Proud Of Lakewood

Posted on by Meghan George

As 2020 comes to a close, I am proud of the work we have done and am hopeful for what lies ahead.

There is no denying the tough times right now. The COVID-19 pandemic remains dangerous, and that means disruptions to life for months to come.

However, even with the backdrop of a once in a lifetime pandemic, we continue to move forward on many goals and projects. We have no room to slow down.

Awards and Recognition

The City of Lakewood was awarded:

  • Best Suburb in 2020 by Cleveland Scene magazine. 
  • 2020 Vibrant NEO Champion Award for Lakewood’s Affordable Housing Strategy.
  • Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.
  • Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction for Lakewood’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).

Advocacy and Planning

  • Power a Clean Future Ohio hosted a local government webinar about economic development opportunities of growing Ohio’s clean and renewable energy sectors. I shared Lakewood’s experiences working toward our 100% renewable energy goal.
  • I am also serving on the steering committee for Cuyahoga County’s Lakefront Public Access Plan. The goal of this plan is to better access and utilize Lake Erie assets to improve economic opportunities and quality of life. There is also an important opportunity to work on needed erosion-control.
  • We continue to move forward with the redevelopment of the former hospital site. With the support of City Council, my administration will begin negotiations with CASTO and North Pointe Realty, Inc. Although this is only one step in a multi-step process, their team’s vision and strengths align well with the needs of this site and our community.
  • Although there have been some delays due to COVID, the Lake Ave. Marathon re-development continues to move forward.

Many of our planning efforts this year have been focused on COVID-19 relief. These include: pandemic related express parking, extended outdoor dining and residential and small business rent relief programs. We need to continue looking out for one another, but as a community we will get through this together.