Thanks to the CH-UH School Board for their Millikin decision

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board is to
be commended for their leadership to the community. They refused to give in to the
demands of a small vocal group about the sale of Millikin School. The board
recognized the real issue behind the sale of this public property; the land,
not the building is important. This piece of land has significant economic
potential because it could easily be connected to Severance Center. This land
contains a wetland and provides a green buffer between the largest assemblage
of concrete and asphalt in the city and the residential neighborhoods nearby. This
property contains the remains of the Severance Stables, the last building
connected to the history of the Severance Estate.  Lastly, if we want to be a sustainable city we
have to develop greentrails so people can walk and bike and use strollers and
wheelchairs to get from place to place. The Millikin property is a crucial puzzle
piece in the creation of a regional greentrail.

The Mosdos congregation is to be commended for their advocacy,
and I hope negotiations result in their signing a long term lease for Millikin
School.

Real leaders look to the long range future of the community,
not to appeasement and pandering of votes. I applaud and respect the school
board for making the best decision for our community’s long term interests. I
hope the members of the Cleveland Heights City Council will look to the school board
as an example of good governance. We will all look at the empty Wal-Mart and
the new Superwalmart ½ mile away as the example of theirs.  For many years to come.