Game Night

February 2016
Established in 1836
Message from Mayor Cyril Kleem
Beginning Feb. 26, Berea
residents will have another recycling option.
Clothing, shoe recycling begins Feb. 26
While 100 percent of textiles, such as clothing,
towels and shoes, are recyclable yet 85 percent
of those items end up in a landfill.
The City has contracted
with Simple Recycling to
pick up “soft” items such
as clothing and shoes at
curbside on a weekly basis. This will add another
dimension to our already
vigorous recycling program.
To improve those numbers, the City of Berea
will begin curbside pickup of “soft” items on
Friday, Feb. 26. Simple Recycling, a Solonbased company, will pick up items every week
on regularly scheduled trash collection days.
Simply place the items to be recycled in the green
bags that Simply Recycling will provide. Place the
bags at curbside on regularly scheduled trash collection days. Simple Recycling will collect the bags
in their own truck. This recycling project is separate from one operated by Republic Services. Rather, it complements those recycling options already in place.
Simple Recycling is sending residents a pamphlet listing what items are acceptable. The
company will provide green bags in which to
place any items to be recycled. Residents also
will be given green tags to place on boxes of recyclables if that is more convenient. Replacement bags and tags will be left on pickup days.
When we have torn, damaged or badly soiled clothing or towels, most of us toss them into the trash.
This new program gives us a chance to recycle
those items as well as other household items, such
as tools or toys. Simple Recycling will distribute
usable items to people in need. Unusable items will
be recycled.
Taking gently used or new clothing to such worthy
organizations as Church Street Ministries or the
Salvation Army is still a good idea. But for some
folks, placing the items at curbside is more convenient.
Since the City switched to the automated collection
of trash and recyclables by Republic Services, the
amount we deposit in landfills has been greatly reduced and the amount residents recycle has tripled.
The collection of clothing and shoes at curbside
will reduce our carbon footprint even more.
However you choose to recycle and repurpose
household items, you are helping the environment
and reducing the amount of money the City must
pay to dump waste in a landfill. And for that we are
very grateful.
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“This is another option for residents,” Mayor
Cyril Kleem said. “It may make recycling those
items more convenient for some folks.”
Items that can be recycled include clothing,
boots and shoes, bedding, belts and ties, underwear, coats, hats and gloves, socks, linens and
towels. Simple Recycling also accepts books,
fashion accessories, purses, kitchenware, stuffed
animals, tools and toys.
Usable items are sent to disadvantaged areas.
Damaged items are recycled.
Organizations such as Church Street Ministries,
Game Night
at the Rec!
Saturday, Feb. 27
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Berea Recreation Center
Bring your friends for a night out at the
Recreation Center. Play video games on a
mobile game truck and dance to your favorite
songs while playing the Wii “Just Dance” game
on a 20’ inflatable screen. Lastly, challenge
your friends to a life-size game of “Jenga” or
“Operation”. Refreshments will be available!
For questions,
please call
Daune Jaynes at
(440) 826-4891.
Planet Aid or Goodwill can use clothing and
other items in good condition, but damaged or
soiled items are often tossed in the trash. Simple
Recycling accepts those household items and
clothes that cannot be used again.
The City will receive a penny a pound from
Simple Recycling. “But that’s not the point,”
Mayor Kleem said. “This is another way for us
to help the environment and at the same time
reduce our tipping fees at the landfill.”
For more information, visit
www.simplerecycling.com or call
(866) 835-5068.
Berea Community Outreach
seeks to distribute fresh salads
Berea Community Outreach is looking for donations of fresh salad ingredients to distribute to
clients in February. Needed are bagged lettuce
mixes, cucumbers, celery, baby carrots, grape
tomatoes and bottled salad dressings. Each client will receive a salad in addition to the regular
bagged food items.
To donate any of these items, drop them off at
the pantry, 91 S. Rocky River Drive, on or before any Thursday in the month. The pantry office is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day and food
is distributed noon to 4 p.m. on Thursdays.
Berea Community Outreach would like to thank
those who very generously donated time, money
and Christmas gifts. Those contributions helped
to provide 108 families in Berea with food and a
happy holiday. Your donations make a huge difference.
Monthly Berean
Bulk Trash Collection
Friday, Feb. 19
Bulk trash includes large items such as furniture, appliances, carpeting & any large objects
that will not fit into the regular blue trash container.
PLEASE NOTE: Freon no longer must be removed from refrigerators & freezers before being left for pickup. Republic Services will send a
separate truck to collect appliances. They will
remove the Freon.
Questions: Call Republic Services:
(800) 433-1309
Pasta Dinner to benefit
Church Street Ministries
5-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 16
Berea-Midpark High School cafeteria
Tickets, $12 adults
$5 children 3-5
For tickets, contact Nancy Doutt
(440) 552-4713
[email protected]
NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD
AT THE DOOR
(Carry-outs can be ordered ahead)
Meals donated by Olive Garden
Coffee donated by Café Ah Roma
The Education Foundation
16th Annual Auction
6:45 p.m., Thursday, March 10
For more information, go to:
www.educationfoundationberea.org
The Monthly Berean is published monthly by the City of Berea and is distributed
to residents, organizations and businesses
in Berea.
