksville Bulletin. Feel free to share your thoughts directed to Jinny Farr. Her office is located at the Community Center or by calling 440-526-4351, or
e-mailing vfarr@brecksville.oh.us

Home Days
The Home Days tradition began in the early 1900s when a group of former residents decided to invite other former residents back to the community to celebrate the township and reacquaint themselves with old friends. That tradition continues today. Many families returned to Brecksville during our Bicentennial Celebration 2011. This year’s Home Days will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 29th, 30th and July 1st. If you are planning your summer vacation, why not consider making Home Days part of your vacation plans. There is wonderful food, rides, entertainment and fireworks along with the annual alumni pancake breakfast and other civic organizations participating in the celebration.

Blossom Hill Master Plan
Last year I appointed Joseph Kosek Chairman of a citizen committee entitled Blossom Hill Development Committee to develop a Master Plan for the complex. Named to the board were Ray Andrews, Tim Harwood, Ken Cunningham, Ken Ganley, Laura Redinger, Renee Csuhran, and alternates Sergio DiGeronimo and Jan Starinsky. Recreation Director Tom Tupa, Councilman Mike Harwood and yours truly acted as advisor to the committee. The Advisory Board has prepared a booklet entitled “The Proposed Blossom Hill Master Plan” which will be presented to the Brecksville Recreation Commission at its January 23, 2012 meeting to be held at Brecksville City Hall at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room. After a thorough review by the Recreation Commission including opportunities for the public to give its input, the Recreation Commission and the Blossom Hill Advisory Board will present their recommendations to the Mayor and his Administration and City Council. Thereafter, a more formal document will be published which will then be utilized as part of our future Capital Budget as we continue to develop the original 83 acres of the Blossom Hill property now joined with the former City of Cleveland Tree Farm – 102 acre parcel that is immediately adjacent to the original Blossom Hill property. The entire 185 acres is now referred to as Blossom Hill.

Brecksville Town Center
The Brecksville Shopping Center has a new exterior face, a reconfigured parking lot and a new name – Brecksville Town Center. The Giant Eagle store will be moving from the shopping center and taking with it the state liquor store that is located in Brecksville Town Center. Brecksville Town Center is now actively pursuing new tenants to occupy these spaces. On behalf of the City, we thank them for their commitment to our community and the wonderful “face lift” given the shopping center. We look forward to continuing to work with the Brecksville Town Center and the Chamber of Commerce in developing new retail for our historic and quaint downtown.

Economic Development
Economic Development Director Frank LaRose, Jr. continues to provide outstanding service to our community and has received much praise from companies locating to our City. After a year or so of construction, the Cleveland Clinic Data Center and the True North Corporate Offices will open soon. The major expansion to Rambus is ongoing and under construction. And the new home, an office building being constructed for Clinical Technologies, should commence soon. We thank them for their commitment to the City of Brecksville and the hundreds of jobs they have brought to this community and the fine facilities constructed.

Brecksville Veterans Hospital
The Brecksville Veterans Hospital is in its final days of operation. The outpatient services will soon move to its Parma location – almost all other services have moved previously to Louis Stokes main campus in Cleveland. Therefore, it is anticipated by the end of March there will be little or no employees remaining at the hospital facility. So will end a long history between Brecksville and the Veterans Administration. There has been much speculation to the future of the 100 acre site and the buildings that make up the former VA Hospital. Currently, the property is under lease to Veterans Development as part of their contract with the VA for the expansion of the Wade Park facility. There is ongoing discussions with the VA, VetDev and the City as to the future of the property consistent with the master plan which will protect the current zoning of the property and insure that the City of Brecksville will be able to see the redevelopment of this property consistent with our zoning, the City Master Plan and bringing opportunities to generate jobs and income tax for the City that have been lost as a result of the VA consolidating with Cleveland. We will use this webpage as a forum to inform the public. Any questions or comments regarding the VA should be directed to the Office of the Mayor – 440-526-2601.

Human Services Department
The Human Services Department which is part of the Brecksville Community Center continues to provide outstanding services to our residents with special needs as well as those older persons who enjoy the many amenities and services provided. Our Human Services Department relies upon a small army of 170+ volunteers who give of their time to provide services to those who need them. We now have a fleet of one bus, one van and four cars that drive our residents in need to the doctor, lawyer, shopping experiences and other types of trips, literally hundreds of trips are made each month. Volunteers also assist in the Thursday luncheon and the daily calls to those who are in need of a welfare call each day. Meals on Wheels, our local pantry and many other health wellness services are provided by our volunteers. On behalf of Director Ted Lux and me personally, I encourage our residents to consider volunteering some of their time to this wonderful organization. I know that the many we serve will be eternally grateful. It is a wonderful experience and builds many friendships.

Don’t Forget to Sign Up
Please be sure to sign up for our recreation programs listed in the Brecksville Bulletin and the Recreation Department’s webpage at www.brecksville.oh.us or contact the Community Center for sign up information. Don’t be late, don’t miss the opportunity and don’t miss the fun. If you are not a member please consider joining the Community Center and enjoy the many activities offered.

We Gather History
During the planning for our Bicentennial; we have asked residents of our community to share their old photographs or town artifacts with the committee via the City.  Several families have given us the opportunity to copy old photographs of the community, their families and local businesses as well as provide artifacts in the form of calendars and other items that are directly related to the history of our community.  Photographs can be brought to City Hall, scanned and immediately returned to the owner.  I want to thank the many residents who have provided data regarding the City, the communities, the people and businesses.  There are many of you out there who have items that are significant to our history and we would appreciate it if you would share those items so we can better tell the history of our communities.  Please visit the City’s website and click on the Bicentennial section and the Mayor’s section and see some of the images and items gathered to date.  All photographs will be archived with the Brecksville Historical Association and the Broadview Heights Historical Association.