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In response, Mr. Einhouse gave the City's bikeways a high score for initiative and intention but <br /> an overall "middling score." He spoke about the need to educate folks who are not on cyclists <br /> about sharing the road. <br /> Noting Mr. Einhouse's service on BZA &Planning Commission, President O'Malley asked him <br /> to draw conclusions about the City's processes and to remark on what we do well and what can <br /> be improved. <br /> Mr. Einhouse stated that the process can only be as good as the Planning Department. He went <br /> on to praise the City's Planning Department as one of the best, concluding that if you have the <br /> right people in the right place you can get to the best solutions. <br /> At the invitation of President O'Malley, Mr. Einhouse made concluding remarks, stating that he <br /> is at an excellent point in his career and life to serve on Council and that he would do so with the <br /> full support of his employer. He thanked Council for the opportunity. <br /> Sarah Kepple Interview <br /> In a brief opening statement, Ms. Kepple thanked Council for the opportunity and noted that her <br /> experiences as an entrepreneur, long-time resident, and community organizer would enable her <br /> to bring a unique perspective to Council. <br /> Councilmember Rader asked what Ms. Kepple would do to address climate change on the local <br /> level of government. She noted that the largest issue is Lakewood's sewer systems and cited an <br /> opportunity for the city to be a leader on the issue given recent EPA rollbacks. She stated that the <br /> city is moving in a good direction with making car charging publicly available and also <br /> expressed a desire to increase the use of solar energy in city and residential properties. <br /> Councilmember Rader then asked how she would help increase outreach and communication <br /> with the public. Ms. Kepple indicated that Council has made strides in making video recordings <br /> of the meetings available to the public and that efforts could be made to make the information <br /> more easily understandable to the public, while also pushing news out via social media. <br /> Vice President Litten asked whether Ms. Kepple would be running for Council in 2 years if <br /> appointed to the position or not, and what she thinks Council's priorities should be over the next <br /> couple years. Ms. Kepple indicated that she is looking to move into elected service and took <br /> longer to deliberate on the matter to ensure that she had folks in place to carry on her activism <br /> work. In terms of priorities, she added that there should be focus on sewer repairs, finsing One <br /> Lakewood Place and the Intergenerational Center, and making sure the city has pathways in <br /> place to make sure people of color and lower income are welcomed in Lakewood. She <br /> expounded, stating that people of color are more affected by income disparity and that the <br /> diversity of the city is one of the things that attracted her to the area. She also proposed <br /> celebrating Indigenous People's Day instead of Columbus Day. <br /> Councilmember Rader noted that Cleveland City Council's balance was recently thrown off with <br /> a female member stepping down there, and he asked Ms. Kepple how Lakewood feels about <br /> placing a woman in Lakewood's vacant seat. Ms. Kepple indicated that many efforts in the city <br /> 6 <br />