Mayor Cyril Kleem
Linda G. Kramer, editor
Megan Pochatek, design editor
To submit information, contact:
[email protected]
(440) 274-5608
Please submit stories and information
by the 10th of every month.
Page 2
Volunteers honored at Spirit of Community dinner
Volunteers lend a hand without seeking anything
in return, Mayor Cyril Kleem told the hundreds
of volunteers and their families at the seventh
annual Spirit of Community dinner at St. Mary’s
Father Garrity Center on Jan. 19.
“You are what make this community special,”
he said.
Mayor Kleem presented the Spirit of Community Award to several outstanding volunteers.
Honored were Credit First National Association,
Dale Lange, Dik Malott, Consolina Templeman,
Steve Blair and Norma Kleem.
Credit First National Association, based in
Brook Park, is a credit card bank wholly owned
by Bridgestone. Employees at Credit First National support Berea Community Outreach by
donating food items to the Backpack Program.
The program was begun last year to supply
small, pre-packaged food items to Grindstone
Elementary School students who might not have
enough to eat over weekends. A school counselor discreetly packs the items into the children’s
backpacks on Fridays. Credit First National
workers also donated school supplies.
The employees raise between $500 and $1,000
each month “out of their pockets,” the mayor
said, “to buy the food and bring it to Berea Community Outreach.”
“Children are 1/3 of the world’s population but
they are 100 percent of the world’s future,” the
mayor said.
Accepting the award on behalf of the association’s employees were Randy Davis, Alex Kolosiwsky and Marie McDannel.
Dale Lange and Dik Malott are retired members
of Berea City Council but also have been very
active volunteers in the community. Lange
served on council for 12 years, Malott for 22.
“Every group has a jokester. Dale was that guy
on City Council,” Mayor Kleem said. “But he
has a serious side, too. He was born and raised
here and has lived here all his life.”
At his last City Council meeting he asked,
“What can I do to help,” the mayor said.
Lange is a member of the Rotary Club of Berea
and has supported many city activities, including
the Shred Fest, Computer & Electronics Roundup and various city festivals and parades.
Malott is a member of Kiwanis and is past president of the Berea Historical Society. He initiated
City Council’s twice-a-year food drives at Giant
Eagle to support the food pantries at Berea Community Outreach and SCAN.
“This city is close to his heart,” Mayor Kleem
said. “He’s one of those people who may do
things in a small way but has a huge impact. He
is one of the classiest people I know.”
Mayor Cyril Kleem, second from right, honors volunteers
with the Spirit of Community Award. Receiving the award
are, from the left, Marie McDannel, Randy Davis and
Alex Kolosiwsky of Credit First National Association,
Consolina Templeman, Dale Lange, Norma Kleem, Steve
Blair and Dik Malott.
Consolina Templeman retired several years ago
after 35 years as a city employee, serving five
different mayors.
Mayor Kleem said he often told Templeman,
“When she started working for the city, I wasn’t
even born yet, and then I became mayor and she
was still here.”
She is currently president of the Berea Historical
Society and a trustee of the Berea High School
Alumni Association. She has been supportive of
many city activities and volunteers at the Grindstone Festival, the Harvest Festival and the Jack
Frost Festival and Light Up Berea parade,
among others.
“She is very committed to helping people,” the
Mayor said.
Steve Blair has donated dozens of bicycles to be
given to children of Berea Community Outreach
clients. Last year, he also donated hundreds of
toys for the children at Christmas.
“Nothing is bigger in a kid’s life than their
bike,” Mayor Kleem said. “I sometimes see
those kids around town riding bikes that Steve
donated. I want to thank him on behalf of those
kids.”
The Mayor surprised his sister, Norma Kleem,
with a Spirit of Community Award.
“Siblings have a special relationship,” the mayor
said. “She is involved with everything we do for
the city. There’s nothing she won’t do.”
Norma Kleem coordinates the city’s Fourth of
July and Light Up Berea parades and for the past
several months has volunteered to head up Berea
Community Outreach. She began the Backpack
Program at Grindstone.
Mayor Kleem said the donations of time and talent by volunteers such as these are “acts of kindness that no one knows about.” The Spirit of
Community Award was begun by the mayor
during his first term in office to recognize those
community members who don’t seek recognition
but whose contributions are invaluable. The
Spirit of Community Award is about “giving
loving care to our community,” he said.
Monthly Berean
Page 3
At the Library
The Friends of the Library is hosting a used
book sale Feb. 19-21. The Friends Preview will
be 5-7:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19. The sale will
open to the public 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday,
Feb. 20, and 1-3:15 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21.
Reservations are requested for all programs except weekly children’s story times. Visit cuyahogalibrary.org or call (440) 234-5475. Other
programs at the Berea Branch during February
are:
For Adults
Thursday Evening Book Discussion: February’s title is “Where’d You Go Bernadette,” by
Maria Semple. 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 11.
Cinema Classics: “Moonstruck” with Cher and
Nicolas Cage. 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 11.
Three Stooges Marathon: Sponsored by
Friends of the Berea Library, which will be selling popcorn and candy during the movies. 10
a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 13.
Monday Afternoon Book Discussion: “The
All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion,” by
Fannie Flagg. Books are available at the checkout desk. 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 15.
