Dear Villagers,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday— a celebration of gratitude for our many blessings, family and friends.

Soon, the holiday season will be upon us. The Village will be lit like the North Pole, the bonfire wood will be stacked and dried ready for Christmas Eve, bridge boxes will be replanted, and menorah candles will be in place among other holiday traditions shared by other cultures. In our home, we have completed cookie baking with over thirty different types that we enjoy sharing throughout the next eight weeks.

On December 20, at the Community House, the Village employees will gather for some light treats, I’ll share a few words, and the Improvement Society will distribute holiday bonus checks from contributions collected from Village residents. The holiday bonus tradition goes back decades and enables all of us to show our appreciation for a job well done. I encourage you to contribute.

At the November Council meeting, Council approved the pilot program to address invasive species affecting our tree canopy. There are four pilot locations. Work will be done by an outside firm with the necessary certifications, talent and equipment. Some work will begin this winter. We will post signs and have resident awareness and education materials.

Our revised recycling program will start in January with a 65-gallon collection tote for each home. (See more details in this Pink Sheet). Our goal is to reduce the amount of trash we contribute to landfills by meaningfully increasing the amount for recycling. Our broadband discussions have progressed nicely. We expect a draft contract to be discussed at the December council meeting.

Let me close this last letter of the year with a personal thank you for allowing me to help lead this historic and unique village. With the help of Council, the department heads, all our employees, committee members, and hundreds of volunteers, we are fortunate for this place and for each other.

Steven L. Siemborski, Mayor
1470 Chagrin River Road
Gates Mills, OH  44040
(440) 423-4405   Ext. 122
mayor@gatesmillsvillage.com