CLEVELAND — The Cuyahoga County Council is considering a resolution that would give $25,000 to an affluent Edgewater neighborhood to help buy upgraded security cameras that the homeowners association says would also benefit the surrounding community. The resolution was on the agenda for a second reading at Tuesday's Council meeting after working its way through the public safety committee last week.
County Executive Chris Ronayne lives in the lakefront neighborhood that sits just west of downtown Cleveland and includes 210 homes from Lake Avenue to Lake Erie between West 117th Street and West Boulevard. His office says the funding request predates his term as county executive.
"Safety in this neighborhood is pretty good," Edgewater resident Michael Flickinger says. "There are incidents."
Flickinger has lived here for 13 years, about as long as 30 HOA-sponsored security cameras have dotted the neighborhood in 12 locations. He runs the HOA Facebook page and says association dues are only about $75 per year.
"I'm not on the board; I'm just a volunteer," he told us. "But these cameras serve the entire neighborhood."
Darren Fron is the HOA's volunteer security committee chair. He says in recent years, the cameras have struggled to capture much, and they're looking for an upgrade.
"Those cameras are, at best, they're outdated," he explained during a public safety committee meeting last week. "We can't see anything with them. If there is anything that happens in our neighborhood, we may be able to tell the color of a car and the number of people down the street, but it takes hours to review and to look into these cameras, each camera."
During a phone call with 3News, Fron says residents are looking to buy seven new Flock safety cameras, including two that would be able to read license plates. The initial price for the cameras, installation, and a two-year contract is $47,000, with the cost after that being about $20,000 annually.
"We appreciate the opportunity to be considered for this money that is critical for our neighborhood," HOA President Galen Schuerlein told the committee.
Schuerlein adds that for more than a decade, they have raised nearly $15,000 in a private security fund that is separate from the HOA dues used for other purposes. The money from that fund will go toward the cameras.
"We anticipate we will be able to meet our overall goal so that we can fund the first two years, Schuerlein said, "and then we anticipate it will be self-sustaining overtime as we continue to raise money every year from our residents."
County Councilman Martin J. Sweeney, whose 3rd District represents Edgewater, is behind the resolution that would give the HOA $25,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars to help cover the costs.
"This is just going to have the ability to not only give peace of mind, but actually a law enforcement tool," Sweeney said during the hearing.
Sweeney declined to talk to WKYC on camera, telling us "the legislation speaks for itself." The HOA argues the cameras will also benefit the hundreds of people who live south on Lake Avenue, along with many more who drive through the neighborhood on Lake and 117th Street every day.
"That's why these cameras are so important," Flickinger said. "I believe strongly they will help protect the entire west side."
The resolution is expected to go to a vote on Feb. 13. Due to his status as a neighborhood resident, Ronayne's office tells 3News he has not been and will not be involved in any related discussions. The executive's spokesperson says he has recused himself from the process and does not plan to technically sign the legislation if it passes, although it can still be approved even without his signature.