Online Job Applications Made Easy: Learn
how to copy, paste and upload a resume; learn
about developing a profile; identify potential red
flags; find out how to complete assessments.
6:30-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17.
For Kids
K-2, Build & Do: Learn through the fun of doing. Each session will introduce a new challenge. Children will build and create solutions
using LEGO bricks and a variety of materials.
For children in kindergarten through Grade 2.
10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 6.
Music & Movement Mondays: An afternoon
of music, movement and fun for children 1-5
with a caregiver. High energy session using
shakers, bean bags, scarves and more. Please
register each child separately. 3:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 8.
Tween Time Tuesday: A variety of activities.
Light refreshments. Parent/guardian must sign a
release before students can participate. For
Grades 4-6. 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Homeschool Mind Stretchers: Hands-on activities. This session features Collage Art. For children in kindergarten through Grade 5. 2:30 p.m.,
Wednesday, Feb. 10.
Get Into the Jungle: Watch the original
“Jungle Book” movie topped off with songs and
other activities. For children in kindergarten
through Grade 5. 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 15.
Prayer breakfast begins weeklong MLK observances
An alphabet soup of college degrees doesn’t
make you smart, Dr. Julian M. Earls told a prayer breakfast service at Mount Zion Baptist
Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18.
“If you have integrity, nothing else matters,”
said Earls, the former director of NASA Glenn
Research Center and the holder of 11 university
degrees plus seven honorary degrees.
He complimented Rev. Leroy McCreary, the
pastor of People’s Community Church, as the
“definition of integrity.” Earls and McCreary,
who gave the invocation at the service, worked
together at NASA for many years.
Earls was the first of 11 children in his family to
go to college. His mother completed the seventh
grade, his father the fourth. “They were not uneducated, they were self-educated,” Earls said.
“People like that brought us where we are.”
For example, Earls said, the Titanic was built by
highly skilled engineers. Noah’s ark was built by
a layman. “We know how those stories ended,”
Earls said.
He encouraged everyone to speak up when they
witness injustice – as Martin Luther King Jr. did.
“You can’t sit in silence when there are issues,”
Earls said. “A place in hell is reserved for those
who remain silent or neutral in times of moral
crisis.”
The key is to work together, he said. “We can
make a difference one by one,” Earls said, “but
the power comes from joining together.”
Earls credited his wife of 53 years, Zenobia, for
their joint success in gaining an education and
enjoying rewarding careers – he as a scientist
and she as a teacher in the Cleveland Schools.
At a college reunion some years ago, Earls said
he noticed one of his wife’s former boyfriends
flipping burgers in a restaurant. “I wonder what
would have happened if you had married him,”
Mayor Cyril Kleem greets Dr. Julian Earls, left, and
Rev. Leroy McCreary at the annual MLK prayer
breakfast.
Earls asked his wife. She replied, “He’d be a scientist and you’d be flipping hamburgers.”
Likewise, you cannot talk about Martin Luther
King Jr. without recognizing Coretta Scott King,
he said. She was a strong and able partner. “You
must always ask how you can help one another,”
Earls said.
It also takes persistence, he said. “Change is not
difficult. Sustaining change is the challenge.”
“You can’t save everyone, but don’t get discouraged. You do what you can.”
Earls is currently the executive in residence at
the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University. He also is president of Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio, which works
with high school students.
The prayer breakfast was the opening event in
weeklong activities honoring Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. The 26th annual MLK Week was jointly
sponsored by the City of Berea, Baldwin Wallace University and community organizations.
Law Director Jim Walters retires
merce each year to an outstanding Berea citizen.
Walters is past president of the Rotary Club of
Berea and has been active in the Berea Arts Fest
and with his church, the United Methodist
Church of Berea. He emcees Berea’s community
parades and has grown his hair to donate to
Locks of Love, which provides wigs to cancer
Walters also retired from his private law prac- patients. He also is a past member of Berea City
tice.
Council.
Jim Walters, who has served as the City of Berea’s Law Director under three mayors, retired
in early January. He and his wife, Dottie, have
sold their home in Berea and plan to travel the
country in their RV, at least for next several
months.
Mayor Cyril Kleem appointed Barbara Jones as
the new Law Director/Safety Director. She previously was the Service Director and the Safety
Director.
Other administrative changes at City Hall include the appointment of Paul Anzalone as Service Director. He had been the Service Department supervisor. Daune Jaynes was named manager of Berea Community Outreach. She also
Walters is the 2015 Grindstone Award winner –
will assist with special events.
an honor given by the Berea Chamber of Com-
Monthly Berean
Page 4
4th grader campaigns to send shoes to Costa Rica
Chamber adds Courtesy
Award to Grindstone
ceremony
The Berea Chamber of Commerce is seeking
nominations for its annual Grindstone Award to
an outstanding citizen as well as nominations
for its new Courtesy Award.
The Courtesy Award is based on the former
Courteous Employee Award co-sponsored by
the Rotary Club of Berea and the News Sun.
That award was discontinued more than five
years ago.
As a kindergartener at Smith School in Berea,
Josh Titus saw a segment on the Today Show
where celebrities were auctioning off their shoes
with the proceeds going to Soles4 Souls – a nonprofit that sends shoes to children in underdeveloped countries and to low income areas in the
U.S.
