2.0 Candidate Name: Marty Gelfand
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS DEMOCRATS CLUB
2025 Cleveland Heights Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire
Dear Candidate:
We, the Cleveland Heights Democrats Club, invite you to participate in our endorsement process. Participating in the endorsement process is a valuable way to let voters get to know you and where you stand on the issues important to our community.The Cleveland Heights Democrats Club will hold its candidate forum and endorsement meeting for the September 2025 Mayoral Primary on Thursday, July 10 at 5:30 PM at the Community Center. Full details regarding the Club endorsement process are listed below.
Thank you for your interest in seeking an endorsement from Cleveland Heights Democrats Club.
Linda Striefsky
President, Cleveland Heights Democrats
CANDIDATE INFORMATION
Name: Marty Gelfand
Residence Address: 3049 Meadowbrook Boulevard
Years of residence in Cleveland Heights: 30 total: 19 years from birth until I joined the Navy; 6 years as my home of residence while serving in the Navy, and 5 years since I moved back to Cleveland Heights in 2020. With my 18 years in South Euclid, I’ve been a resident of the CH-UH School District for 48 years.
Home Tel: 216-932-1216 Mobile Tel: 216-659-7089
Email: [email protected]
Links to Social Media Accounts
(Facebook/Meta, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc):
CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE
Instructions:
Please answer all the following short answer questions. We recommend 100 words or less per question.
- Priorities – What are the top 3 priorities you propose, as Mayor, to address, and what would be your role in ensuring they are addressed?
Top Priority: good communication.From Day 1, city staff will answer the phones during working hours. Voicemail will be straightforward, and someone will get back with callers ASAP. We won’t need a law director’s permission to talk with councilpeople.
The next 2 issues: Roads/Transportation and Housing. I will work with Council and my Administration to methodically keep the roads in good repair. We will implement gentle enforcement of housing regs, working with people who make good faith efforts but using the municipal court to enforce the housing code where owners (resident and absentee) don’t make good faith efforts.
- Budget – What is your view of the budget priorities of the City
services, such as streets, housing regulation, safety services and recreational amenities? What would your recommendations be to adjust those priorities?
In addition to housing and transportation discussed above, we need to take a long look at recreation and small business. We have the basics with Cain Park, Cumberland, and the Community Center, but the city needs to do more, either independently or in partnership with the schools or neighboring communities to provide opportunities for sports, day camps, and other recreational activities. We could do more to work with our Special Improvement Districts (SID) but we don’t need a SID, where there is no desire to have one, to listen to and organize small business owners and neighbors advocating for their neighborhood business districts.
- Proposed Charter Amendments – Last year a Charter Review Commission submitted to City Council changes to the City Charter; the report and the proposed amended charter are on the City’s website. Do you support the proposed charter amendments in full or in part? Please explain your choices.
The Charter Review Commission worked long and hard to put together their report and I congratulate them. Council still has a lot of work to do to pare the report down to specific ballot amendments.
- Qualifications – What qualifications do you have that prepare you to serve as Mayor of Cleveland Heights? Feel free to comment on your education, employment, skills, recent community, professional, charitable, and political involvement, perspectives, and/or life experiences as they relate to serving as Mayor.
• 6 years in the Navy submarine force
• Law degree from Case Western Reserve University
• 16 years as Congressman Kucinich’s legal counsel, working with mayors throughout Northeast Ohio on fulfilling their needs for state and federal funding. I also learned from one of the greatest practitioners of effective constituent service.
• 9 years as an elected Councilman at Large in a neighboring community (South Euclid) with a “strong mayor” system where the mayor and council worked together
• two decades of leadership in the Democratic Party serving in central (precinct) committee, executive committee, and for about 5 years as city leader
• Currently Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Child Support Unit
• Founding member, past board member of Beth El-The Heights Synagogue
• Current board member of Reaching Heights, which supports the CHUH schools and scholars.
- Working Relationships – What is your vision of the appropriate working relationship between the Mayor and City Council? What is your vision of the appropriate working relationship between the Mayor and the City Administrator? Please comment on your commitment to transparency in addressing collaboration between the Mayor and the City staff, and between the Mayor and the City Council.
