Council Approves Additional Security Cameras In Cedar Lee District

Smile! You're on camera.

But it's not a Hollywood production filming in the city . Soon more security cameras will be installed in the Cedar Lee Business District, and police will monitor the feed.

Cleveland Heights City Council approved a new surveillance system for the district at its regular meeting Monday.

Thirteen cameras will be installed on Lee Road from Cedar Road to the , said Councilman Jason Stein, who introduced the emergency resolution. The cameras use Wi-Fi technology, provide a more accurate picture and record 24/7, he said.

"These cameras will be the eyes and ears of our police department," Stein said. "Each camera is like having a police officer on duty."

ESI Companies, Inc., based in Memphis, TN, will provide and install the SkyCop camera system, and the cost will not exceed $76,000, according to council documents.

In addition, the city will pay the Illuminating Company $35.85 per year per pole to use each pole the cameras are attached to. The cost will increase by 4 percent annually, according to council documents.

The city has installed a couple of cameras in Cedar Lee before, Stein said. Cleveland Heights added last summer to help police monitor the area. There are also monitoring systems in the Cedar Fairmount Business District, at the and at the intersection of Monticello and Noble. The SkyCop cameras are the first to use Wi-Fi in the city.

"This is the new age ... the security of the future," Stein said. "It helps make our city safer and gives a perception of safety."

The cameras will be visible and flash blue lights, and the city is considering adding signage as well to indicate police officers are watching and monitoring activity, Stein said. The SkyCop cameras will include remote video monitoring and recording systems, providing real-time information to the  

Stein said this is a first phase — more cameras will likely be added to the area soon.

Other highlights from the City Council Meeting:

• City Council approved a loan for Burgers-N-Beer to help establish a restaurant at 1854 Coventry, where used to be. For more information, .
• Susanna Niermann O'Neil, acting city manager, named Law Director John Gibbon acting vice city manager. O'Neil, community relations director for the city, was  to serve as acting city manager after former City Manager Bob Downey .
• Members declared two homes nuisance properties. The houses are located at 3817 Delmore Road and 921 Woodview Road. The home on Delmore will cost $8,000 to raze, and the home on Woodview will cost $10,500 to demolish and clean up debris.
• Council authorized O'Neil to sell the city-owned property at 863 Nelaview Road for $56,000. The home was renovated using money from the federal , which grants money to local governments to buy abandoned, vacant and foreclosed homes, repair them and turn them around for sale. The dollars also can be used to demolish homes that can't be saved. This is the 11th home sold out of 12 rehabbed, said Vice Mayor Dennis Wilcox.