Hello Villagers,

Spring has arrived and we will soon see the daffodils, Lenten rose, and other horticulture popping through the warming ground and drying leaves. Spring is one of the prettiest seasons in our Village. I trust you will find your own way to celebrate the season.

2025 is off to a good start. Our strategic priorities of safety, environmental stewardship and community engagement provide the framework for projects. Here are a few events and projects underway:

• On the safety front, through generous funding by villagers, we have an additional Flock camera being installed at County Line and have received and are programming new Motorola radios to provide full connectivity to Fire, Service and Police.

• The Council has approved the contract for paving Hillcreek Ln. and Andrews Rd., along with planned maintenance for other roads in the Village. Additionally, Council approved a contract to replace damaged guardrails, many of which were caused by the August 6th storm. This is a two-year project, and we will prioritize the most damaged areas first.
   
• The four pilot projects to eradicate invasive trees and plants are underway.

• The broadband project of bringing buried fiber optic internet to all homes and businesses was approved at Third Reading by Council in March. This option will improve current service and add to the attractiveness of the Village. Look for more information starting in April.

We have some other projects and improvements that are on the drawing board. I will keep you posted on these as they develop. One area that warrants fresh attention is the area of senior services. I would like to meet with residents regarding senior services — the areas of need, current options, benefits and costs, etc. If you have an interest in helping us think through this as a Village, let me know. We will have a first meeting in April.

Finally, I want to recognize and honor our longtime friend and council member, Ed Welsh, who passed away just weeks ago. Ed served on Council for 25 years-a remarkable legacy of dedication. We retired Ed’s chair and gifted it to his family at a Celebration of Life on March 15^th. Ed’s life was a reminder of the importance of volunteering for the benefit of a larger constituency. The many traditions of the Village are organized and run by our volunteers. Raise your hand to help and perpetuate the small village way of life we call home.

Thank you,

Steven L. Siemborski, Mayor
1470 Chagrin River Road
Gates Mills, OH  44040
(440) 423-4405   Ext. 122
[email protected]