See answer to Question 1 above. City Council is a co-equal branch of our local government. Their role is not to be a rubber stamp on the mayor. I intend to maintain a close working relationship with each member of council so we can get things done for the people of Cleveland Heights. Councilmembers will NOT need my permission to work with department heads, and that includes the City Administrator. I see communication with the department heads as part of their jobs.
- Building a Stable City Work Force – The City reportedly has many unfilled positions, including at the director level. Recognizing that the Charter puts supervision of staff in the Mayor’s hands, what steps would you take as Mayor to facilitate staffing City Hall and retaining directors and other employees?
There’s a lot of healing that needs to get done. I intend to consult with a human resources professional for some better direction in this area. But more importantly, I intend to do what I always do: treat people with respect and dignity.
- Economic Development – There are several sites in CH that are new construction or renovation to multi-use buildings. At present many of the ground level areas for businesses, in these projects and other Cleveland Heights locations, are not nearly filled. What are your top 3 suggestions for spurring economic and community development to grow our tax base and maintain Cleveland Heights as a vibrant community? What can the City do to assist our existing businesses and to attract additional businesses?
I intend to continue to work in the areas where we started initiatives but I also want to make sure we preserve the wonderful housing stock and business districts we already have that make Cleveland Heights cool and unique.
8. The Livable Neighborhoods Initiative – The mayor and the planning department have proposed an initiative to revamp zoning in Cleveland Heights called the Livable Neighborhoods Initiative. So far they’ve presented an initial proposal and gotten feedback on the first proposed phase of the initiative, which relates to neighborhood houses of worship. Information about the initiative can be seen on the City’s website. What are your thoughts on this initiative?
In general, I don’t like to pass laws where they’re not needed. People can already pray together in private homes. Exercising their 1st Amendment guarantees of freedom of assembly and religion by praying together is where congregations of all denominations often get their starts. I remember the first meeting of the congregation that became Beth El-The Heights Synagogue nearly 30 years ago in Blanche and Jack Valancy’s dining room on Yorkshire Road.
While it’s a work in progress, I would proceed with caution before allowing tax exemptions for homes that double as houses of worship. That said, zoning flexibility is important so I commend the progress being made.
- Housing – There has been considerable community discussion about City actions that would improve housing options in Cleveland Heights and address various code compliance issues. How would you address the failure of absentee landlords to comply with City Codes? Additionally, select ONE of these issues to discuss:
- Programs to reduce foreclosed, vacant, and abandoned housing
Preserving our great housing stock is a top priority for me. Among the best ways to do that is to first enforce the housing code we already have. Through outside inspections, homeowners (residential or absentee) get a list of violations they need to address. The city will work with people who make good faith efforts to address the citations by recognizing progress and granting extensions. We have to understand that not everyone can afford to do everything all at once. We provide referrals to Cleveland Heights’s Home Repair Resource Center and other government and non-profit resources to help.
Where homeowners do not make the good faith effort, we have to use the court to enforce our housing code. We need to be ready to explore every legal avenue available where the owners, particularly absentee, try to skirt our laws. I will be prepared to work with our law department as appropriate and be creative in how we preserve residential properties.
10. Public Safety – The City has responsibility for public safety in addition to many other public services. What public safety issues do you think should be prioritized in Cleveland Heights?
I think that our police department does a good job enforcing our laws. I’ve found them to be very responsive when called. I’m also pleased that they more or less stay out of the news. As Mayor, I will work with the police chief here in Cleveland Heights, as I did as Safety Committee Chair on South Euclid City Council, to understand the issues the police are dealing with and to discuss best practices in avoiding tragedy.
My door will be open to citizens, faith-based organizations, and neighborhood groups who seek redress.. I will encourage neighbors to organize neighborhood and block organizations, including working with the police department to organize block watches where appropriate. These groups help neighbors stay in good communication and help to prevent crime.
