Before we get into the happenings of June, I want to say thanks to all that came out on Memorial Day to honor the brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Thanks to Keith McCrory of the American Legion for coordinating the day’s events. And once again, Rick Blum from Kiwanis tops the list for his efforts in the Veterans Memorial and grounds cleanup. Under Rick’s leadership, members of the American Legion, the Garden Club of Kirtland, and dozens of Kiwanis volunteers came out to mulch and plant flowers around the memorial and City Hall.
I am elated by the respect the Kirtland community shows to the fallen heroes of our U.S. military, and sanctity in which we hold our own Veterans Memorial. The memorial has truly become part of the fabric and a cornerstone of our downtown area.
June will see the opening of a few bids related to infrastructure in Kirtland. On June 6th, bids will be open for this year’s road projects. Streets in consideration will be paving of Fox Hill Dr., paving of Crestwood Dr. (cul-de-sac to Oakwood), Blueberry, and base repairs along Regency Woods Dr. (from Kirtland Chardon to Cardinal Dr). In total, we’ve budgeted $1.1 million for street projects and targeted road patching and repairs to be completed this paving season.
The city recently posted a Request for Proposal for the construction and management of a citywide broadband fiber network. The goal of this RFP is to gauge interest from willing parties to build a high-speed internet network throughout the city. The RFP comes with no guarantee, but we are hopeful a willing and apt partner emerges from the process.
On the Economic Development front, we continue to work toward opportunities that can lead to new revenue sources for Kirtland. Last month I spoke of a potential downtown commercial and residential development project, and with the help of Councilman Fenstermaker and a community advisory committee, we are working to outline a baseline of project criteria to share with the developer. A conceptual project is still in its infancy. Stay tuned over the course of the next weeks and months for announcements of several open house events that will engage the community for its feedback related to any potential development.
In addition to potential downtown improvement, we are also in conversation with a first-class healthcare provider that would bring more than one hundred well-paying jobs to Kirtland. Located at the intersection of Routes 6 and 306, a project of this type would infuse much needed improvement to the area. The group plans to present at an upcoming Planning and Zoning meeting and will offer insight as to the potential economic impact and design of the project.
June also brings the coveted Kirtland Kiwanis Strawberry Festival, June 15-17, as well as the first of five concerts at the City Hall Gazebo to be held on June 26th. Finally, the week of June 5th, all Kirtland residents have free access to the Holden Arboretum. We are grateful to Holden for their willingness to partner with the city, and hope many of our residents take the opportunity to experience the crown jewel that is Holden.
Thank you,
Mayor, Kevin Potter