𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗡𝗢 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘.The Library Board voted on May 16, 2022 to approve an expensive contract with Cresco to become the facility manager of the Coventry PEACE Building. While we are dissapointed, and deeply concerned about this decision, we were incredibly touched and moved by all the people that showed up in support of a different resolution, and spoke so meaningfully in support of our organizations. We are have taken the day to rest up from our efforts and to meet with the Coventry PEACE Campus tenants regarding next steps. We will have more information soon, but in the meantime we encourage you to keep sharing your concerns and hold the board members accountable to the statements they made stating that they support our organizations and want to see them thrive. Go to coventrypeacecampus.org/critical-updates to see how you can still help.
I smell a future high-rise commercial building and residence; the land is valuable. Allegra and Cresco need further vetting. Just my two cents. Good luck.
Stupid and ignorant; there’s no other explanation except maybe corruption.
Update
If the library feels that extra property management of the building is necessary, as owners of the building, the library should cover that cost, at minimum for a set transition period—perhaps 5 years. And they should give you a long-term contract, committing to keeping the arts and related uses as Peace Campus.
I hope you get some help. It feels as if the costs are high, many salaries involved and high commission rates for a non-profit. Some of those services could be pro bono.
Just UGH!! I’m so heart broken for the entire CPC community. I will remain in prayers for everyone. If one can’t afford whatever they come up with, that’s one too many. So unnecessary. 🙏😢
My thoughts are: what would the library do and feel and think if this was happening to them?
Somebody’s getting a kick back . Follow the money 🤷♂️
Hopefully the cost will be fair.
I’m so sorry. 💔
Thanks Bob!
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Today, come make a poster for tomorrows Rally for PEACE at Heights Library Main Branch! Show up May 16 at 5PM to Rally for PEACE. Stay and sign up to speak to the Board of Trustees.
Love it!!
Lots going on this weekend at Coventry PEACE Campus - building tours, birthday parties, community meetings & this - a community fundraiser for artists in Ukraine. Tomorrow (Sunday) - join Artful Cleveland artist Robin VanLear (Art Acts Ltd) and her friends and enjoy some good food, live music and Zoom with Ukranian artist Ulianka Savchenko!
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Thank you to former Coventry P.E.A.C.E. president, Ray Gonzalez, for sharing his concerns with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees. He has a unique connection to both the Library and Coventry PEACE Campus, and his perspective is appreciated. Please see the entire attached post to read his letter in full.Ray Gonzalez, a board member of the Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries, just sent us a copy of an email he sent to the Library Board of Trustees and we are sharing it with his permission. Ray is one of the founding members, and served as both President and Vice President of the original Coventry P.E.A.C.E. organization. The organization that helped get the Coventry PEACE playground built, and was the caretaker of the playground until the Library took ownership. Mr. Gonzalez has also volunteered on various committees for the new Coventry PEACE organization (Coventry PEACE Campus) and has a unique connection to both CPC and Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library. Here is what he sent to the Library board members:
Dear Heights Libraries Board of Trustees,
First, I want to thank you for volunteering to serve on the Heights Libraries Board of Trustees. As a 40-plus-year resident of Cleveland Heights, I completely agree that “Our library is such an integral part of our community,” as Director Nancy Levin said. “Serving on the library board is one of the best ways a citizen can serve the Heights community, by helping guide the vision of the public library.”
But I fear that the board has been misinformed and misled on the Coventry PEACE Campus.
When Heights Library acquired the Coventry parkland and the building, I was very glad. I have been involved with the Coventry Park since the playground was built in the 1990s, and served for many years as either the Vice President or President of Coventry PEACE, Inc., which maintained the park. I believed that Nancy Levin would be a great leader in helping the tenants of the former school building to advance their goal of developing an innovative center for community education and the arts. That seemed to be the case until this past December, when the board rejected the long-planned, long-term lease the tenants need to keep growing the project.
The board has still not adequately explained this decision. Worse, public records now coming to light suggest to me that Nancy in fact made the decision, then fed the board only information that supported it while simultaneously advising board members from engaging with the tenants in any way. These records were obtained by the CPC leaders and are being shared on social media. If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you read them.
Having been a nonprofit executive director for over 35 years and a board member/trustee on eight-plus nonprofit boards, I know that Board Trustees rely heavily on information provided to them by their executive directors and staff, especially if they have not had much experience or training. But that information should be only the start of the board’s work.
The CH-UH Board of Education’s 2019 statement to recruit new members to the library board of trustees stated clearly that nominees “should be willing to ask questions, offer criticism and make suggestions. They should have the courage to plan creatively.”
According to Ohio law, the responsibilities of a Public Library Trustee include:
- Policy Making: Determine the goals and objectives of the library and methods of evaluating progress toward meeting them.
- Administration: Keep in touch with the library’s progress and problems through reports from the Director and staff, personal use of the library, and 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰.
- Public Relations: 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 “𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸” 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.
Ohio Attorney General Yost writes on the AG’s Office’s web site: “Board Trustees are guardians of the trust, 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, regardless of personal interests. Board Trustees who know the facts, analyze the probable result of their actions, exercise sound judgment and keep reasonable records fulfill their duty of care. Those who regularly miss meetings, are inactive or 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 before making decisions do not.”
The AG’s Office also lists these duties:
- 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗯𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.
- Review the performance of the charity’s executive director or chief executive officer.
- 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁; 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀.
The AG’s Office also advises: “Trustees can be held individually responsible for breaches of fiduciary standards within a charity. For example … if Trustees knowingly violate contractual agreements thus exposing the Libraries to lawsuits.”
