14 Beachwood Buzz
n
February 2016
Beachwood Pays Tribute to Departing
Councilmen Mark Mintz, Fred Goodman
and Mark Wachter
More than 50 years of municipal experience
walked out of Beachwood City Hall to applause and
high praise at the conclusion of the Monday, Dec. 21,
Beachwood City Council meeting.
Councilmen (pictured from top) Fred Goodman,
Mark Mintz and Mark Wachter attended their final
meeting that included numerous tributes and a brief
reception in the city hall lobby.
"Tonight is very bittersweet for me," Mayor Merle
S. Gorden said of the departing councilmen. "I not
only call them colleagues in government, but I also
call them personal friends."
Mintz and Goodman did not seek reelection.
Wachter was defeated in his bid for another term.
The mayor noted a long list of accomplishments
that occurred during the service of the council trio,
including development of the Harvard Road exit
ramp on I-271 that opened the south end of Beach-
wood to development. Gorden also noted Beach-
wood's very high municipal bond rating indicative
of the city's sound fiscal policies and their results in
lower costs when the city sells bonds. The mayor
also said the councilmen were involved in attracting
significant developments to the Chagrin Highlands
area of the city.
"These gentlemen kept giving of themselves and
they did it for the residents of the City of Beachwood,"
the mayor said. "If these gentlemen had not stepped
up to the plate during the past 20 to 25 years, we'd be
like other communities, struggling for our residents."
Mintz, Goodman and Wachter won steady acco-
lades throughout the evening for serving during
a period when Beachwood continued providing
superb municipal services while also maintaining
very stable finances.
"Evenings like this are always difficult," said
Councilman Martin Horwitz of the departing council
veterans. "They put the needs of the residents first in
every decision they made."
First-term Councilman Alec Isaacson publicly
thanked Mintz, Goodman and Wachter for their
leadership. "Thank you for making Beachwood what
it is today," Isaacson said. "I have learned more from
the three of you over the past two years than I ever
thought I would."
Councilman James Pasch noted the "tremendous
amount of respect I have for the time and work that
all three of you have contributed."
Veteran Councilman Mel Jacobs, noting that the
departing councilmen will no longer have to attend
evening council sessions, joked that "The only peo-
ple I feel sorry for now are their wives. Now they'll
be home at night."
Mintz, who has served on
city council since 2000, said
during his public remarks
that "The job can be an
emotional roller coaster,
with many highs and lows
along the way."
"Looking back, all I can
say is `Wow' when I think of
all of the things we have ac-
complished together," Mintz
said. "I tried to do what was
best for a majority of our
residents and our city."
He offered this advice
for new council members:
"Be a good listener to the
people and the experts.
Follow your heart and work
together."
Wachter, who served on council since 1999,
said that even though council members some-
times disagreed with each other, they were always
collectively driven by the desire to do what was
best for the city.
"At the end of each discussion we'd smile, shake
hands and move on to the next challenge," Wachter
said. He said that level of cooperation between city
council and the administration has helped make
Beachwood what it is today.
"This is an exemplary city which is the envy of
virtually every suburb in the area," Wachter said.
He encouraged council members to rely upon the
expertise of the city's department heads. And he
deplored the ability of "nameless, faceless critics" to
anonymously post negative comments on media
web sites.
Goodman, who most recently served as pres-
ident of city council, said council worked closely
with the administration to get many things accom-
plished in Beachwood.
"I just don't think any other city comes close,"
said Goodman, who served on council since 1992.
"Our services are second to none. Our finances are
the envy of most, if not all, cities in Ohio."
Goodman urged incoming council members to
continue working together for the good of the city.
"I'm turning the city over to you in great shape,"
Goodman said. "Keep it that way, please."
Three newly-elected council members, Justin
Berns, Barbara Bellin Janovitz and Brian Linick,
were sworn in and started their terms last
month.
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Words
from the
Ward
The Democratic Ward Club's
2016 Speaker Series continues
in February with South Euclid
Mayor Georgine Welo as its
keynote speaker.Come hear
what is going on with our
neighbors to the north.
Our February meeting is
Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 7 pm,
at the Beachwood Public
Library.
For more information, call
me at 216.292.5562 or check
out our Facebook page at
Facebook.com/Beachwood-
DemocratClub.
As always, I am Beach-
wood Democratic Club
president, Steve Rosen, and I
approve this message.
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