RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- City Council has a new member: Mayor Kim Thomas has appointed Tracy Justice Ward 1 representative, the position Thomas held before becoming mayor in 2022.
Council approved Justice’s appointment Tuesday (Aug. 22) by a 5-1 vote, with Ward 4 Councilman Mark Alexander opposing.
Justice will take over the seat vacated when former Ward 1 councilwoman Erron Bell resigned, effective Aug. 1.
Thomas, when asked why she chose Justice for City Council, said Justice had seen the cleveland.com article telling of Bell’s resignation.
“She saw the article and called me and said, ‘Daggone, this is my time.’ I said to her, ’Run for office,’ and so she ran for office.”
Justice filed petitions with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and was the only Ward 1 candidate to do so. Having also been appointed by Thomas, Bell, had she not resigned, would have had to run for election this fall.
By making herself the only candidate, Justice will serve the remainder of this year, then serve a four-year term beginning in January 2024.
“She has always expressed (interest in) being in a leadership role,” Thomas said. ”I mean, she’s really an activist at the grassroots level.”
Justice, who was in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting, is a 21-year Richmond Heights resident who lives on Mulberry Circle with her husband, Robert. She is the mother of daughter Jazmin, 24, a Bowling Green State University graduate who is about to study at Ursuline College to become a nurse practitioner.
“I’m excited to be onboard,” Justice said. ”I look forward to working with the residents and the council.
“I have a true passion for the youth and children,” she said. “I would like to see more recreation available for them, the pools open more, more activities for children. That’s my strongest area of interest.”
Justice owns and operates a childcare center, Children’s Choice, in East Cleveland.
Election update
With the filing deadline past, this year’s council races are now known.
Alexander will not be seeking re-election in Ward 4, which leaves two first-time candidates, Shirley McMillan and Brian Silver, vying for the position.
“I just want to represent our city, our ward,” said Silver, of Highland Road, who was in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.
“Numerous issues have been going on with our ward. Airbnb’s are one issue, we have trash issues and water main breaks, and communication with our current representative was not there. So it involved us coming to council meetings and getting the information to respective parties.”
A 13-year resident, Silver and his wife, Lakisha, are parents to two children who attend Richmond Heights City Schools: a daughter, 11, and a son, 9.
“One of my goals is communication with our ward -- keeping our ward representatives informed with what’s going on with our city,” Silver said.
“And another is the use of Desan Park, to see whether we can get more usage out of it. And Jeannette (Drive) had an issue with the street lights. We need to get a citywide ordinance so we can actually review what needs to be replaced or updated with our infrastructure.”
In Ward 3, first-term incumbent Cassandra Nelson will face a challenge from first-time candidate Cherita Shaw.
“I don’t have anything personal against Cassandra; I just want to get out there and do what I plan to do,” Shaw said.
”I really want to get into public service, community service. I’m married, I have a family (husband, Angelo, two adult children, a son, 14, and three grandchildren), so I really want to represent families like mine in the community -- growing families, young families, people who are new to the community.
“I like the direction the city is going and I want to contribute to that,” said Shaw, of Queensboro Drive. “I want to be part of the decision-making process. What better way to do that than be involved with City Council?”
Shaw works as a client finance manager for a relocation company, a job she has had for nearly 20 years.
“I’m excited to get in there and work,” Shaw said. “I don’t have a problem getting my hands dirty, rolling my sleeves up and helping the citizens in our community, Ward 3 especially, and I want to support them in any way that I can.
“I want to make sure they want the same things I want as a resident of this community. I want to be able to help them.”
The Ward 2 race will pit two men who work as barbers against each other. Incumbent Frank Lentine has had a barbershop in what is now the 444 Park apartments in Richmond Heights for more than 50 years.
He served on City Council from 1978-1990 then, after a 24-year hiatus, was selected by council in 2014 to fill an opening created by a resignation, giving him a total of 21 years as a councilman.
Lentine will be opposed by first-time candidate Asu Mook Robinson, who owns the Diamond Cut Barbershop on Superior Road and East 52nd Street in Cleveland.
When asked what inspired him to run, Robinson, of Claymore Boulevard, said, “I’ve been living in the city for 18 years, and in those 18 years I’ve seen kind of a disconnect from Richmond Heights council, so I spoke with a few residents around me and they thought we might need a new voice and maybe somebody that can give us a little more sound from where we’re at.
“My points of focus are, of course, infrastructure, public safety and education. What I’m focusing on, with any city, it’s all about the board of education. It’s not only children being in a strong school system, (quality education) actually sustains and improves the values of our community.
“As councilman, I’m going to work as hard as I can with (Richmond Heights City Schools Superintendent) Dr. (Renee) Willis and the Board of Education to see what we can do on our (council’s) part to improve the situation.
“Because what we now have is a two-time, back-to-back basketball (state champion) program. That’s great, but it’s a start.
“We need a superstar academic program. Once we get that going, then we’re going to have a community, a great community,” he said.
“Richmond Heights is a beautiful place to live, and we need to stand that ground and keep it that way.
“I feel some of our representation has gotten a little out of touch with the community. I just think we need some new blood, somebody to take the torch,” Robinson said.
“I’m not knocking Mr. Lentine. He’s been a great political figure for this community, but it may be time for a change.”
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