From the desk of Mayor Sam Alai

You are cordially invited to participate in our Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony on Monday, May 29, at 9 a.m. The parade serves as the gathering ceremony for the Broadview Heights memorial service, which honors our fallen soldiers, as well as our currently-serving members of the military who are defending our freedom. At a time when our country is facing many changes and challenges, your presence at our community’s ceremony is a reminder that, no matter our similarities or differences, we are united in our devotion and gratitude to those defenders of our freedom.

We must remember that those who died for us were someone’s children, parents, spouses, siblings and friends. As your mayor, I am grateful for the opportunity to join you in honoring their heroism and sacrifices. Because of their belief in the preservation of freedom for all, we show our gratitude by surrounding ourselves with those we love as we remember the fallen and the lives they lived. So, on May 29, as we enjoy time with our own families, let us all pause, reflect and remember those who sacrificed their lives. Use the day as an opportunity to not only enjoy each other’s company, but to also talk to our children and grandchildren about the true meaning of words like “sacrifice” and “service to others”.

In our past, and in our present, our fellow Americans are fighting for a cause greater than themselves – the preservation of our country and all the freedoms it provides. As we go about our daily activities each day, let’s all try to find our own ways of serving others. In that way, we can all show our gratitude and truly honor them.

I am pleased to announce that a new company will soon be calling Broadview Heights “home.” Fleet Team, an industrial equipment fleet management and consulting company with a payroll of over $10.6 million and more than 140 employees, will be remodeling and refacing the 39,200-square-foot Vatterott College building at Interstate 77 and Royalton Road. It will become part of the company’s world class headquarters, a response to its rapid growth.

In early 2022, I began working with TeamNEO and JobsOhio to bring Fleet Team to our city. In order for Fleet Team to have access to its site, the extension of Treeworth Boulevard was necessary. Through JobsOhio and ODOT, we applied for and received $950,000 in grant money to help build the roadway. This new cul-de-sac road also provides important access to two prime parcels which are owned by our city. The state of Ohio and Broadview Heights were in competition with other states to land this project with Fleet Team, so I am grateful and proud that they chose Broadview Heights for their new headquarters. This innovative company’s goal is to occupy the existing building by the end of the year. Some of the additional development will occur simultaneously with the rehabilitation of the current building, and other site development will follow immediately after the current building is finished.

I would like to thank my Economic Development Team, Dave Schroedel, Joe Madato, and Gary Yelenosky; TeamNEO; JobsOhio and especially GNCO Corporation’s Matt Adams for all of their hard work in bringing this wonderful project to the city. I am thrilled that Fleet Team is making Broadview Heights their new home.

In closing, I’d like to extend my deepest sympathy to the families of longtime city employees Doris Coleman and Denis ‘Oz’ Osinski, who passed away a few weeks ago. Doris was an active member of our Spotlights Theater group and was always a ray of light at work. I often saw Doris at city events after she retired, and she continued to be a person with a wonderful sense of humor and a positive outlook. I’ll miss her energy and her smile. Denis worked for the service department for over 30 years. He was dedicated to his job, was a friend to all in the department and kept them in stitches. He will be missed by everyone who had the opportunity to work with him. I am comforted knowing that Broadview Heights is a better place because of Doris Coleman and Denis Osinski. ∞