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RESOLUTION NO. 7326-98
<br />
<br /> BY: Corrigan, Flannery,
<br />George, Roth, Seelie, Skindell, $aith
<br />
<br /> A RESOLUTION to authorize the Mayor to conduct an investigation into
<br />the safety, operation and maintenance of the electrical distribution system operated by
<br />CE[ in the City of Lakewood, Ohio, and take any anti all action the Mayor deems
<br />necessary to protect dtizens and visitors.
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, The Qty of Lakewood has the legal authority under its
<br />charter, and under Article XVIE, Section 3, of the Ohio Constitution, to exercise all
<br />powers of self-government and to adopt and enforce within its limits such local police,
<br />sanitary and other similar regulations; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, The Mayor and the Qb/Coundl of the Qb/of Lakewood desire
<br />to provide for the safety of the residents of the Qb/, and the visitors to the City; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, aka The
<br />]:lluminating Company, now being a subsidiary of the Rrst Energy Corp., (" CE['~
<br />provides electric service to customers in the Qb/of Lakewood, and to the Clb/of
<br />Lakewood fadlities; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, Recent events have caused sedous concern about the safety
<br />of the residents, and the visitors to, the City of Lakewooa, resulting from the operation
<br />and maintenance of the CE[ electric distribution system; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, The electrfc distribution system of CFr in the City of Lakewood
<br />is old and may be in a deteriorating condition; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, OE has recently been laid off significant numbers of
<br />employees who were previously made available to provide the maintenance and
<br />operation of the electric distribution system; and
<br />
<br /> WHERAS, CL~ has now been acquired by FirstEnergy Corp., and the
<br />headquarters moved to Akron, Ohio; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, The combined RrstEnergy companies have reduced their
<br />number of employees from 16,~.5'7 in 1987, down to 10,020 as of December 31,1997;
<br />and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, local police and fire personnel in Lakewood and in other
<br />municipalities have been deployed during s133rm events and power outages to babysit
<br />downed wires for increasing hours while waiting for response from a CE[ crew~ putting a
<br />s~rain on already predous resources; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, on Hay 31,1998, in the City of Lakewood, a limb hanging over
<br />a CE[ electric distribution line, fell from a tree, tore the tops off of two utility poles, and
<br />broke the electric distribution line at a public street some considerable distance away,
<br />falling to the ground and striking a young boy on a bicycle, causing his death.
<br />
<br />THAT:
<br />
<br />BE FF RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE OTY OF IAKE'WOOD, OHIO
<br />
<br />Section 1. The Mayor is hereby authorized to initiate a complete
<br />investigation into the saf~y and operations of the electrical distribution
<br />system owned and operated by CE[ in the City of Lakewood.
<br />
<br />Section 2. The Mayor is further authorized to initiate a complete
<br />investigation into the capital expenditures, and the operating and
<br />maintenance expense, for the electrical distribution system as it relates to
<br />the City of Lakewood
<br />
<br />
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