The new Courtesy Award will recognize those
who go above and beyond to serve customers or
the public. There are three categories:
Josh told his mother he’d like to help, too. That’s
when Josh’s Shoe Drive began. Mayor Cyril
Kleem recognized the youngster’s efforts by presenting him with a Citizenship Award. Now in
the 4th grade at Big Creek Elementary School,
Josh has collected more than 17,000 shoes over
the past five years by campaigning throughout
the Berea City School District.
Employees of for-profit businesses or organizations.
 Employees of non-profits.
 Employees of government organizations.
Nominees must work for an organization within
the City of Berea but need not be a Berea resident. Previous Grindstone Award winners are
not eligible for the Courtesy Award.
This year, Josh, now 10 years old, is offering a
year-long subscription to a mobile app that connects supporters to dozens of local merchants for
discount deals. The app sells for $15. Proceeds
will be used to rent a pod in which to collect the
shoes, to purchase shoes and to possibly send
Josh to Costa Rica where he can experience the
shoes being distributed.
Nominations for the 48th annual Grindstone
Award are also being accepted. Criteria include:
Michele Manco, Josh’s mother, said she had
been driving the shoes to Toledo where the
Soles4 Souls regional collection point is located.
But with the number of shoes increasingly rapidly, that has become difficult. The pickup she is
using isn’t big enough. The pod may be the answer. It can hold thousands of pairs of shoes and
“the pod company will pick up the pod and take
it to Toledo,” Manco said.





Nominees should be cited for activities outside of their employment.
The award will recognize accomplishments
or overall community service.
Emphasis will be placed on accomplishments within the past few years.
Consideration will take into account what
the individual has done to make our community a better place.
For a complete list
www.bereaohio.com.
of
criteria,
go
to
Nominations for both the Courtesy Award and
the Grindstone Award are due by Friday, Feb.
19. Nominations are preferred by e-mail to the
Chamber Web site but can be delivered to:
Berea Chamber of Commerce
Attn. Megan Baechle, executive director
173 Front St.
Berea, OH 44017
As for Josh, “he wants to expand his projects in
other ways,” she said. He already collects books
for children and takes part in Adopt-a-Platoon,
helping out service men and women deployed
Coe Lake Update
Noon, Tuesday, Feb. 9
St. Paul Lutheran Church
276 E. Bagley Road
Call (440) 234-6080 for reservations
Cost: $5
overseas.
In school, Josh is “very athletic,” Manco said.
He’s a member of the swimming team. Future
plans? He wants to be a basketball player. Plan
B is becoming a game warden. In the meantime,
he is concentrating on the mobile app.
The app is marketed online through Mascot
Booster. It features such businesses as Berea
Barber Shop, Café Ah Roma, Campus Grille,
Cornerstone Brewing Co., Igloo’s Frozen Yogurt, Master Cleaners, Mootown Creamery, Perk
Cup Café, Tony K’s and Tree Huggers Café,
among many others.
Supporters can go to www.joshsshoedrive.org to
learn more.
Southwest Community Nurses
Healthy Events
Free Hearing Screening
9 a.m. to Noon
Thursday, Feb. 25
For reservations, call (440) 816-4065
Berea Recreation Center
451 Front St.
The awards will be presented at the Grindstone
Awards banquet in April.
Mayor Cyril Kleem’s
State of the City Report
Luncheon for Seniors
Browns defensive end Desmond Bryant donates his
signed game cleats to Josh Titus.
Berea Kiwanis
Easter Egg Hunt
Work has started on the new pavilion at Coe
Lake. The fireplace has been constructed and
footers for the patio are in place. The pavilion is
part of Phase 1 of the Coe Lake Master Plan,
which is on schedule to be complete this summer. Work will continue throughout the winter,
weather permitting. Phase 2 will include amphitheatre seating and lighting and electrical upgrades, among other improvements.
11 a.m., Saturday, March 26
St. Mary’s Garrity Center
250 Kraft St.
For children up to 8 years old
Easter Bunny
Sparky the Fire Dog
McGruff the Crime Dog
Wally, the Nutty BW Squirrel
FREE
Monthly Berean
3rd Annual
Love the Farm
Fundraiser for Berea
Community Learning Farm
6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6
American Legion Post 91
Buffet Dinner – Musical Entertainment – Door
Prizes
Silent Auction – 50/50 Raffle
Tickets $30
Visit www.bereacommunitylearningfarm.org
Or call (440) 234-8850
Proceeds will be used to build raised gardening
beds, purchase a solar-powered pump, provide
upgrades to the High Tunnel Greenhouse &
cover operating costs
Chili Cook-off
6-7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27
Heritage Congregational Church
485 West St.
FREE
10 contestants
Sample & Vote for Your Favorite Chili
Musical Entertainment by:
Logos Tone at 7:30 p.m.
Contemporary, Traditional Christian
& Gospel music
For more information, call the church at
(440) 826-1641
Recognizing
Dorothy Fuldheim
Thursday, March 10
Dinner at 6 p.m. with program to follow
Tony K’s Restaurant
841 W. Bagley Road
Page 5
Kids sworn in as police officers for a day
Police officers begin their careers taking an oath
of office to protect and serve. So that‘s what 20
third- and fourth-graders did for two days in December.
