Hello Villagers,

I want to update you on the progress during the last few months of several priority areas.

Safety is the top priority in the eyes of our residents. They confirmed this through the survey and workshops conducted through the planning process and the rankings of matters of importance.

The Village provides EMS services through a service contract with Mayfield Village. We are very satisfied with this agreement which we renewed for five years last fall.

Police services are provided by our full-time staff. Dispatch services are provided by Chagrin Valley Dispatch who dispatches police, fire, and EMS services into numerous Cuyahoga communities. Chief Minichello and I visited the center in March and were very impressed with the integrated capabilities and the professionalism of the dispatchers. Each piece of safety equipment and each first responder is identified and dispatched to minimize response time and get the right resources to the scene to handle the emergency. The Village also participates with twelve other communities in the Valley Enforcement Group which shares specialized services such as SWAT, drones, and hazmat. Our Village is well served by this regional approach and structure.

Fire services are provided by our On-Call Fire Department of twenty trained and experienced firefighters who respond to calls but are not in the station. During the weekdays, our Service Department personnel, who are trained and experienced as firefighters, supplement the fire department personnel. However, evenings and weekends provide a challenge as Service Department personnel are not in the Village and our Fire Department personnel are not at the station and most do not live in the Village. To improve safety, Council has approved having a firefighter at the station for the 24-hour Saturday period starting this summer. We will use the second half of 2024 to evaluate how this expanded program is working.

Council also approved my selections for the Tree Canopy Subcommittee. This is a first step in executing on the environmental objectives, one of the key matters of strategic importance to the Village. We are meeting with Ohio Department of Natural Resources forestry professionals to outline a multi-step approach to education, tree health and assessment and tree maintenance and planting. We have several very well qualified villagers joining us in this initiative. And we are doing this in collaboration with the Gates Mills Land Conservancy.

Finally, safety on Mayfield Road and SOM Center have been improved with the near completion of the culvert replacement and new drainage ditches and catch basins, respectively, which control storm water and direct it off the roads.

Safety is a top priority in which we all play a part. As you can assess, collaboration is a major piece of our safety net in moving the Village forward. Enjoy the summer months and stay safe.

Very truly yours,

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