After careful consideration and honest discussions with both remaining mayoral candidates, I am reaching out to ask that you join me in supporting Kahlil Seren for mayor of Cleveland Heights.

Please know that I have done my due diligence in balancing out the strengths and shortcomings of each candidate. As you know, I am adamant that we need a strong financial leader in our first elected mayor, and when I compare the financial background and policy experience of both candidates, Kahlil Seren is the clear choice.

Read More

The votes have been counted and Kahlil and Barbara will be moving on to the General Election.

While the results were not what we had hoped for, I want everyone to know how much I appreciate the faith you placed in me over the past few months.

Thank you to all of our hard working volunteers, all of my contributors and endorsers. And thank you to everyone who placed their trust in me with your vote yesterday.

It would not have been possible for me to run such a good campaign without you. We have made a strong journey during this campaign, and although it is a disappointment not to have made it through the primary, we have raised some key issues into the mayoral race.

Read More

Most impressive was Hart’s understanding that some have created an atmosphere in their rhetoric when directed at our community about voucher usage that belies the city’s newly adopted theme of “All are Welcome” and Hart’s willingness to call it out. She also, in my opinion, has the stronger grasp in general of issues relevant to our neighborhood ranging from smaller ones like our need for more parking on Taylor instead of the proposed bike lanes, to larger ones like the development of the Milikin site and strengthening our business sector. Her record as a strong ally for our community and willingness to work closely with us should be appreciated. Vote Melody Hart

Read More

No one else in City government at this time matches her understanding of the depth of scope of our community’s residential sustainability challenges—challenges accrued over decades of complacency and deferred care.
Her financial expertise and experience is superior. The City’s finances—specifically its tax base as well as the planning and management of assets and resources—are in need of serious work to meet current and future requirements of the community.
Melody Hart is an active advocate with community organizations and in City Council for systemic housing preservation that goes well beyond the departmental tinkering proposed in the Novak Report.

Read More

Cleveland Heights is the tree city and is walkable and bikeable. Those things define us, and they are three of the things that attracted me to move into this city. I have always valued nature and sustainability.

The housing density, mix of land uses, and walkability of a streetcar suburb like Cleveland Heights — not to mention our location among so many amenities — makes it a great place to live and to reduce environmental impacts. A challenge in the future will be to preserve and enhance these land-use advantages while making the city greener and helping everyone transition to renewable energy sources.

Read More

I am writing to you today because leaders from the CHUH School system and its supporters are traveling to Columbus to testify in favor of including HB 110 (Fair School Funding Plan) in the state Budget. Many, if not most, of the challenges facing CHUH schools, are caused by the unconstitutional school funding process followed by the State government for decades.

City Council passed a resolution a few weeks ago at my request supporting the changes listed in HB 110 as a fair way of funding schools. It would do away with much of the EdChoice voucher system which has cost our system millions of dollars and caused it to ask for a tax increase that would not have been needed if the state funded the voucher system it imposed on the public school system.

Read More

With the conviction of police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, many people breathed a sigh of relief — justice for one family — though the cost was too high and the trauma can’t be undone for people of color across our country and community.

Following Floyd’s death, Cleveland Heights city council members, led by Davida Russell, Melody Hart, and Mike Unger, passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis and in an effort to turn thoughts and prayers into action, the trio also introduced legislation

Read More

A week has gone by since the Metro vote. The Sun Press wrote a front page article: Cleveland Heights Council Paves the Way for Metrohealth expansion with reduced tree cutting plans.

I am grateful for the community participation that led to this resolution. That is how an effective government works — the community concerns prompted my proposed amendment at the March 24 special meeting.

Read More

The following Ethics Resolution was proposed by Melody Joy Hart to Cleveland Heights City Council on March 15, 2021. During that meeting, the resolution was supported by 5 out of 6 council members and it will likely be voted on at the next Cleveland Heights City Council meeting.

Read More

Cleveland Heights Council Member Melody Joy Hart is sponsoring her second forum on the city’s transition to a mayor-council form of government.

Read More