Again, it appears to me, and many others in the community, that the Heights Libraries Board of Trustees has been misinformed and misled. I urge you to discuss among yourselves, without Library Staff, the issues surrounding the Coventry PEACE Campus.
Ray Gonzalez, ACSW, LISW
Change is Constant, Growth is Optional
Glad to see someone else stepping up here. I’m no longer a CH resident, and am saddened to see this story unfolding.
Bravo, Ray Gonzalez!
Thank you Ray!!!
If you are out and about today - swing by Zygote Press, Inc. for this new show.if you missed the Queer Hanky Project Opening Reception last night, that's ok! We have Gallery Hours today from 12-4pm!Hope to see you there!
Fighting for my livelihood.Hopefully this snippet will allow you a chuckle while you recognize the absurdity we are up against.
The latest assessment of multiple documents we received from Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library show multiple conversations and communications regarding tearing the building down, and virtually no discussion on how to ensure the nonprofits in the Coventry PEACE Campus building are able to stay. To read the documents, and find out how you can help, please go to coventrypeacecampus.org/critical-updates. The Library board is poised to vote on a contract Monday that will pretty much seal our fate - please show up and have your voice heard. There are further details at that link, but the meeting will be held on Monday. May 16 at 6:30 pm at their Lee Road branch. And be sure to add your name to the petition: change.org/p/save-coventry-peace-campus-in-cleveland-heights?redirect=false.
So much incompetence to be exposed here. Total lack of either logic or foresight. Pathetic, really.
They keep saying they don't want us to leave, but they keep discussing getting rid of us.
Hey, here is a thought. Let us present our plan to you. The city, the school board, and the library leadership have shown they trust "developers" more than they trust the hard working citizens.
We made an offer to buy the building, even pay for all costs associated, and they refused.
To see this full memo, for more info, and to find out how you can help, please go to coventrypeacecampus.org/critical-updates.#keepthepeace #coventrypeacecampus #clevelandheights #heightslibrary #coventryvillage #loveforcov
Disgusting mismanagement and undermining of all that CPC has brought to the community.
ALTERNATIVE #1 Instead of moving forward with the plan for CPC to manage the building, and continuing to minimize the financial burden on the taxpayers. The library leadership wants to assume the cost of maintenance at 300K, make it more complicated by adding a pricey contract, and price out the tenants that have been paying for all exspenses of the building. Makes sense.
***Also please note that they are welcome to use some space for storage or take over space as a tenant, or use the gym anytime they would like, they just don’t want us here.
Personally tired of paying property tax for our own library system, why can’t they integrate into Cuyahoga County system ( that we pay for in property taxes too?)
This email from Nov. 19th 2021, seems civil enough. We believed that the “real estate subcommitee” was going to seriously discuss CPC at the December 6th meeting.This did not turn out to be true. In fact they discussed Nancy’s alternative plans instead.
Join ARTFUL artist Robin VanLear and friends this Sunday (5/15) for this special fundraiser to help support Ukranian artists. Art, live music, food & more!
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Before the March 22nd meeting of the Board of Trustees we asked them to hold off on hiring a property manager because we were ”in discussion” with the Cleveland Foundation about collateral funding for large repairs. They refused to meet with the Cleveland Foundation said they would not wait and then voted to negotiate a contract with Cresco Playhouse. One of the other companies that submitted an RFP checked in with Nancy on the project. She flat out lied to him, blaming it on the tenants, and didn’t think it neccessary to mention his company was not picked, but to wait another month. We still aren’t anywhere near having new leases. SHADY
Tony Cuda ? Are you monitoring this?
This is the timeline set by library leadership for the RFP for property management. The last 10 steps were omitted immediately. This is NOT how you manage a project or the community’s assets. I have also found very unprofessional behavior with a couple of management companies In the emails from public records request. Shameful.
The 3 RFPs for property manager were opened at 4:00 PM on March 1st. In ONE HOUR and EIGHT MINUTES at 5:08 PM the Leadership of the Library had already made up their minds. They decided to go with the most expensive proposal. I thought the board had to vote on these things?
There are some out there who claim (not in a pro-ARTFUL way) that ARTFUL is a “palace” compared to other arts buildings and we should be paying significantly more. We just want to remind those people that if ARTFUL is a palace - it didn’t come that way. It is only due to the blood, sweat & tears of our Executive Director (& current Coventry PEACE Campus Facility Manager), our dedicated board, our passionate artists and the unbelievable people who volunteered to LITERALLY build ARTFUL. Here's a snippet of video from our 5th Year Anniversary Retrospective. We recommend listening with the sound on. And if you are so inspired, sign the petition that a local resident has started: bit.ly/KeepThePEACE.
Great look back, plus a hopeful look forward. 🧑🏻🎨
This is the agenda for the Dec. 20 2021 Board of Trustees meeting. I have not see any questions asked by the board about any of these items. Seems like an awful lot of important decisions and a lot of money without any discussion or feedback from the public.
For all of you who serve a mothering role... we wish you a bright and beautiful day. Thanks for all you do!
Big thanks to our friend Frank for fighting of us. Will you fight for us, too? PLEASE help #keepthepeace & sign this petition. Spread the word to your friends & colleagues. The 30+ artists at ARTFUL and the 9 non-profit businesses in our building thank you!LINK TO PETITION: bit.ly/KeepThePEACE
Shared.
Attached is an email from Nancy Levin to her board of trustees from 12/21/21. It is full of incorrect information and shows her complete lack of respect for our organizations and the truth. NONE of the board members asked us any questions.
NONE toured the building until after the vote.
They based their vote on Nancy Levin’s biased opinion.