Election: 8 candidates vie for 3 ward council seats in Euclid

All even-numbered wards, Ward 1, and council president will be on the Euclid ballot in the Nov. 5 election, with several candidates hoping to win a council seat to represent Euclid.
Kimberly A. Baioni, Kristian D. Jarosz and Mary Jo Minarik are running for Ward 4; Patrick M. Delaney, incumbent James J. O’Hare and Jerry Sustarsic are running for Ward 6; and Eric Condon and Laura J. Gorshe are running for Ward 8.
Incumbents Scott Lynch, Ward 4, and Greg Van Ho, Ward 8, will not be running for re-election in their respective wards.
Sherri L. Carmody withdrew from the race for Ward 4 on Sept. 3.
Ward 2 incumbent Madeline Scarniench and incumbent council President Kirsten Holzheimer Gail will have no challengers for their current seats.
Ward 1 also will be on the ballot, because of a resignation on council. Incumbent Stephana C. Caviness, who replaced resignee David Gilliham, will run for the Ward 1 seat unopposed.
Council representatives for Wards 2, 4, 6 and 8 will serve a four-year term beginning Jan. 1, and receive an annual salary of $11,000. Council president also will serve a four-year term beginning Jan. 1 and receive an annual salary of $13,000.
The Ward 1 seat is a two-year term beginning Jan. 1, with an annual salary of $9,000. The annual salary increase for odd-numbered wards to $11,000 will begin January 2016.
Citywide, Euclid has 33,476 registered voters eligible to vote in the upcoming election, according to Cuyahoga County Board of Elections records.

Ward 4

Baioni

If elected, Baioni hopes to limit the number of vacant homes in Euclid.

“Through my work with the Euclid Housing Task Force, I am more than prepared to continue to tackle the problem of vacant and abandoned properties from a City Council position – through education, research and aggressive marketing of all of the fine attributes that our city possesses,” she said.

She also would like to increase the number of young professionals and graduate students in the city though affordable housing, diversity, and local businesses.

“I have seen many buy homes in several different urban/inner-ring suburban communities over the years, (because) they are attracted (to the) access to public transportation, cultural diversity (and) a real ‘neighborhood’ feel and nonchain restaurants and shops,” Baioni said. “

The Euclid High School graduate and 25-year resident is “passionate about future of the city”, and said she is well qualified with years of experience in the city’s Law Department and Cuyahoga County Land Bank.
Jarosz

Jarosz wants to promote growth in the city through supporting home ownership and property values.

“For many, their home will be the biggest investment they ever make, and I believe local government has a duty to protect that investment,” he said. “We must explore and implement strategies that both encourage home ownership and attract residents from outside our borders.”

If elected, he also would like to make sure there are enough police and fire staffed throughout the city, reduce loitering and littering for a better quality of life in the city and promote economic development through bringing in new businesses.

The 13-year resident is “deeply committed to the community” and believes “the decision local government makes during these next few years will be critical, and be felt for decades.”

Jarosz has experience though the Investment Management Consulting Association and Cleveland Leadership Institute, and has a “deep understanding of economic and financial analysis.”

Minarik

Minarik wishes to decrease the transient population of Euclid.

“As a city, we must stabilize the population be creating a sustainable Euclid in three areas: economically, culturally and environmentally,” she said. “A sustainable Euclid will attract individuals, families and businesses.”

She also would like to establish safe streets, strong neighborhoods, improved city services and open communication among administration, council, businesses and residents.

With past experience on City Council, Minarik will support the residents .

“I played a key role in restoring two streets’ normalcy by coordinating an effective strategy among residents, police and the Housing Department that eliminated the nuisance that caused neighbors distress,” she said. “When Shore Cultural Centre and the Historical Society’s Township Hall were threatened with demolition, I was instrumental in saving them.”

She is a 23-year resident of Euclid.
Ward 6

Delaney

Delaney would like to focus on three areas – safety, housing and economic development – if he is elected.

“As new technologies emerge, the city needs to be on the forefront that can bring more surveillance to our parks, streets and busy areas,” he said. “The safety and security of our residents and their property is a top priority.”

He also wants to increase property value, market Euclid’s strengths, rebuild the tax base and attract new business and residents to the city.

As a former councilman at-large, Delaney has experience working with the city administration, other council members and residents.

“I passed legislation that improved our housing stock, brought more efficiency to our Streets and Service Department, strengthened our safety forces, collaborated with local businesses, challenged tax increases and improved the partnership with the Euclid City Schools,” he said.

He is a lifelong resident of Euclid.
O’Hare

If re-elected, O’Hare would like to strengthen the neighborhoods through neighborhood engagement, protecting and enhancing housing stock and reducing the number of foreclosed homes.

“I would like to add at least one housing employee whose dedicated function is to more actively crack down on nuisance and blighted properties,” he said.

He also would like to focus on financial management, economic development and improving communication.

“We can improve by diversifying our economy and tax base via the work of the ad hoc financial review committee … to help devise new strategies for management of city finances,” O’Hare said. “We also have the opportunity to attract new companies, in industries that we might not currently be well-represented in our city.”

As a current councilman, he said he “brings long and varied experience” to the position, and has gotten things done in council meetings, housing task force, and neighborhood association meetings.

The 32-year resident has been the chairman for Housing, Building and Neighborhood committees, a member of Executive and Finance and Public Service committees.
Sustarsic

The main goals Sustarsic would like to accomplish are increasing communication among residents, being attentive to their needs and concerns, and bringing new businesses to the area.

“The present plan to attract business will be re-evaluated with consideration of options such as exploring other real estate firms specializing in commercial property, and a more aggressive media campaign,” he said.

Sustarsic also wants to make changes to C.E. Orr Ice Arena, such as exterior painting and landscaping.

With past experience on the Civil Service Commission and City Council, Sustarsic has experience working with the city, residents and creating important policies for the city. “In the former, exams were given to police and fire candidates, and in council I successfully introduced daytime curfew, and the restriction of the sale of low alcoholic beverages … to minors under 18,” he said.

He is a lifelong Euclid resident.
Ward 8

Condon

Condon wants to work to enhance the quality of the community.

“I would create a comprehensive plan to maintain, repair or replace faulty sewer and stormwater lines in order to stop repeated flooding of basements,” he said. “I would enforce housing codes, including upkeep and tree branches.”

He also would like to work on the competitive bidding process to eliminate “extreme” from the “extreme emergency” part of the ordinance.

Condon said he would use his “experience as a government civil attorney … (to analyze) the legal impact of all council matters.”

He said he will use his civil engineering degree to understand the sewer and stormwater issues, as well as provide perspective to aging infrastructure.

He is a 12-year resident of Euclid.
Gorshe

If elected, Gorshe wants to update the master plan and look at long-term financial planning for the city.

“It is important that we strategically craft a roadmap and strategic vision for the redevelopment of the city,” she said.

She also wants to attract new businesses, work on enforcing the housing codes and establish strong neighborhoods.

“I will immediately begin to work with the Economic Development Division and the Euclid Chamber of Commerce to host a business symposium roundtable to listen to current business owners in an open forum,” Gorse said. “I will take a zero tolerance stand on the magnitude of abandoned, vacant and foreclosed properties in Euclid.”

As a current Planning and Zoning Commissioner, she said she is committed to offering new ideas and putting those ideas into action.

She is an 18-year resident of Euclid.