Election Forums
Monday and Tuesday, September 29 & 30, 2025
View the forum videos on Facebook:
Noble Neighbors of Cleveland Heights
Noble Neighbors hosts election forums for local elections with a particular focus on issues and concerns for the Noble area. The US Census tracts that abut Noble Road encompass 25% of the city's land and population. While the questions presented to the candidates focus on this quadrant, the answers concern all people of Cleveland Heights. All voters (and voters in training) are welcome to attend our forums.
The forum for Cleveland Heights Mayoral candidates is Monday, September 29, 7pm at Disciples Christian Church, 3663 Mayfield Road. We are using the Fellowship Hall which may be entered on the west side (the Yellowstone Road side) of the building.
The forum for Cleveland Heights City Council candidates is Tuesday, September 30, 7pm at Disciples Christian Church, 3663 Mayfield Road. We are using the Fellowship Hall which may be entered on the west side (the Yellowstone Road side) of the building.
Our practice is to provide questions in advance to the candidates with the expectation that they will provide thoughtful and well researched answers. Therefore, as voters we are better able to measure each candidate's familiarity with the challenges and potential solutions for our concerns.
Below you will find the email sent to each candidate on September 16. Candidates will answer these questions in a formal format. Following this section of our forum, each candidate will be available for a one-on-one and small group question-and-answer format. Participants may direct questions directly to each candidate.
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Email to Council Candidates Thank you for considering your participation in the Noble Neighbors Cleveland Heights City Council Candidate Election Forum on Tuesday, September 30, 7:00pm at Disciples Christian Church, 3663 Mayfield Road. This is the forum for which you received a "hold the date" notification on July 29 (or 30 after midnight), 2025. Please reply to this email to confirm your participation. At the beginning of the evening, we will ask the audience to agree to a social contract - to listen to the candidates' presentations without vocal or other attention garnering response, either in support or opposition to a candidate. It is our posture that the best way we can serve voters is to give them an opportunity to hear each candidate without distraction. Please inform your supporters of this social contract and that their behavior will reflect on your candidacy. The forum will be live-streamed on our Facebook page, Noble Neighbors of Cleveland Heights. The video will remain on this page following the forum. Below, you will find the questions we are asking you to address on September 30. While the subject matter for each question deserves much more attention than we can afford each of you that evening, we will be listening for your perspective and priorities as you address each issue. Noble Neighbors will be pleased to direct audience members to your social media for your more complete responses. In an effort to be fair, the opening statements, question responses and closing statements will be presented in rolling alphabetical order. A randomly selected first speaker will be drawn during the forum for each statement and response. So, for example, if Cohen were to be selected as the first speaker for the opening statement, she would be followed by Cuda, Dew, DeWitt-Foy, Mattox, then Cobb. If DeWitt-Foy were to be selected as the first speaker for the next question, he would be followed by Mattox, Cobb, Cohen, Cuda and Dew. I hope this makes sense and seems fair for you. Please be aware that you will not have a table in front of you. We will ask you to step up to a standing microphone. Please also note that you may wish to bring a clipboard to help manage your notes and note taking during the evening. Following the formal presentation of your answers to the questions we are providing here, we will ask you to move to another designated part of the room where you will meet election forum participants one-on-one or in small groups. Instead of fielding questions from the microphone, we are inviting participants to have face to face conversations with you. It is our hope that participants will have an opportunity to have their particular questions addressed by you as well as to foster a respectful conversational atmosphere. On September 30, you are welcome to bring campaign materials to distribute from this designated area after the formal presentations. The event begins at 7pm. You are encouraged to arrive as early at 6:30 to find parking. Other classes are occuring in the building that evening. We are using the Fellowship Hall, a large multi-purpose room at the west end of the building. The entrance we will use is on the Yellowstone Road side of the building. Greeters will be present to help you and audience members find restrooms. You will be invited to sit on the chairs in the front of the room as the formal event begins and stand to speak at a microphone when it is your turn. Do contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions. Thank you for participating in our local democracy! ********************************* Questions for CH City Council candidates: Opening Statement - One minute per candidate Question 1. Two minutes per candidate Many residents of Cleveland Heights who live outside of the Noble area acknowledge that they do not visit the Noble area. What do you propose to make this Noble district, which is 25% of the City of Cleveland Heights, a vibrant destination for all residents of our community? Question 2. Two minutes per candidate What do you perceive are the greatest economic development and housing issues in the Noble? How will you address them? Question 3. One minute per candidate What should the city do to foster more robust community engagement that brings all areas of the city to the discussion of development projects, zoning changes, funding commitments, and other significant decisions? Closing statement - One minute per candidate Informal questions with participants 8:45pm event ends |
Email to Mayoral Candidates Thank you for considering your participation in the Noble Neighbors Mayoral Candidate Election Forum on Monday, September 29, 7:00pm at Disciples Christian Church, 3663 Mayfield Road. This is the forum for which you received a "hold the date" notification on July 29 (or 30 after midnight), 2025. Please reply to this email to confirm your participation. At the beginning of the evening, we will ask the audience to agree to a social contract - to listen to the candidates' presentations without vocal or other attention garnering response, either in support or opposition to a candidate. It is our posture that the best way we can serve voters is to give them an opportunity to hear each candidate without distraction. Please inform your supporters of this social contract and that their behavior will reflect on your candidacy. The forum will be live-streamed on our Facebook page, Noble Neighbors of Cleveland Heights. The video will remain on this page following the forum. Below, you will find the questions we are asking you to address on September 29. While the subject matter for each question deserves much more attention than we can afford each of you that evening, we will be listening for your perspective and priorities as you address each issue. Noble Neighbors will be pleased to direct audience members to your social media for your more complete responses. In an effort to be fair, the first to present an opening statement will be selected randomly. For the rest of the formal part of the evening, the first person to present will be alternated. Following the formal presentation of your answers to the questions we are providing here, we will ask you to move to another designated part of the room where you will meet election forum participants one-on-one or in small groups. Instead of fielding questions from the microphone, we are inviting participants to have face to face conversations with you. It is our hope that participants will have an opportunity to have their particular questions addressed by you as well as to foster a respectful conversational atmosphere. On September 29, you are welcome to bring campaign materials to distribute from this designated area after the formal presentations. The event begins at 7pm. You are encouraged to arrive as early at 6:30 to find parking. Other classes are occuring in the building that evening. We are using the Fellowship Hall, a large multi-purpose room at the west end of the building. The entrance we will use is on the Yellowstone Road side of the building. Greeters will be present to help you and audience members find restrooms. You will be invited to sit on the chairs in the front of the room as the formal event begins and stand to speak at a microphone when it is your turn. Do contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions. Thank you for participating in our local democracy! ************************************ Questions for CH Mayoral candidates: Opening Statement - One minute per candidate Question 1. Two minutes per candidate Many residents of Cleveland Heights who live outside of the Noble area acknowledge that they do not visit the Noble area. What do you propose to make this Noble district, which is 25% of the City of Cleveland Heights, a vibrant destination for all residents of our community? Question 2. Two minutes per candidate Describe your vision for economic development along Noble Road. Include proposals for the soon-to-be-demolished Dairy site and each of the current business districts. What features, services and businesses will you advocate for thriving, regional draw and locally responsive business districts? How will you support existing businesses? Question 3. Two minutes per candidate What do you perceive are the housing issues in the Noble area that need to be addressed? How will you address them? Question 4. One minute per candidate What should the city do to foster more robust community engagement that brings all areas of the city to the discussion of development projects, zoning changes, funding commitments, and other significant decisions? Closing statement - One minute per candidate Informal questions with participants 8:45pm event ends |