11. Support for public schools – Strong public schools are an integral part of attracting and retaining residents in Cleveland Heights. How should the City of Cleveland Heights support the School District and public school funding? In particular what is the City’s responsibility to the School District and what do you think of the lawsuit by “Vouchers Hurt Ohio” which our School District is backing? Additionally, how should we deal with the racial imbalance in the schools?
I’m a product of the CHUH schools as is my daughter. I’ve worked for school levies all my adult years in the CHUH system and have been active in promoting candidates for school board who support our public schools. I served on the Facilities Accountability Committee between 2014 and 2017 when the high school and middle schools were being rehabbed and I am currently on the Board of Reaching Heights, a nonprofit which supports the CHUH schools and its scholars.
As mayor, I intend work with our districts (CHUH and East Cleveland) and seek opportunities to work together. I will continue to talk up our schools, encouraging people to not wait until their kids are grown to move to a way cooler place than where they currently live.
12. Recreational amenities – What should the City prioritize to enhance recreational amenities? Do you favor the agreement between the City and the School Board to permit residents to use the indoor swimming pool at the High School? What do you think should be done with the second ice skating rink, which is currently not in operation?
See answer to Question 11 above. One of the first things I would do as mayor is to return to the swim programs with the high school that we had before the rehab. In my years on the Facilities Accountability Committee, it was always the school district’s vision to continue that program. If, as I understand, the City is the obstacle, we will find the way to take down the obstacle. See also my answer to Question 2 above. The City has a responsibility to provide opportunities for sports, day camps, and other recreational activities.
13. Support for Different Transportation Methods – The City has committed to improving traffic safety and making the City more welcoming to pedestrians and those using bikes or scooters. What steps would you take to advance these priorities? Regarding transportation for seniors, the City has one functioning bus for senior transportation. What are your ideas for increasing the transportation options for seniors.
I will be active in listening to people who have good ideas on how to improve transportation for Cleveland Heights residents. I am a bicycle rider and am always interested in finding ways to make biking safer. I intend to work closely with stakeholders in the various transportation methods and will not be shy about asking council to pass ordinances.
14. Fatal Police Shootings – One of the most difficult times for a community can be right after a fatal shooting by a police officer taking place in the City. How do you believe the City should respond to such incidents, in particular with regard to helping the community heal after such an event?
I will be there for the people of our community in every possible way if there is a tragedy as described above. As discussed in Question 10 above, I will work with our police chief and union leadership to maintain and implement best practices to avoid such a tragedy.
15. Healing a Divided Community – To put it plainly, it is a tumultuous time civically in Cleveland Heights. Residents are divided and it will take strong leadership to help us come together and heal. How do you think the City and its elected officials can help heal the divisions in our community and help us move forward?
I respect the people of Cleveland Heights. I respect the people they elect, including the 7 men and women who sit at the council dais. I will not see myself as above anyone else. “Strong Mayor” is merely in contrast to the former system where “mayor” was a title bestowed on the council president. My job will be to lead by example and listen to the people who elect me and call City Hall.
16. Sustainability – What plans/suggestions do you have for actions that the City can take to promote environmental sustainability and mitigate the effects of climate change?
I agreed in principle with “No Mow May.” What I would have done differently would have been to write it up in the form of an ordinance which I would then send to Council. Hopefully Council would give it a first reading and send it to a committee for further work and a public hearing where they can listen to the supporters and detractors. If it’s a bad idea, public scrutiny will weed it out (no pun intended). A good idea can wait for appropriate public scrutiny which can help make the idea even better and ultimately lead to good legislation with public buy-in, if not universal support.
17. All are Welcome! – What actions will you take as a Mayor of Cleveland Heights to ensure that the motto “All are welcome” is a reality in Cleveland Heights?
I would treat everyone with the dignity and respect they should expect when they’re welcomed. As the local authority in our city, I would never get confused about my role versus what a federal authority might do or want to do. Local government, including law enforcement, has no authority in immigration. As Mayor of a welcoming city, I would make it my priority to keep it that way.
18. Do you regularly attend Committee of the Whole and City Council meetings?
_X__ Yes ___ No
19. Has a claim of sexual harassment or assault ever been made against you?
___ Yes _X__ No
If yes, please elaborate.