The Junior Police Officer for a Day was offered
to children who live and go to school in Berea.
The kids were divided into two groups of 10
with each group spending a morning at the Berea police station.
They began their day in City Council chambers
where Mayor Cyril Kleem administered the oath
and Police Chief Joe Grecol pinned on a Junior
Police Officer badge.
“This is what we do when a police officer joins
the city,” Mayor Kleem told the students. “They
promise to do the job honestly and fairly. The
badge makes it official.”
Sgt. Patrick Greenhill, who arranged the program, showed the children the police station
where they found their streets and homes on a
giant city map. Greenhill told them that officers
have to know all the city streets.
They also visited with Animal Control Officer
Laura Rizk and toured the jail, squad room and
evidence room. They talked to Sgt. Tom Walker
in the Detective Bureau.
A highlight of the day was meeting BRUTUS,
the bomb squad robot. Officer Dave Kammerman demonstrated how BRUTUS can handle
suspicious packages and can activate several
cameras. Kammerman said operating the remote
control “is like playing a video game but with
more serious results.”
The kids also tried on bullet-resistant vests and
helmets. Ceramic plates prevent most rounds
Sponsored by Berea Business
& Professional Women
from penetrating but those plates make the vests
very heavy. They weigh 30 pounds or more.
Chief Grecol took the junior officers on a ride in
the SWAT vehicle, often referred to as BEAR.
The vehicle can get up to 60 mph but it usually
hits 30 tops in town, Grecol said. With no
shocks or padded seats, that made for a rough
ride.
They topped off the day with a pizza lunch with
officers in the squad room. As parting gifts, they
received T-shirts donated by Luna Marketing
and book bags filled with stress balls, sunglasses, pencils, stickers and other goodies.
The kids unanimously graded the day a complete
success.
Jonathan D’Amato and Henry Maxwell said
their favorite part was riding in the SWAT truck.
“It looks like a tank and it was awesome,” Jonathan said. He requested that Grecol turn on the
siren. Safely remote at the Cuyahoga County
Fairgrounds, Grecol complied. Henry admitted
the ride was bumpy but “fun.”
Kaitlyn McCandless, whose father is a Shaker
Heights police officer, said she enjoyed trying
on the vest and helmet. Would she ever consider
becoming a police officer? “Not really,” she
said. “My dad says it’s hard work.”
In honor of Women’s History Month
Dorothy Fuldheim, Cleveland’s legendary TV
news commentator, will be portrayed by actress
Carol Starre-Kmiecik
Tickets $18
For reservations, contact Kathy Kellums
(440) 235-6871
[email protected]
DEADLINE IS MARCH 5
Junior Officers for a Day on Dec. 21 were Jonathan
D’Amato, Aiden Spraggins, Kaitlyn McCandless, Josh
Ulman, Henry Maxwell, Alex Harding, Jazmyne
Schaffer, William Kurtycz, Nathan Barrett and Grace
Barrett. Back row, from the left, are Mayor Cyril
Kleem, Sgt. Patrick Greenhill, Lt. Joe Hedinger, SRO
Dave Fadil and Chief Joe Grecol.
Attending Junior Police Officer for a Day on Dec. 22
were Mya White, Finley Devins, Masyn Zahursky,
Breckyn Daniel, Devyn Zahursky, Maddox Swisher,
Austin Clay, Carter Flaer and Sammy Merda. Officials
in the back row, from the left, are Lt. Joe Hedinger, Officer Dave Kammerman, Chief Joe Grecol, Mayor Cyril
Kleem, SRO Dave Fadil, Bomb Squad Officer Bruce
Merwin, Bomb Squad Officer Mike Savioli and Sgt. Patrick Greenhill.
Greenhill, who is the Community Engagement
Officer, thanked the parents and students for taking part in the city’s first-ever Junior Police Officer Day. “Thank you for your interest in what
we do,” he said. The parents went home with ID
kits for their children, complete with a set of
their children’s fingerprints.
Monthly Berean
Volunteers Reach Out and
Read at Berea Library
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 18, community volunteers sorted and
placed dedication stickers in children’s books at
the Berea Branch Library. The books will be
taken to pediatricians’ offices in Greater Cleveland and given to patients. Volunteers included,
from the left, standing, Councilman-at-Large
Bill DeVito, Ward 1 Councilwoman Margarette
Key, Mary Myers, Suzanne Halstead and Mayor
Cyril Kleem; seated are Linda Hunter and Bernadette Butler. The Reach Out and Read project
encourages parents to read to their children.
New officer joins
Division of Police
Page 6
NEWS BRIEFS
Hamilton homes to be connected
to larger water main
Houses on Hamilton Street that are not connected to the 12-inch water main will be hooked up
with the work possibly beginning mid-February,
weather permitting. Some of the homes are still
connected to the 4-inch water main. The project
includes digging along tree lawns so that connections can be converted to the larger main.
The Hamilton project in conjunction with the
Fair Street project will help reduce the number
of water disruptions in that neighborhood, according to Service Director Paul Anzalone. Water quality also should improve, he said. On
Fair, the undersized water line will be replaced
from West Street to French Street. That project
is slated to get under way later this year.
