The City of Maple Heights

The City of Maple Heights invites you to join Mayor Annette M. Blackwell and her team for these upcoming 2025 events: ? We have two remaining Delinquent Tax Clinics, set for April 8 and May 8, at the Maple Heights Senior Center. ? The Mayor’s Town Hall is scheduled for April 28 at the Maple Heights Library. ? The annual Community and Housing Resource Fair will be scheduled soon. ? The Joint State of the City and Schools is scheduled for September 18, with details to follow. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend all of these upcoming events!

The Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS? prepared the Local Market Report for Maple Heights, with the following statement analyzing the Maple Heights Real Estate Data as of February 2025: “The current month's supply of inventory stands at 1.38, indicating a tight market with low inventory levels. This means that there are fewer homes available for sale, leading to increased competition among buyers. The median number of days homes are on the market is at 24, indicating that homes are selling quickly. This could be attributed to the low inventory levels and high demand in the market. The sold-to-list price percentage is at 95.9%, indicating that homes are selling close to their listing price. This suggests that sellers are pricing their homes competitively and buyers are willing to pay close to the asking price. Lastly, the median sold price in this market is $130,250. This metric provides buyers and sellers with a benchmark to understand the current market value of properties in the area. Overall, these metrics paint a picture of a fast-paced and competitive real estate market with low inventory levels and high demand. Buyers may need to act quickly when they find a property they like, while sellers may benefit from pricing their homes competitively to attract buyers in this market.”

The City of Maple Heights is excited to welcome Robert “Rob” L. Brown II as our newest Finance Specialist in the Finance Department! Rob brings a wealth of experience in finance, customer service, and administrative operations. He previously worked as a Funds Onboarding Specialist at New York Life, where he managed financial transactions, ensured compliance, and maintained accurate records. His background also includes roles in workforce analysis, claims adjusting, and banking, demonstrating his strong analytical skills and attention to detail. Rob holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Kent State University. As a U.S. Army and Ohio National Guard Veteran (Sergeant E-5), he embodies discipline, teamwork, and dedication—qualities that will serve him well in his new role. Rob is eager to contribute to the City’s financial operations, ensuring accuracy in transactions, streamlining processes, and providing excellent service to staff, vendors, and residents. He expressed his enthusiasm, stating: "I am extremely happy and excited to join the team and look forward to working with you all and contributing to the team and the City of Maple Heights as a whole." Join us in giving Rob a warm welcome!

Last week, the Maple Heights Police Department welcomed new officer Alysha Fodor to the Police Department. Thank you Mayor Blackwell for hiring Officer Fodor, and to all of our MHPD Officers for supporting our newest member. Thank you to Officer Fodor's family for being there for her big day. There is strength in numbers and we are thankful to be adding to them today! Congratulations Officer Fodor, and welcome to the MHPD!

3-9-25 0700hrs Congratulations on Your Retirement, Al Jefferson! After 25 years of dedicated service, we celebrated the retirement of Firefighter Al Jefferson from the Maple Heights Fire Department. Al began his career on February 19, 2000, and over the years, he has responded to countless emergencies, saving both lives and property. His commitment, bravery, and friendship have made a lasting impact on his fellow firefighters and the community he served. This past weekend, Al took his final ride home in the engine, escorted by his B Shift crew—one last ride for a true hero. Al, thank you for your service, your leadership, and the countless lives you’ve touched. We wish you the best in your well-earned retirement! Enjoy this next chapter—you’ve more than earned it!

CITY OF MAPLE HEIGHTS AWARDED MONIES FOR SEWER REPAIRS & RESURFACING WORK The Ohio EPA 2025 Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) has announced a $208,000 forgiveable loan for the City of Maple Heights for the Southwest Quadrant Phase 3 Sewer Repairs. The WPCLF funds will also be combined with the recently awarded $298,290.00 from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) for resurfacing. Construction on the sewer repairs is expected to start in late Summer 2025 with the resurfacing work to take place in Spring 2026.

Please welcome Anita Butler to the City of Maple Heights as our new Community Development Manager in the Planning & Development Department. Anita brings a wealth of knowledge about our community as a Maple Heights resident, and through her experience as both a licensed Realtor and K-12 educator who substitute teaches in the Maple Heights Schools. Anita’s additional work experience as Chief of Staff for Code Media Group LLC and in Customer and Provider Relations with Healthspan Integrated Care formerly Kaiser Permanente amplify her skill-set. Anita’s formal educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree from Ohio University, an MBA from University of Phoenix, and pursuit of a PhD in Organization Management at Capella University. Anita will collaborate with local businesses, agencies, and City staff to implement community and economic development initiatives. Welcome, Anita!

We welcome to the City’s Service Department, Valentyn Panchenko, who arrived last summer with his wife and two children from Ukraine. Through a sponsor, Valentyn settled in Maple Heights, ready to embrace the American experience, but he needed work. To assist with his need, Global Cleveland Board Member Mayor Annette M. Blackwell stepped up. Read Valentyn’s story, and the stories of other Ukrainians who have settled in Northeast Ohio during the last three years here: https://lnkd.in/gNzj2W-8

Congratulations to the 2025 Girl Scouts of North East Ohio Women of Distinction Honorees. Mayor Annette M. Blackwell was honored to be on the nominating committee, as well as a past recipient of this prestigious award.

HARVEST SHERWOOD FOOD DISTRIBUTORS ANNOUNCEMENT In a recently filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) letter with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors has notified the state of Ohio that it intends to shut down operations at its Maple Heights Center, resulting in the permanent layoff of nearly 300 employees. The announcement comes as Harvest Sherwood reportedly prepares to close all of its locations nationwide. The shut-down began on February 18th, and is expected to wrap up April 21st. Harvest Sherwood, located at 16625 Granite Road, is one of several network distribution centers which ships over 20 million pounds of food products weekly. Mayor Annette M. Blackwell stated that while the news of this permanent closure and layoffs is extremely difficult, she has continued to develop and seek new opportunities, leveraging all that the City of Maple Heights has to offer. ‘Since taking office in 2016, we fought our way back from a nearly $3 million dollar deficit and emerged from the State of Ohio Auditor’s Office fiscal emergency declaration four years later and have continued to advance this city forward.’ As recently as 3 months ago, the city celebrated a new company, Famous Supply as they opened a brand new state of the art distribution center which is a $42 million dollar economic investment in the city. Real estate success has also continued, with developers building new market value homes on many of the city’s infill, vacant lots; with plans for new upscale, private new residential homes under review. Read more about the Harvest Sherwood closure here: https://lnkd.in/ejM4FFQM