Council President Ron Jackson

11/01/2025

11/01/2025

The residents of Maple Heights deserves a better city council – Part 2.
Part 1 published August 20, 2025.

Before you vote on November 4th, here are additional issues for your consideration.
• Currently, the city does not have a full time Finance Director. Why? The majority of council won’t approve the Mayor’s recommendation. This is an administrative position, appointed by the Mayor but must be approved by council. Shouldn’t the Mayor pick their staff and not council? Say it, ”council control”. We voted for a Mayor to be the CEO of the city not city council.
• Pending Legislation: 2025-76, reads in part, ”any city monies expended or allocated for the refurbing of City buildings and offices and for the purchase of office furniture, decorations and amenities, regardless of the amount of such expense or allocation are here-by required to be approved by Council”. Even though Council approved the budget for 2025, only one-third of this line item has been spent and it has NEVER GONE into a negative balance. Say it again, “council control?”.
• While limiting the mayor’s spending some council members recently approved spending that likely will cause the council budget for 2025 to go in the negative. By passing legislation 2025-63 in June to purchase equipment and hiring a contractor to operate it to broadcast council meetings on YouTube has paid for it with money from the council budget that was not accounted for in 2025.
For these reasons and more, a change is needed on City Council.

As Council President for the last 7 ½ years I am in a UNIQUE AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED POSITION to make recommendations for the 2025 November 4th. election and I pray that you consider them.
My recommendations are: Council President-Lawrence Lane, District 1- Devin Nelson, District 3-Timothy Tatum, Distract 5-Shirley Merritt and District 7-Travian Atkins, and the re-election of Alonzo Blackwell for School Board President. Please vote for these candidates for sensible and logical collaboration.

Sincerely Ron Jackson, Current Council President

08/21/2025

The residents of Maple Heights deserve a better City Council.

I contend that our city is at a crossroads. We have the opportunity to continue the improvement and growth that has taken place under the current administration or allow our city to fail under the control of a very negative segment of City Council. The following are some of my observations from the last few years that you need to know!

A segment of the Maple Heights City Council over the last few years have been systematically trying to take over City Council completely and now are trying to control the day-to-day operations of the city! Here are a few examples:
They have made numerous changes to the 220 Rules of Council which govern City Council. They have diluted the authority of the Council Presidential by removing many of the duties and responsibilities from the Council President and appointing them to City Council. The latest being a change to the council reporting order at meetings moving the Presidents report from last to first. It was stated that they did not like what the President said and that he had the last word.
Another example is the newly formed Government Affairs Committee and other committees that have requested extensive amounts of information from administrators in an unreasonable amount of time. This blurs the line of the Executive and Legislative branches of government.
You may ask yourself how were they able to do these things? This was done by having a majority of council members influenced and controlled by negative members who want to disrupt the advancements made by the current administration. I know because I was recruited to become a part of it.
Another major issue is how common courtesy and respect have gone by the wayside. Here are some examples:
Mouthing “f you” from their council seat to a resident at a council meeting is totally unacceptable yet it happened.
While claiming support for the Mayor to her face and to residents, one ran against her and another served as their campaign manager.
Wanted to limit the time of the Mayors report.
A council member aggressively approached the Mayor after a council meeting and a resident had to step in-between them for safety of the Mayor.
A police officer had to step in-between a council member as they aggressively approached another and then claiming to feel threaten by the other.
Council members had to be escorted multiple times to their cars after council meetings to keep from being intimidated and harassed by other council members.
After being appointed to serve on City Council committees according to Council rules, some council members refused to serve with other council members.

This kind of un-professional behavior has no place on our City Council and it has to be stopped! We, the residents of Maple Heights, deserves better. We should demand better. We can do better by voting them out of office on November 4th.
One recently said if you don’t like me … vote me out. Let’s give this council member what they want.

Sincerely,
Ron Jackson, Council President

06/24/2024

Join Us for Music in the Park on Tuesday, July 16th!

05/01/2024

The 2024 Exterior Home Repair Grant Program is now open! Applications are available both at the Building & Housing Department, and may also be printed off of the City website, by clicking on this link, you will be directed to the Housing Department page, look for the link called ‘2024 Exterior Home Repair Grant Application’, where you can print off the application and drop it to City Hall. Website link here: https://citymapleheights.com/government/departments/housing-department/


Funds will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis. The Program Guidelines are outlined below. Questions? Please Contact Sharra Thomas, Housing Administrator, [email protected]

03/22/2024

We are less than a week away from our APPRENTICESHIP FAIR. Learn about career opportunities in the Construction Trades. ACT OHIO Cleveland Tradeswomen Cleveland Builds