BW offers tax preparation clinic
Baldwin Wallace University’s School of Business is offering a free tax preparation clinic during February and March. The Tax Clinic will run
on six Sundays – Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28, March 13
and 20, starting at 9 a.m. Services are offered on
a first-come, first-served basis. The number of
preparations that can be accepted each day is
limited. The clinic will take place in the main
lobby of Kamm Hall, 191 E. Center St. For details and document requirements, visit
www.bw.edu/centers/tax-clinic or call Lynn
Schulte, (440) 826-8140.
BHS grad wins
Education Foundation car raffle
Derek Baumgartner, a 1997 graduate of Berea
High School, won a 2016 Chevy Cruze in The
Education Foundation’s raffle in December. The
Mayor appoints Charter
Review Commission
Mayor Cyril Kleem administers the oath of office to
Berea’s newest police officer, Nickolus Tompkins.
Mayor Cyril Kleem swore in a new police officer
on Jan. 14. Nickolus Tompkins previously
served as a part time officer with the Grafton Police Department.
Tompkins is a graduate of Midview High School
in Grafton and studied law enforcement and security at Lorain County Vocational School. He
also attended the Medina County Career Center’s
basic police academy and received his Peace Officer Certification in 2013. He worked in loss
prevention with JC Penney, Walmart and Home
Depot. He served as an auxiliary officer with the
Grafton PD.
Tompkins lives in Sheffield Lake with his wife,
Kristi.
Mayor Cyril Kleem has appointed a ninemember Charter Review Commission, which
will have its organizational meeting on Feb. 10
in City Council chambers. The meeting will
begin at 7:30 p.m.
Members of the Commission are Terry Nageotte, Rev. Patrick Hunt, Kevin Jaynes, Ken
Mantifel, Georgie Rohde, Kim Smith, Tony
Betts, Sharon Johnson and Susie Colvin. Adviser is Ed Gibbs, who was a member of the 2011
Charter Review Commission.
The City Charter mandates that the Charter be
reviewed every five years. Any changes recommended by the Commission will be submitted to
City Council for approval. If Council OKs the
proposed amendments, they will appear on the
November 2016 ballot for voter approval.
car was donated by Serpentini Chevrolet and the
Chevy Network as a fundraiser for the Foundation, which provides funding for special programs in the Berea City School District and
manages scholarships. Baumgartner is an attorney. His wife, Kelly Zimmer Baumgartner, is
also a 1997 graduate of BHS. She is a teacher at
Berea-Midpark High School. Civic organizations were invited to sell raffle tickets with the
groups receiving half the proceeds as long as the
funds are used to support students. The raffle
earned more than $27,000 for the Foundation
and for organizations that support the schools.
Tractor donated to
Community Farm
Retired Berea Law Director Jim Walters and his
wife, Dottie, donated a 1964 Ford tractor to the
Berea Community Learning Farm. The tractor
comes with a front-end loader that will allow the
farm to scoop up and transport woodchips,
leaves, compost and bales of straw to build soil.
Previously, soil building was done with shovels
and a wheelbarrow. The Community Learning
Farm is located on the grounds of the former
Riveredge School and is a joint project of the
City of Berea and the Berea City School District.
Please keep sidewalks shoveled
Now that winter has finally arrived, residents are
reminded to keep sidewalks free of snow and
ice. Cleared pathways make it easier for children
walking to and from school, seniors and postal
carriers. Section 921.06 of the city code states,
“No owner or occupant of abutting lands shall
fail to keep the sidewalks, curbs or gutters in
repair and free from snow, ice or any nuisance.”
PASTA FOR ARPKD
5-8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 13
St. Paul Lutheran Church
276 E. Bagley Road
Tickets: $12 adults (or 2 for $20)
$5 children 4-12
Tickets at the door
Basket raffles – 50/50 – musical entertainment
Proceeds to benefit research into Autosomal
Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease
& Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis
PLUS help with medical expenses for
Jaina & Chesley Cormack
(Berea children with ARPKD/CHF)
Monthly Berean
Page 7
SCHOOL NEWS
Sophomores invited to visit Polaris
Each winter/spring Polaris Career Center sponsors Career Tech Thursdays for sophomores
who are interested in a Polaris program but need
more exposure to that program to help them
make an informed decision. Students participating in a Career Tech Thursday session may
choose to spend a half day in the program or
programs (a maximum of two) of their choice.
During each visit, students participate in structured activities. This "hands-on" approach helps
them select the right program.
Visits can be scheduled for mornings or afternoons. The following is a list of upcoming Career Tech Thursday dates:
Feb. 4, 11, 18 & 25
March 3, 10, 17, & 31
April 7, 14, 21 & 28
All visits should be scheduled through the Berea
-Midpark High School Guidance Office
in coordination with Polaris. Requests should be
made no later than the Friday before the scheduled visit. Contact Cindy Crisler, Polaris Enrollment Coordinator, at (440) 891-7732 for additional information.
