The Lakewood City Council Finance Committee met on Monday evening to discuss the first steps in the 2010 municipal budget process.

According to Councilperson Kevin Butler (Ward 1), the city will face an estimated $2.1 million budget shortfall in 2010. Mayor Edward O. FitzGerald said he has identified around $400,000 to $600,000 in cuts, but must find another $1.25 to $1.5 million in reductions.

Mayor FitzGerald believes approximately 14 city positions will be eliminated in 2010. “They’re not all lay-offs. Most of them are by attrition,” he said. In the interest of being “careful,” the mayor declined to provide specifics regarding what departments would be affected. He vaguely alluded to a potential technology efficiency that would enable some of the cuts.

Unlike 2008 and 2009, when he felt he was able to slice a lot of fat from the budget without proportionally slashing city services, Mayor FitzGerald said the city is essentially now in a position where further cuts will directly translate to a decrease in city services. “We’re just getting to that point, I think” he said, adding he’d be “surprised” if anyone could find any more fat to trim.

Finance Committee Chairperson Michael Summers (Ward 3), who agreed with the mayor’s assessment, provided a pie chart depicting the city’s 2009 general fund expense areas and pondered where the budget could be slashed in 2010. Taking into account the massive funding hits Human Services has taken over the last couple of budget cycles, Summers declared them off limits. “You’re looking [next] at general government, public safety and public works,” he said.

Summers favored taking a “top down” approach to the 2010 budget process in an effort to “hold the line” and maintain what he described as a “right-sized” government. He put forth four different approaches to the situation ranging from covering the budget shortfall with the city’s approximate $1.5 million reserve fund to leaving the reserve fund alone and instead passing a structurally unbalanced budget.

The general sentiment in the room, including that of Summers, was that the city should avoid dipping into the reserve fund. Mayor FitzGerald emphasized it would be “crazy” to drain the reserve fund, especially in anticipation of 2011, when the city is obligated to make a $650,000 payment to the police and fire pension funds.

Councilperson Butler tossed out a fifth option for consideration. He suggested that the city should “overcut” in 2010 to avoid even more cuts in 2011 and to “put an end to the turmoil in city hall.”

Mayor FitzGerald offered a sixth option. If the city is forced to pare back vital services — like the fire department, he said, it ought to consider raising revenue, presumably through a tax increase. FitzGerald said he is not currently considering a tax increase.

In other finance-related news:

The city’s tax amnesty program has netted about $500,000 so far. A finance department representative said state funding to the city will decrease in 2010 by 17%, or $655,000.

Mayor FitzGerald said union contract negotiations are on schedule.

On Nov. 15th the finance director will provide city council with a rough estimate of the city’s expected expenses for 2010.

At around 11:30 a.m. today, a Lakewood PD officer who was located several houses away from the intersection of Warren and Detroit notified dispatch he’d heard what sounded like a motor vehicle accident and was going to investigate.

Within minutes, dispatch received multiple phone calls indicating a black male in a blue Mitsubishi traveling west on Detroit was driving like a maniac swerving in and out of traffic and had hit several cars.

Police located the car within five minutes and found it heading east on Detroit. It was being trailed by one of his victims.

With his car smoking, the driver of the blue Mitsubishi refused to pull over for police and led them on a brief 10-mph chase. Officers indicated they were going to box him in. Shortly thereafter, an officer on the scene said the suspect was in custody near the intersection of Woodward and Detroit and was being transported to Lakewood Hospital.

The Mitsubishi caught fire and the Lakewood Fire Department was called upon to extinguish the flames.

The driver struck at least one pedestrian who was clearly heard irately dropping F bombs in the background of the radio traffic.

Officers were seen clearing out the contents of the car’s trunk, which appeared to contain several plastic bags of clothing.  (See more images)

Here’s WKYC.com’s story on the incident:

Akron man charged with aggravated vehicular assault

LAKEWOOD – A 21-year old Akron man was arrested for aggravated vehicular assault after committing several hit and skips, according to Sgt. Favre of the Lakewood Police Department.

Around 11:25 a.m. Lakewood police received calls about a hit and skip accident on St. Charles Avenue and Detroit Ave.

A blue car left the scene heading westbound on Detroit.

The driver struck an RTA bus moments later at Warren Road and Detroit Avenue., and left the scene heading westbound.

In the vicinity of Cook Avenue and Detroit Avenue, the driver struck a pedestrian and continued westbound.

The victim was transported to Lakewood Hospital and the injuries are non-life threatening.

The station received additional calls reporting a hit and skip accident at Riverside Drive and Detroit Avenue.

The vehicle fled the scene and traveled eastbound on Detroit Avenue.

Another hit and skip accident occurred in the area of Webb Road and Detroit Avenue.

The driver left the scene and headed eastbound.

Around Woodward Avenue and Detroit Avenue, Lakewood Police stopped the vehicle and apprehended the driver, also the sole occupant.

Additional charges are pending for this case.