Lakewood Adopts Public Art Master Plan, Fights FirstEnergy Rate Hike and Honors Hispanic Heritage Month

Public Art Master Plan Moves From Committee to Adoption Lakewood City Council adopted its Public Art Master Plan on Monday, Oct. 5. The vote came after a Committee of the Whole review earlier that evening. Council then worked through a full regular meeting agenda. The committee took up one item. Amanda Cramer of the city Planning Department joined two Cuyahoga County Planning Commission staffers to present the plan. They were Meghan Chaney, a senior planner, and Jim Sonnhalter, planning manager for design and implementation. Lakewood was one of 10 applicants for the county’s Community Planning Services Program. Only four were chosen. Work began last August and a first draft was finished in the spring. City departments then reviewed it over the summer. What the Plan Recommends The plan sets four goals. They call for more variety in public art, new art in target areas, equity and accessibility, and lasting support for the Public Art Advisory Board. Planners said the board’s work needs steady funding, planning and a maintenance system. Planners mapped every existing piece of art and drew a quarter mile walking radius around each one. The gaps were mostly in residential areas. They also layered in data on diversity, seniors, residents with disabilities, pavement and tree canopy. The city has more than 100 pieces of public art, according to the plan. An implementation table ranks each action by priority, timeline and cost. Cost ranges run from up to $50,000 to $500,000 or more. Each action names a lead agency and possible partners. Maintenance drew attention. Chaney described a Shaker Heights practice that has artists fill out a maintenance form before a piece is approved. The plan also suggests rules for taking art down, and returning removable panels to the artists. What Residents Said The county and the city gathered feedback through a survey, which drew 800 respondents and about 2,038 written comments, according to the plan. Planners also set up boards in art classes at Lakewood High School and St. Edward High School. Chaney said more than 90 percent of survey respondents felt good or very good about current public art. Some answers pointed to gaps. Fifty two percent said their interests, culture and heritage are reflected in the city’s art. The plan also reports that 79 percent want new developments to include public art, and 77 percent want a bigger city budget for it. Funding and Ownership Questions The city now spends $50,000 a year on public art from its capital budget. Councilmember Tom Bullock asked whether that figure limited the plan. Chaney said the county tells communities not to let cost shape recommendations, because an adopted plan can open doors to grants. Bullock also asked about the plan’s “percent for art” idea. Chaney explained that cities can require private developers to put about 1 percent of construction costs into an art fund. Bullock asked for a later committee discussion on implementation, maintenance and budget. He said the city’s share of funding should shrink as businesses and foundations join in. Councilmember Angelina Hamilton Steiner asked who will carry the plan out. Cramer said it will sit in her office, with help from the advisory board, the capital budget and outside grants. Councilmember Bryan Evans, who served on the steering committee, said council members must also commit the money. Vice President Kyle Baker said Ward 1 has little public art and pointed to city gateways. He said he expects the city to acquire green space along Interstate 90 by the end of the year. Councilmember Cindy Strebig asked about teen involvement. Chaney said art teachers want a summer program with the city’s recreation department. Adoption Council President Sarah Kepple said the committee voted unanimously to send Resolution 2026-40 to the full council. The full council adopted it on a voice vote. FirstEnergy Report and Rate Increase Fight Kepple also read a report on a Sept. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting. City officials and six FirstEnergy executives attended. Law Director Ernie Vargo and the company gave presentations on planned investments through the end of next year. Kepple said Vargo called the company’s past approach to Lakewood “fix it as we go.” She said Vargo expects state regulators to require more investment over the next seven to nine years. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio issued a notice of probable noncompliance in August. That notice proposed a $3,049,750 forfeiture, and Kepple said it is still being negotiated. Kepple said one finding involved the Lauderdale substation. She said it is served by underground cables more than 100 years old that cannot be properly tested without risk of damage. FirstEnergy has also asked to raise rates. Kepple said the city opposes the increase and will pursue it legally. Residents can file a comment with the commission at puco.ohio.gov by referencing case 26-0347-EL-AIR. The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel estimates that Illumina