Alumni directory being compiled
Graduates of Berea High School, Midpark High
School and Berea-Midpark High School are being contacted to provide information for the new
Berea School District alumni directory. This
comprehensive directory will include alumni of
all three schools. Alumni should have received
postcards from the school district’s Office of
Community Relations requesting that they call a
toll free number (800) 217-6258 to confirm bio-
For a complete listing of BW events, visit
www.bw.edu/events or call (440) 826-2325.
Tickets for paid events can be purchased at
www.bw.edu/tickets. Events during February
are:
Catch a Shark with Daymond John: Daymond
John is CEO and founder of FUBU and star of
ABC-TV’s “Shark Tank.” John’s book, “The
Power of Broke,” will be available for purchase
and signing. His appearance is presented by the
School of Business Leadership Lecture Series.
The program is free but registration is required.
Ursprung Gymnasium, Lou Higgins Center, 136
E. Bagley Road, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Burrell Observatory Open House: Dan Stinebring of Oberlin College will present “Pulsars:
Einstein’s Ultimate Clocks,” in the Center for
Innovation & Growth, 340 Front St. followed by
an open house at the observatory, 42 E. Fifth
graphical information. For more information,
contact Cristina Carosielli, director of marketing
and community relations for the Berea City
School District, at (216) 898-8300 or [email protected].
Berea residents enjoy
Coffee with a Cop
Students honored at Model UN
Middleburg Heights Junior High students received recognition for their participation in the
annual Model United Nations Conference held
at John Carroll University in January. Alayna
Soukoup and Hayden Maschmeier earned an
Excellent Distinction (second place) for their
committee for Security Council. Ethan SilverRiskin and Mitchell Windahl received an Honorable Mention for their work in the General Assembly and Serena Ramsammy and Mikala
Minerd also received an Honorable Mention for
their work on the Human Rights Committee.
Two-hundred students, including 40 from the
Berea Schools, from nine schools attended the
two-day conference. The Berea Schools participation was made possible by an Enrichment
Grant from The Education Foundation.
School closing policy explained online
How the Berea City School District administration determines when to call a snow day is explained on the main page of the district’s Web
site, www.berea.k12.oh.us. The district takes
into consideration many factors including road
conditions, amount of snow, temperature and
wind chill, among other issues. News about
school closures is posted on the Web site, on
Twitter and Facebook and is sent to local TV
stations. The district also sends an automated
message to phone numbers provided by parents.
Ave., weather permitting. 7:30 p.m., Friday,
Feb. 12.
Alumni Jazz/Big Band: 60th Anniversary performance sponsored by the Conservatory Women’s Committee, Fynette Kulas Music Hall, Boesel Musical Arts Center, 49 Seminary St., 8
p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21.
“The Tragedy of Carmen”: An abridged version of the Bizet opera. Directed by Victoria
Bussert with conductor Octavio Mas-Arocas.
This 90-minute version is performed in English.
General seating; doors open 30 minutes prior to
curtain. Tickets can be purchased at
www.bw.edu/tickets. William Allman Theatre,
Kleist Center for Art & Drama, 95 E. Bagley
Road, 7:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 2527 and 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 28
Talking things over are, from the left, Beverly Lee,
pastor of Throne of David Church; Sgt. Luke Napaver; Susan and Terry Malone; and Chief Joe Grecol.
Donnamarie and Dolf Reeves brought their
grandson, Troy Saukulak, to meet Police Chief
Joseph Grecol one Saturday morning in January.
“We wanted him to meet police officers and
know that they are here to help,” Donnamarie
Reeves said. “We don’t want him to be afraid of
police.”
The Reeves family joined dozens of Berea residents who had the chance to meet and talk to
Berea police officers at Café Ah Roma on Jan. 9
during the first-ever Coffee with a Cop. Grecol
said this would be the first of several such
events.
“This gets us out into the public more,” Grecol
said. The project was arranged by the city’s new
Community Engagement Unit, headed by Sgt.
Patrick Greenhill. An urn of coffee and a tray of
pastries were donated by a community member.
Greenhill said the purpose of Coffee with a Cop
was to let residents air concerns and issues and
to get to know members of the division of police.
Lydia and Wayne Hamilton are regulars at Café
Ah Roma. They said they had no concerns but
“we wanted to meet the police.”
“Our children went to school here and we’ve
lived here a long time,” Lydia Hamilton said.
Joan Schmutzler talked with Grecol and Sgt.
Luke Napaver about using mounted police units
to patrol schools and playgrounds in Cleveland.
Juvenile offenders could clean up the stalls as
part of community service, she said. “Anything
is worth a try,” Schmutzler said. She said she
would contact the Cleveland Police Department.
Also on hand for Coffee with a Cop were Sgt.
Aaron Krouse, Councilman-at-large Bill DeVito
and Ward 2 Councilman Nick Haschka.
Berea mayor, council take oaths of office
Mayor Cyril Kleem urged cooperation and compromise among elected officials and residents
during inauguration ceremonies on Jan. 3.
Phone: (440) 826-5800
“I encourage all of us to work together to promote good government, to avoid factions. We
can disagree but still work together.”
Mayor Kleem, City Council President Mary
Brown and the seven members of City Council
were sworn into office during ceremonies at Berea-Midpark High School. All had been elected
in November 2015.
“We need to take the principals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with
us on our journey,” the Mayor said.
