[ back ]
New Woodmere mayor makes pitch for new direction
(by Sali McSherry - January 07, 2010)
New Woodmere mayor makes pitch for new direction
By SALI McSHERRY
Former major-league baseball player Charles E. Smith Jr., who was sworn in Sunday as the new mayor of Woodmere, pledged to take the village into a new direction.
He takes over the reins from Yolanda Broadie, who served as mayor for eight years and was term limited.
A four-year resident of the Woodmere and the owner of a small business, Mr. Smith said Monday that he wants to provide a "business approach" to running Woodmere.
He ran for the job, he said, because "I felt we needed, as a village, a firm stance on the direction we want to take."
A former pitcher for the Florida Marlins, where he debuted at age 30 in 2000 and played for two years, Mr. Smith played minor league baseball for most of his career. In 2006, he played for Brother Elephants in the Chinese Professional Baseball League and, in 2008, served as pitching coach of the Lancaster Jethawks, a minor-league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
While the Woodmere mayoral position is part time, Mr. Smith said, "There's nothing part time about this job." He said he expects to be at Village Hall on a regular basis, and, in the future, the position could become full time.
His plan is to bring the village into the 21st century as far as initiating new policies and enhanced communication tools such as the village Web site and newsletter, he said. There's been a lack of communication, and the focus for his administration will be to reconnect with the residents, Mr. Smith said. He said he also plans to play close attention to the 300 businesses situated in Woodmere.
Mr. Smith said he would evaluate personnel currently serving in the village administration, including police and fire employees, before making any changes. He said he has people in mind to be named in the near future to serve in his administration.
The mayor said he wants to initiate town meetings or coffee receptions to give residents opportunities to voice their concerns.
When asked what major issues Woodmere faces, Mr. Smith said that, with just a couple of days on the job, "I can't put my finger on just one."
He declined to comment on past discrimination lawsuits against Ms. Broadie and the village. But he said he is confident that new village law director, Ross Cirincione, who approved by Village Council last fall, will be able to address any potential lawsuits and issues that come up.
Ms. Broadie failed to win a seat on Village Council in the November election. A vacancy left by Councilman James Jordan, who suffered a stroke, was filled by Jennifer Mitchell Early.
Mr. Smith, a Cleveland native, graduated from John Adams High School and attended Indiana State University. He and his family previously lived in Strongsville but moved east to be closer to family, he said.
[ back ]
