Results For Avon Lake Residents
- A Proven Record -
Fiscal Policy
- Lean and efficient city budgets without sacrificing quality city services
Economic Development
- 1,600 jobs retained with Ford Motor Company
- Kept the GenOn power plant operating using coal with plans for natural gas in the future.
- Expanded the Economic Development Director to Full-time
- Established the annual Avon Lake Business Expo and Promoted Small Business Saturday
- Giant Eagle assurance of their presence in Avon Lake for years to come
- Rewrite of Avon Lake’s Land Use Plan and Planning and Zoning Code to encourage development
- New jobs and reinvestment by PolyOne and Lubrizol
- 100 jobs created by Drug Mart utilizing a formerly vacant building for a new mail-order pharmacy
Ensuring Quality and Excellence of Safety Forces
- Update of Avon Lake’s Community Disaster Plan to ensure a coordinated response with the Emergency Management Agency.
- Added three firefighter/paramedics to increased 911 calls
- Avon Lake Fire Department reorganization for added efficiency
- Coordination with the Chief of Police to arranged neighborhood “Coffee with a Cop”
- Expanded the Citizens Police Academy and Big Trucks program
- Professional and collaborative leadership with Fire and Police Chiefs
Senior Programming
- Hot lunches
- Movies
- Lunch and Learns
- Games
- Bus trips
- Sr. Prom
- Sr. Exercise Room
Corporate Partnerships/Sponsors of City and Recreation Department Programs
- PolyOne
- Design Engineering, Inc.
- Love-A-Stray
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Cleveland Browns
- Cleveland Indians
- Heritage Avon Lake
- Avon Lake Youth Basketball Federation
- Avon Lake High School Coaches
New or Expanded Programs
- Light up the Park
- Christmas Light Bus Tour
- Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
- Boo by the Woods
- Fishing with Friends
- Yoga in the Park
- Concerts at Miller Road Park and and Bleser Park
- Squeaky Sneakers
- Open gym basketball, pickleball, volleyball, dodgeball
- Baseball/softball
- Football
- Indoor batting cage for the community
- Fitness and Yoga classes
- MS and Parkinson’s classes
- Bubble soccer
- Cruise In Car show
- Big Splash with Love A Stray
- Tail gate Dog Show with Love A Stray
- Star Parties
- Kayaking and sunset tours
- Cooking classes
- Sport & coaching development for kids and adults
The Public Works Department and Quality City Services
- Created the Public Works Department, a consolidation of the Service and Engineering Departments
- The Public Works Department has maintained quality City services in a more efficient manner
- Constructed a salt storage facility allowing the City to purchase salt at bulk prices
Communicating With Avon Lake Residents
- Initiated annual citywide Ward Meetings to have direct dialogues and informational sessions with city residents
Tough Issues Of Our Times
- Initiated the Drug Abuse Forums in response to the state and national crises of opiate addiction and its impact on our families.
- 2014 Avon Lake awarded “You’re a Champion from Communities that Care of Lorain County”.
- LCADA (Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Agency) has established a resource and counseling center in Avon Lake.
- Mayor Zilka was appointed to the Alcohol Drug Addiction Services Board in 2017 with the goal of providing prevention and treatment services to all residents of Lorain County.
- Avon Lake’s efforts have served as a model to other communities in our area impacted by opiate addiction.
Facilities
- Established the Anchor Recreation Facility
- Folger Home available for rental
- New deck at Folger Home
- New tennis/pickleball courts
- Overlook park – playground and sprayground
- New and improved ballfields at Weiss Field and Sunset Park
- Built a Gazebo at Veteran’s Memorial Park