Mayor Kleem noted that he learned about government at the school, from which he graduated
in 1992. Now he returns each year to speak to
government classes about the role and purpose
of government.
In his remarks, Mayor Kleem said it was a great
honor and privilege for him and all members of
council to serve as public officials. He particularly thanked city employees, “who do the dayto-day work and make this community special.”
Government has two purposes, he said: “No. 1,
to protect individual rights; No. 2, to promote
the public good.”
Emcee was Matt Madzy, director of planning,
engineering and development. He said the new
year was a time to “look back on the accomplishments of 2015 and look forward to the opportunities in 2016.”
Sometimes, opportunities are small and may be
overlooked, he said. “Our challenge is to keep
our eyes, ears and minds open to opportunities to
make Berea a better place to live and work.”
Mayor Kleem was administered the oath of office by outgoing law director James N. Walter
III, who also swore in Ward 3 Councilman Jim
Maxwell. Mayor Kleem administered the oath to
Council President Mary K. Brown, Ward 1
Councilwoman Margarette S. Key and Ward 4
Councilwoman Cheryl A. Banaszak. Councilman-at-large Gene Zacharyasz was sworn in by
Mari Alice Zacharyasz; Councilman-at-large
Bill DeVito by Common Pleas Court Judge
Shannon M. Gallagher; Ward 2 Councilman
Nick Haschka by Raymond Wohl, clerk of
court; and Ward 5 Councilman Rick Skoczen by
State Sen. Tom Patton.
The invocation was offered by the Rev. Ronald
Thomas, associate pastor of Heritage Congregational Church.
The Color Guard detail included Patrolman Joe
Frimel, Firefighter Allen Scott and Fire Capt.
Brand Eisenhardt.
City Council President Mary Brown and Mayor
Cyril Kleem celebrate following inauguration
ceremonies at Berea-Midpark High School.
www.cityofberea.org
Upcoming Community Events
Berea City Council members are, front row from the
left, Margarette Key, Ward 1; Nick Haschka, Ward
2; Cheryl Banaszak, Ward 4. Back row, from the left,
Bill DeVito, at large; Gene Zacharyasz, at large; Jim
Maxwell, Ward 3; and Rick Skoczen, Ward 5.
The Declaration of Independence declares that
“we are endowed by our Creator with certain
inalienable rights – that means they can’t be taken away,” the mayor said. “Our rights don’t
come from the government,” he said. “Rather,
elected officials’ responsibility is to protect
those rights. When they forget that, when elected
officials become enamored with power, then
corruption ensues.”
PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. PAID
BEREA, OH
PERMIT #333
ECRWSS
POSTAL PATRON
“We need to avoid divisions and factions motivated by self-interests,” Mayor Kleem said.
“That has an adverse affect on the community.
In spite of our differences, we still have to find a
way to get along.
Government can’t solve all the problems in a
community, he said. “It takes all of us. Sometimes the answer is neighbors taking care of
neighbors.”
City of Berea
11 Berea Commons
Berea, Ohio 44017
Feb. 3: S.T.A.R. lunch for senior adults at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 50 E. Bagley Road, 12:15 p.m.
Music from the opera “Carmen” followed by lunch
(meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, dessert).
Free. For reservations, call (440) 234-5241 or e-mail
[email protected].
Feb. 6: Berea Community Learning Farm fundraiser,
6 p.m., American Legion Post 91, $30, buffet dinner,
silent auction, 50/50 raffle, musical entertainment,
tickets at www.bereacommunitylearningfarm.org.
Feb. 7: Berea-Midpark High School Marching Band
Hoagie Sale.
Feb. 7: Super Bowl.
Feb. 9: Mayor Cyril Kleem’s State of the City Report
to Seniors, luncheon, noon, St. Paul Lutheran
Church, 276 E. Bagley Road, $5, call (440) 2346080.
Feb. 13: Pasta for ARPKD, 5-8 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Road, Tickets $12
adults (or 2 for $20), $5 children ages 4-12; at the
door only; basket raffles, musical entertainment; all
proceeds go toward medical expenses for Jaina and
Chesley Cormack and to research into this childhood
kidney and liver disease.
Feb. 14: Valentine Day
Feb. 15: Presidents’ Day. City Hall closed. No
School. Curbside trash collection is not affected.
Feb. 16: Church Street Ministries Pasta Dinner, Berea-Midpark High School cafeteria, catered by Olive
Garden, 5-7:30 p.m., Tickets $12 adults, $5 children
3-5;
call
(440)
552-4713
or
e-mail
[email protected]. No tickets at the door.
Feb. 18: Bulk Trash Collection Day.
Feb. 18: Identity Theft, presentation by the Federal
Trade Commission, Noon. Program includes lunch.
Free. Southern Hills Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center, 19530 Bagley Road. RSVP to (440) 816-7500 by
Feb. 16.
Feb. 20: Soup-R-Bowl Dinner to benefit Berea Animal Rescue Friends, 4-7 p.m., Berea-Midpark High
School cafeteria. Tickets, $12 adults, $5 children 512. Sold at the door.
Feb. 23: Berea-Midpark High School winter band
concert, 7 p. m.
Feb. 24-March 3: Scholastic Book Fair, Grindstone
Elementary School.
Feb. 26: Simple Recycling begins.